Customer Reviews

Glory and Promise

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As with her first two novels in her Civil War trilogy, Kim Murphy brings a personal and intimate viewpoint to the war's aftermath in her final installment, GLORY & PROMISE. While most novels set in the Civil War period tend to end with the war, Murphy's gripping page turner opens after the closing battles and explores the turbulent aftermath though the eyes of two Southern women and their respective husbands, one a Union officer left with the daunting task of peacekeeping in the war-torn South, and the other a former Confederate Brigadier General forced to become a regular citizen in a wounded country.

Amid heartbreak, glory, and enduring love, Murphy's characters face cities and homes in shambles, disgruntled guerillas, illness, forbidden romance, and desperation in a region turned on its head economically and politically. Murphy excels at portraying the troubled times with details and emotions that bring the era to life. The conclusion to the novel--and to the trilogy in general--is at once poignant, bittersweet, and satisfying. A must read for fans of her first two books and for readers who simply want to explore the often-overlooked effects of Reconstruction on everyday individuals.

Wow! That's the best way I can describe this book. Kim Murphy has absolutely invaded my time as I read through her trilogy. As I stated earlier, "This is a love story." Do not let this keep you from this wonderful Civil War novel. This can be read and enjoyed without reading the first two books, but you will be robbing yourself of the complete story.
Murphy will not only introduce you to the characters but will take you entirely through the troubling times of the Civil War and its' aftermath.
The mingling of all the characters, their love, their losses,and their personal strengths and weaknesses are wound into a never dull but always intriuging story.
This book and the two before it have been a very, very enjoyable ride.