Enemy Women: A Novel [B1644]

2002 HCDJ in excellent condition. For the Colleys of southeastern Missouri, the War between the States is a plague that threatens devastation, despite the family's avowed neutrality. For eighteen-year-old Adair Colley, it is a nightmare that tears apart her family and forces her and her sisters to flee. The treachery of a fellow traveler, however, brings about her arrest, and she is caged with the criminal and deranged in a filthy women's prison. But young Adair finds that love can live even in a place of horror and despair. Her interrogator, a Union major, falls in love with her and vows to return for her when the fighting is over. Before he leaves for battle, he bestows upon her a precious gift: freedom. Now an escaped 'enemy woman', Adair must make her harrowing way south buoyed by a promise . . . seeking a home and a family that may be nothing more than a memory.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Magnificent! A slice of history vividly come to life. This is also about one's identity, good & evil, and what circumstances make of you. Quite unforgettable."; "I really enjoyed this novel. It read a bit like a ballad. This is a quiet paced story that will still have you angry and wanting justice, and have you reflecting on how the War Between the States affected families. Pauline's descriptive language is a pleasure and the payoff at the end left me content."; "Enemy Women gives the spotlight to the suffering of women and how they responded to those threats to protect their families. Perhaps what surprised me the most was that Adair doesn't turn cruel about what has happened to her during her imprisonment in St. Louis. Instead, she finds a way to escape and return to her beloved county while also finding love in the form of a Union major. I felt that this budding relationship never overtook the horrific history that Paulette Jiles wanted readers to understand. A memorable book."; "Enemy Women is a reminder that no one escapes unscathed during war. It's a dark story with accurate portrayals of the hardships involved. Jiles' writing is always beautiful and this time is no exception. "