It was so much fun to talk to Eugenie Lovett West about her newest book, Sarah's War.
I enjoy historical fiction, particularly the period during the Revolutionary War. It's amazing to think of what we accomplished. It was not a given that Americans would overcome the British, who had an enormous army and incredible resources to throw at the rebels who dared to fight for freedom.
One of the things I found fascinating in Sarah's War is the fact that British officers were having a grand old time as they waited for their well-trained army to make short work of putting down the untrained militia led by farmers and scholars. That they underestimated our Founders was a fatal mistake. That they underestimated the patriotic women of the colonies proved to be their downfall.
Eugnia Lovett West has created an American heroine. Sarah Champion is a patriot whose twin brother was killed in the Battle of Long Island. She was sent from rural Connecticut to live help out a her in Philadelphia. She soon discovers that not only is her aunt wealthy and in no need of her assistance, the woman is a Loyalist, who enjoys wining and dining the British officers. From a naive young girl determined to revenge her brother's death, Sarah finds strength and courage as she sets out to take on the task of spying against the British.
Too often the role of women is overlooked when writing about wars and so it is fun to read a book which highlights the women of this tumultuous time in American history.