The title derives from both girls dressing brightly and beautifully for their family weddings. They then go on to promise each other they will live as ‘Sunflower Sisters’ always – with the joyful outcome that they open a shop selling colourful clothes for everyone. Jemma is a slave on Anne-May’s plantation and although she is treated terribly her chapters were also a joy to read. Jemma’s family lives with and near her and she guards them as fiercely as Georgey guards hers. Jemma is a smart and resourceful young woman and refuses to let her life be wasted as she has seen many wasted before. Her life is full of tragedy and when she is sold and separated from her family she finds new ways to continue on. Jemma has more perseverance in her pinky finger than I do in my entire body.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough, especially for historical fiction fans. You will get a real account of the horrors of war, but also present is the human courage of those trying to escape the south.Jemma is a slave on a Maryland plantation. Ann-May Wilson recently inherited that plantation from her deceased aunt. The story alternates between Georgy, Jemma, and Ann-May. Georgeanna “Georgey” Woolsey isn’t meant for the world of lavish parties and thedemure attitudes of women of her stature. So when war ignites the nation, Georgey follows her passion for nursing during a time when doctors considered women on thebattlefront a bother. In proving them wrong, she and her sister Eliza venture from New York to Washington, D.C., to Gettysburg and witness the unparalleled horrors of slavery as they become involved in the war effort. I received an advance print copy for review from Ballantine Books / Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley. Those who prefer the audiobook format are in for a treat though, as the multiple narrator cast includes some of the best: Cassandra Campbell, Jenna Lamia (my all-time favorite), Shayna Small, and Saskia Maarleveld. Tonight, not a steamer or row of train cars will leave this cruel city without its own sad burden of these unhappy ones.” Book Club Question: If I were reading this in book club I’d want to discuss the legacy of the women in this trilogy. In each of the three generations represented in these stories, the women are inspirational in their courage, independence, charity, and service. How is this value passed down to the women in the next generation? Is it through oral history? Do you feel you have internalized values that have been passed down generation to generation in your family?

Inspired by true accounts, Sunflower Sisters provides a vivid look at the Civil War experience, from the barbaric and inhumane plantations, to a war-torn New York City to the horrors of the battlefield. Alice told us that a few refugees coming to the UK find themselves in potentially dangerous situations. Mother kept her gaze on the gathering crowd. “To whom? This is about money, Mary. These planters will never give up slavery willingly. We can only elect a president who will cut it off at its head.” With the protection and empowerment from their mums, the sunflower sisters grow into strong independent young women who embrace and celebrate the colour of their dark brown skin and empower other women to do the same. About This Edition ISBN: Georgeanne aka "Georgy" is part of the affluent Woolsey family and lives in New York. She has 6 sisters and a brother and has a desire to contribute to the war effort as a nurse.A saga of the Civil War gathers all the usual suspects—enslaved people, slave owners, abolitionists, soldiers, and nurses—but the result is far from clichéd. As with all of Kelly’s books, I was impressed by the amount of research that went into this. Though the characters are fictional, they are based on actual people and events told through letters. I have not read a fictional Civil War book quite like this ever. I love that it is told from 3 very different points of view, which convey the many quandaries of this time in history. It raises many difficult questions about why things were the way they were and how the terrible events of the past are affecting society currently. This is an absolute must-read for 2021. The stories are told separately but converge near the end giving a satisfying conclusion. For those like me who like mystery, there is spying, espionage, and a murdered bad guy.

Georgeanne "Georgey" Woolsey isn't meant for the world of lavish parties and demure attitudes of women of her stature. So when the war ignites the nation, Georgey follows her passion for nursing during a time when doctors considered women a bother on the battlefront. In proving them wrong, she and her sister Eliza venture from New York to Washington, D.C., to Gettysburg and witness the unparalleled horrors of slavery as they become involved in the war effort. Ann Mae, a tobacco plantation slave owner who holds Jemma’s paper. She and a few others are horrific and you’ll love to hate them!

Accolades

Thank you NetGalley, Martha Hall Kelly and Random House Publishing for the ARC in an exchange for an honest review. POVs: Sunflower Sisters is a compelling and complex story of the Civil War and it’s told from multiple perspectives: Georgey is a determined nurse from a privileged, abolitionist family; courageous Jemma (and her sister) are enslaved (before Jemma joins the army); and Ann-May is a mean and possessive plantation owner who fancies herself as a spy in her free time. These multiple points of view can also present a challenging reading experience (which I enjoy!) as we rotate points of view and locations. Throughout the reading, I felt more and more connected to the characters and enjoyed a satisfactory conclusion. A well-researched, realistic narrative . . . It’s the women and their activism that tell the story of the struggle to end slavery. They become the real heroes of the war. Kelly tells this story without either romanticizing or sweeping over the horrors that split the nation in the nineteenth century and continues to do so today.” — The Spokesman-Review Thank you to Net Galley, Martha Hall Kelly and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.