Member Review
Review by
Carol (, Reviewer
Set during the Civil War, The Thread Collectors by Shaunna Edwards and Alyson Richman is the heartfelt and unputdownable histfic story of two women and the men they love.
Thank you #NetGalley @HTPBooks @HarlequinBooks @Graydon_pub @GraydonHouse @BookClubbish for a complimentary e ARC of #TheThreadCollectors upon my request. All opinions are my own.
In 1863, Stella repurposes bits of colorful thread and uses her embroidery skills to make maps on scraps of cloth in an effort to help enslaved men flee the South and join the Union Army. Stella is also in love with William, a Black soldier and brilliant musician. She lives in fear that her “owner” will discover her secretive and dangerous activities.
Lily, a Jewish woman who lives in New York, creates a quilt for her husband who is stationed in Louisiana with the Union Army. She attends abolitionist meetings, rolls bandages, makes quilts for other soldiers, and prays for their safe return. When Lily doesn’t hear from her husband for some time, she travels south in search of him.
Stella and Lily’s paths cross in a dramatic conclusion.
The authors of this page-turning story looked to their family histories for inspiration and their collaboration of “own voices” creates a rich reading experience for readers. Upon realizing this was an author team, I read the authors’ notes first. I love that this teamwork enabled them to authentically tell a heartfelt story from Black and Jewish perspectives. See more about the authors at the end of this post.
I don’t read many stories set during the Civil War, so the historical content here is interesting. We learn about life at home and life on the battlefield. One other book I’ve read and reviewed set during the Civil War is The Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly.
Told from multiple perspectives, I love the strong characters in this compelling story. Stella is brave and clever and Lily is determined and compassionate. Both are willing to risk their lives for what’s important. The men they love find themselves in impossible war situations through which they forge a supportive friendship and fight for survival.
As you can imagine, several thought-provoking themes emerge including friendship, survival, loyalty, the ministry of music, taking risks, caring for others, complicated family drama, and racism/prejudice.
Unputdownable and memorable, The Thread Collectors will likely end up on my best-of-year list. If you love page-turning and heartfelt historical fiction with strong. inspiring, and unforgettable characters, I enthusiastically recommend this book. Book clubs might find the content highly discussable.
Content Consideration: death of a child, forced sexual relationship (without graphic details), Civil War battlefield conditions (graphic details); a movie would be rated R
Thank you #NetGalley @HTPBooks @HarlequinBooks @Graydon_pub @GraydonHouse @BookClubbish for a complimentary e ARC of #TheThreadCollectors upon my request. All opinions are my own.
In 1863, Stella repurposes bits of colorful thread and uses her embroidery skills to make maps on scraps of cloth in an effort to help enslaved men flee the South and join the Union Army. Stella is also in love with William, a Black soldier and brilliant musician. She lives in fear that her “owner” will discover her secretive and dangerous activities.
Lily, a Jewish woman who lives in New York, creates a quilt for her husband who is stationed in Louisiana with the Union Army. She attends abolitionist meetings, rolls bandages, makes quilts for other soldiers, and prays for their safe return. When Lily doesn’t hear from her husband for some time, she travels south in search of him.
Stella and Lily’s paths cross in a dramatic conclusion.
The authors of this page-turning story looked to their family histories for inspiration and their collaboration of “own voices” creates a rich reading experience for readers. Upon realizing this was an author team, I read the authors’ notes first. I love that this teamwork enabled them to authentically tell a heartfelt story from Black and Jewish perspectives. See more about the authors at the end of this post.
I don’t read many stories set during the Civil War, so the historical content here is interesting. We learn about life at home and life on the battlefield. One other book I’ve read and reviewed set during the Civil War is The Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly.
Told from multiple perspectives, I love the strong characters in this compelling story. Stella is brave and clever and Lily is determined and compassionate. Both are willing to risk their lives for what’s important. The men they love find themselves in impossible war situations through which they forge a supportive friendship and fight for survival.
As you can imagine, several thought-provoking themes emerge including friendship, survival, loyalty, the ministry of music, taking risks, caring for others, complicated family drama, and racism/prejudice.
Unputdownable and memorable, The Thread Collectors will likely end up on my best-of-year list. If you love page-turning and heartfelt historical fiction with strong. inspiring, and unforgettable characters, I enthusiastically recommend this book. Book clubs might find the content highly discussable.
Content Consideration: death of a child, forced sexual relationship (without graphic details), Civil War battlefield conditions (graphic details); a movie would be rated R
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