"As the Civil War ends, soldiers and civilians alike try to return to the life they once knew. It will not be easy. For the Birminghams, the journey through America’s most tragic conflict has led to loyalties, passions, and losses that will continue to impact their lives forever.
For Sarah Birmingham, the devastation of the war and its aftermath has been a deeply humbling experience. She understands that she has made serious mistakes, but will she be able to build bridges over the deep chasms she has created? Can Daniel O'Shea, after suffering a broken spirit, rekindle the love he has tried to forget? And will Anne Gunderson prove strong enough to rescue another woman from soul-shattering violence without endangering her own family?"
I was delighted to see this final volume in the conclusion of the Faith of Our Fathers series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Finally the war is over! But with it is the reality of life to be lived with so many losses, both physical and emotional; loss of lives, loss of homes, and the loss of President Lincoln. I appreciated how the characters grew and developed throughout the course of this book and I learned so much about the Civil War that I had never known or taken the time to understand. I now have a deep respect for those ancestors who fought in this great war.
I do, however, have a few issues with this book. I was a little confused about the ending of the war. There had been so much detail about all the war details - and then suddenly it was just over. This may have been how the war actually ended but I was confused by the lack of explanation at the end. My other problem was that the characters were wonderfully developed and they all had their trials - but it seemed that most of them overcame them a little too easily. I imagine that this was for the purposes of the novel - in reality, some of their trials would probably have taken a lot longer to come to terms with.
Even with those thoughts - I still think this is the best fictionalized series about the Civil War that I have ever read. I enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. They helped me to remember that this is not just a fictional book - it is about a real event. I think history lovers everywhere will appreciate this series. Just make sure you read the other three books first!!
