Review: Yankee in Atlanta by Jocelyn Green
Last year, I had the honor of receiving free copies of the first two books in Jocelyn’s Heroines Behind the Lines series on Audible. Each of these books feature an aspect of what life was like for women during the Civil War and specific roles that they played. The first two books that I listened to, Wedded to War and Widow of Gettysburg were fascinating and emotional depictions of the war that made me see it in a new and deeper light. When Jocelyn released book three, Yankee in Atlanta, on Audible a few weeks ago, she sent emails to those who had reviewed the previous audiobooks for her and notified us that she was not going to be able to send free download codes to us this time, but she’d love it if we still wanted to listen to and review the book on our own. I enjoyed the other books so much that I had no problem using my monthly Audible credit to download this one! It turned out to be a worthy investment, and one of the best audio listens I’ve had in awhile.
When soldier Caitlin McKae woke up in Atlanta after being wounded in battle, the Georgian doctor who treated her believed Caitlin’s only secret was that she had been fighting for the Confederacy disguised as a man. In order to avoid arrest or worse, Caitlin hides her true identity and makes a new life for herself in Atlanta.
Trained as a teacher, she accepts a job as a governess to the daughter of Noah Becker, a German immigrant lawyer, who enlists with the Rebel army. Then in the spring of 1864, Sherman’s troops edge closer to Atlanta. Though starvation rules, and Sherman rages, she will not run again. In a land shattered by strife and suffering, a Union veteran and a Rebel soldier test the limits of loyalty and discover the courage to survive. Will honor dictate that Caitlin and Noah follow the rules, or love demand that they break them?
I love listening to audiobooks, but sometimes I have a hard time engaging with them and can lose track of what is going on in the story. However, with this series, I never have had a problem with that. The narrator, Laura Richcreek, is my favorite narrator I have listened to so far. She does an awesome job of bringing the story to life, especially when it comes to giving all of the characters unique voices. In this one, I will say, though, that I did find her southern accents a bit laughable. Even the women that were supposed to be refined southern belles just sounded like hicks to me. Being from the south, I know that not everyone sounds that country. LOL! I would have thought a prissy southern drawl like that of Scarlett O’Hara would have been more appropriate for some of the women characters.
I love how Jocelyn has woven all of the characters in the series together in both overt and very subtle ways. Sometimes the characters don’t even realize how they are connected to people and events from the other books, but as the reader you can appreciate the subtle references. I especially enjoyed getting to revisit Ruby O’Flannery from Wedded to War. After such a dismal and depressing story for Ruby in that first book, it made me so happy to see her life take an upward turn. Even those with broken pasts deserve to live happily ever after!
Jocelyn always weaves so much historical detail into her stories, but in a way that feels natural and not like she is just dumping a history textbook into the middle of the narrative. She makes you feel like you are really a part of the characters lives and the historical events they are witnessing. I especially learned a lot of interesting things in this book. I had never heard of the New York draft riots, the confederate plot to burn New York, and some of the events surrounding Lincoln’s reelection. I did know, of course, about Sherman’s infamous burning of Atlanta and his destructive march across Georgia. However, in reading the scenes depicting those events, I realized that there was a lot more to it than what you see in the Gone With the Wind movie, for instance. I had not realized just how long Sherman besieged the city, how many civilians died from falling shells before the Yankees even stepped foot into Atlanta, and how long the actual burning and ransacking of the city took. It wasn’t a one night event. It lasted over a month!
In the end, I found this book to be just as captivating and enjoyable as the previous books in the series. I loved the characters and became invested in their individual stories, and felt content with the way those stories turned out. No matter how dark of a path Jocelyn’s characters have to take, she always brings them into the light again eventually!
5/5 Stars for Yankee in Atlanta, if you are a Civil War history buff, or an American history lover in general, I highly recommend this amazing book and the entire series!