I have to be honest. Most of the stories I read are either science fiction or fantasy. My uncertainty of reading a book from this genre made it a challenge to pick it up. Man, was I ever glad I did. Debora Clark's prose is amazingly smooth and allows this Civil War period story to flow at a fast pace. Another thing that surprised me, was the majority of this novel is told in the form of a diary. I have never read a story formatted this way before and I am positive very few authors could pull this off as wonderfully as she has. The narrative is so descriptive that it transported me into this era. The characters come to life against the surreal backdrop known as the Rugged Hills; my mind seeing it as if I were observing it through a stereoscope. The challenges faced by the characters are ones modern man seldom have to deal with in light of all our technology and medical advances, which brings the rigorous and harsh conditions of life along the Eleven Point River to the forefront. I'm not for sure if I could ever read another book from this genre unless it was another classic told by Debora. I highly recommend this read for all ages and for those who normally don't read in this genre; should be required reading in literature classes.
