The Reluctant Patriot told a story that I had never heard before. Tennessee torn apart by two different sides and The people who struggle to try and keep it together. I found this to be a moving book, albeit slow at times, I found a lot of history between its pages.

This is a period in American history with which I struggle to understand the full facts. Therefore I was intrigued to find this novel based very much on the real trial and imprisonment of Harrison (Harry) Self after the bridge burning at Lick Creek on 8 Nov 1861.
At the end of the book is an extremely detailed outline of each chapter padded out what has been read with real facts but in the end I was happy to be drawn into the dramatised lives of Harry his wife Corniah and one daughter Lizzie particularly after Harry heads off to try and prevent his son Hugh becoming involved in the bridge burning but is then arrested himself.
I really liked the section narrated from the point of view of daughter Lizzie and her bravery to head to try and get her father out of prison. The involvement of Parson Brownlow who later went onto become a politician (including a state senator) gave depth to the story beyond the local skirmishes. His real book outlining the incidents and beyond as the Union defeated the Confederacy and also moved towards wider voting rights was at my time of reading a wonderful backdrop to the Presidential Election. As the novel is based in East Tennessee the line " black people, in fear of their lives, arrive to cast their votes for the first time" seems topical against the recent Black Lives Matter campaign and the Fake News claims by Trump as he hoped to lie to win a second term.
American history is so recent to us in the UK. I do wonder how many Americans really investigate into their state/country history and the struggles for democracy. and the growing calls to end slavery. It was good to see this lesser known event be fleshed out by a very capable author. The events surrounding the hangings of those who participated in the bridge burnings still stick in my mind. Forever across America the gallows and the rope noose swinging hangs horror across so many. It wasn't long ago yet still the death penalty holds in many states. What would Abraham Lincoln think?

If you are from Tennessee, you may have learned the eastern part of the state being pro-Union before and during the War Between the States. In The Reluctant Patriot, Susan Lahafer takes the true story of Harrison Self, his friends and neighbors from Green County, and weaves the tale of the burning of five railroad bridges in East Tennessee and the retaliation from the Confederates. Harrison did not think the bridge burning was a good idea, but he went to the meeting to find his sixteen-year old son, Hugh. He didn't want his son to be part of this. Harrison was captured, tried for the crime, and spent several years in prison.

The book itself is not long, but Lahafer includes her notes and links the phrases in her novel to the research and comments. That provides another layer of material and richness to the story. I was allowed to read this book on #netgalley.

3.5 stars

I believe this story is meant to be character driven, but it takes some time to connect with any character.

As the story begins, at first the character of Harry grasped me with the words, “Harry kept up his trade with both Rebels and Unionists, in the language they shared, of bushels and stone weights.” But the connection was lost quickly with some general descriptions of hand movement or such. The character development misses fullness. There is not much grasping about the character to connect with him from the start. And it’s hard to connect with the story, which progresses slowly with unknown direction.

It takes some time to warm up to any character, for example Lizzie got my attention with her thoughts expressed in her letters, which is in the second part of the story.

Once the story has some build up and you have a better understanding of the direction and got attached to some characters, then the story becomes interesting. But that happens in the second half.

The writing is certainly of a promising writer.