On the face of it, Blind Tribute is the story of the American Civil War, but in reality, it’s the tale of a man re-calibrating his life in a time of social, political, economic, and even moral, upheaval.

PH Wentworth III is a celebrated journalist and the editor of a newspaper up “north”. For months, his was the lone voice begging for piece as the aggressive posturing between the Union sympathisers and the Confederacy turned into a full-blown civil war.

His centrist views have not endeared Harry Wentworth to either his family and friends, or even his relatives.

In Blind Tribute, the war takes place in the background as Harry’s journey takes centre stage. Shedding his entire life’s work, our protagonist goes back to his roots and the place where it all began, Charleston in South Carolina.

He is met with open hostility and death threats, even.

Through this all, Harry Wentworth is incredibly composed and firm in his beliefs — while he is not for abolition of slavery, he is also not in support of ill-treatment of, for the lack of a better phrase, human capital that were the black Americans of that era.

Abused, disavowed and even attacked, Harry Wentworth refuses to cede his ground and ploughs through it all, all the while metamorphosing into someone who has begun to abhor slavery.

That is not to say Wentworth is a likeable man. He is a product of his time, a time when women were treated as little more than ornamentation. So he has very clear views on the place of women in the society, views that will be, understandably, horribly out-of-place in today’s society. He does come off as an insufferable elitist, especially during his interactions with those not as wealthy as he — people who are automatically deemed inferior because of their social standing.

That said, he is also remarkably progressive where his views on the human condition are concerned. Take, for instance, his love and support for his daughter, and his fiercely independent, widowed, daughter-in-law.

Blind Tribute is a very satisfying and well-written glimpse into the society from 150 years ago. All the characters are wonderfully fleshed out, although I suspect a few of the unsympathetic characters were cast deliberately so to cast a favourable light upon our protagonist.

Mari Christie has done a superb job of chronicling the evolution of journalism, societal values, human interactions and an entire nation in this tale, told over the course of a few hundred pages.

Highly recommended.

Blind Tribute was a brilliant, inspired book choked full of interesting characters and events surrounding the U.S. Civil War. Namely, Harry Wentworth, our hero newspaper man who forms the basis of the story through his actions, conversations, articles and letters.

Harry's a man's man, born and raised in the South on old family money, he emigrated to Philadelphia as an adult (to marry and raise his family) but relocates back to the south to cover the war. His welcome in the South is not a warm one as his family and childhood acquaintances cause him no end of difficulty. He's a brilliant orator and a centrist, though no one seems to believe him. He has connections in high places, a sharp wit, smart mouth and plenty of money to splash around when the need arises. A character worthy of a reader's love. I absolutely loved him!

The Civil War plays a prominent role in this novel but quietly, in the background. We don't cover any gory battlefield bits but do participate in a fair few blockade runs and artful negotiation with Yankees occupying Charleston. Slavery is discussed often with Harry striving to maintain a newsman's detachment though his views are clear as he works to free, educate and employ (for more than a fair wage) those closest to him and his family.

Blind Tribute is a rare story that enriches the reader, whilst also entertaining, and gives hope for a better world. Beyond the brilliant writing and story there's a strong ethical vision of what society should be like. I do enjoy walking away from a book with a smile on my face.

I was unable to finish this book. I found the main character implausible and unconvincing, which made it painful to wade through. The author seems to think this character is The Most Interesting Man in the World, which didn't help.

If you're a news buff, or a Civil War buff, you're going to love this book. Taking place right around/through the Civil War, it focuses on the life of a man trying to be an impartial, centrist journalist, at a time when it seems everyone is polarized to one side or another. Both the Southern and Northern sides of his family, and many friends, consider him a traitor.

It's brilliant, dare I say, a masterpiece? Thick with history and details that almost let me smell the ink in the newsrooms. It manages to look slavery and its ills squarely in the eye, without making Wentworth, the protagonist, a white savior. And for all his accomplishments and skills at hand to hand combat, he cannot protect himself against a savage attack that is described in brutal, vivid detail, which may be triggering to some. That said, there is very little mention of physical Civil War battlefields and gore, which may or may not disappoint you.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this work via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I am also acquainted with the author via social media.

I don't know if I so much ENJOYED this book as much as I was riveted by it, and I am still pondering the characters, and how I would have reacted, in their ink-stained clothes. I also loved the author's notes at the back, explaining which events/locations/newspapers were fictional (very few), and which characters and storylines were inspired by actual events. If you like books that make you think, this is one of them.