Wow, what a book! The author did a tremendous job of bringing us into Martha Washington’s world. The historical feel of the narration and dialogue was perfect, and I loved how she included real letters complete with their actual spelling. The historical note at the end was so helpful—this author really did her research and was extremely careful not to take too many liberties with her interpretations of events.
I found it fascinating that this book was based on a true story. I was not familiar with the cholera epidemic in this era, and I had never heard of Louis and Matilda. Their story was so interesting, and once again, Ann H. Gabhart has a masterful touch with dialect and character voice. This book is not your typical Christian historical romance, and that was a welcome change. It also means I may accidentally give spoilers in this review, so be warned.
It’s rare that I review a book without rating it, and when it does happen, it’s usually because I have exceedingly mixed emotions. That’s the case with this classic. Do I recommend it? Yes . . . with caveats.
This is not a fast-paced book, and that’s a good thing. It’s a slow, gentle journey into the heart of 1940s Appalachia and a fascinating glimpse into an unfamiliar part of post-WWII history. And we have lots of lovely characters to spend time with along the way. Gabhart’s deft hand with dialect made this even more of a fun read. It’s the perfect example of portraying mountain speech without making readers trip over oodles of phonetic spelling.
My second time reading, thanks to Christmas gifts, and it was just as enjoyable as the first time—if not more so, since I knew what to expect. (This is not the cover of the edition I read, but it’s such a great cover even if I don’t recommend the Broadway adaptation it’s borrowed from.) I feel as if I’ve read this book far more than twice because I’ve spent so much time in other aspects of Sir Percy’s world: sequels, movie versions, theater adaptations. But the original novel is always the gold standard. A book review cannot adequately describe how enamored I’ve become of this gallant rescuer in the guise of a fashionable idiot. Sink me, I’m quite fond of the chap!