Customer Reviews

Paper Woman

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have what may be an unusual yardstick for historical fiction - does the author tell us what the toilet facilities are? Yeah, it is weird, but I find that if the author doesn't give us this information they often haven't done their research and just setting the book in the past so the characters can wear pretty costumes.

So I am pleased to say that Paper Woman tells us about the (sometimes icky) facts of life in 1780. And, since author Suzanne Adair is a Revolutionary War re-enactor, you know that she has first-hand knowledge on this subject. But enough about outhouses, chamber pots, and bushes...

Paper Woman is set in Alton, Georgia in 1780. The main character is Sophie Barton, a thirty-three year old widow who lives with her father and helps him run his printing business. In 1780, battles are being fought in hot spots in the American colonies between local militias and English soldiers, while other areas were largely peaceful. Alton has been quiet so far, but Sophie knows her father and his friends in the Safety Committee are up to something. Sophie isn't sure what is happening, but the local British garrison has become quite interested in her father's activities, two mysterious Spaniards show up, and the local Creek Indians are being seen in large groups. When her father and two other men are murdered under unusual circumstances and she decodes secret messages sent to her father, Sophie decides to keep his rendez-vous with the mysterious message sender to determine what he knows of her father's death.

Sophie and her traveling companions begin a dangerous journey South towards their destination in Havanna, Cuba. Along the way, they realize that the rendez-vous message is not as secret as they thought and their lives depend on unraveling political intrigues and discovering just who their enemies and allies are.

Paper Woman is not your traditional mystery, but it has lots of good stuff in it - adventure, suspense, intrigue, and some romance, too. There are several things I particularly like about this book. First, Adair shows life in 1780 as messy, dangerous, and smelly instead of glamorizing it. Second, she resists "name-dropping" and incorporating famous revolutionary figures into the plot, which often feels fake. She relies instead on good fictional characters to carry the story. Third, she shows the incredible diverse population of the time - colonists from different countries, English soldiers, French and Spanish settlers from Louisiana and Florida, Indian tribes, slaves - all were part of the struggle for control of the colonies and all have a part in this story.

Favorite character? Jacques le Coeuvre and his not-so-tall tales. Did I guess it? No, the political intrigue was beyond me so I just gave up and enjoyed the book. Will I read another? Yes.

Suzanne Adair's debut novel is a powerful story of a strong, independent woman caught up in the events of the American Revolution against her will. It's a suspenseful historical novel that takes Sophie Barton, the heroine, into a headlong rush into danger.

Sophie runs her father's printing press, has been widowed twice, raised a daughter. She wants to travel, and have more out of life. But, she didn't plan on identifying her father's corpse. She didn't expect to flee from the British and the rebels, running with her brother; Mathias, a friend; Mathias' Creek cousins and his French uncle. The group did intend to find her father's murderer. As they escaped Georgia, they encountered bandits, Spanish assassins and runaway slaves.

Adair's novel tells of the Revolutionary War in the southern colonies, the Caribbean and Cuba. It's a compelling story of little-known history, and a group of neutral people caught up between opposing forces. After reading this historical pageturner, I'm anxiously waiting for the sequel, The Blacksmith's Daughter.

Widow Sophie Barton helps her father run his printing press and tries to stay out of politics in the small town of Alton, GA, which remains peaceful while redcoats and colonists clash in other parts of the colonies. Sophie's father, however, has been acting mysterious and Sophie suspects he has aligned himself against King George. Although Sophie is being courted by the major of the British garrison, she isn't so sure she wants to become his mistress and move to England with him. When her father's burned body is discovered, Sophie is placed under house arrest with orders to decode a secret message meant for him. She escapes with Mathias, her former lover, and embarks South, accompanied by her brother and Mathias's uncle, in hopes of finding the person who killed her father. Their trip turns into an electrifying journey as they traverse through Floridian swamps, sail along the Caribbean, and end up in Havana, Cuba, pursued by the major and his lieutenant, a demented man who enjoys torturing those who oppose him, as well as two Spanish assassins.

Adair takes her reader on a thrilling adventure with Paper Woman. Packed with action and breath-taking suspense interwoven around a fascinating time in American history, with the perfect blend of romance, this is an exhilarating story that will captivate the reader from beginning to end.

Loved this book! Author Suzanne Adair's writing is fresh and masterful, the characters and settings vivid, and the plot riveting. Her amount of research is impressive and her love for the subject shines through (no surprise to find out she's a Revolutionary War reenactor!)She taught me more about our own Revolutionary War than I learned in school and whetted my appetite for more. Most of all, this is a "Must Read" for anyone who loves a book with compelling characters and a plot that won't let you go -- even months after reading!

This is a well written, nicely paced historical fiction set against the backdrop of the American Revolution in the south 1780. The details are flawless, the author being a re enactor of life in the era. There are twists , betrayals, and excitment mixed in. An enoyable read as are the two subsequent books, The Blacksmith's Daughter and Camp Follower. The tale makes more sense as it unfolds if you read the books in order of their publishing, but it is possible to read them as stand alone works. Highly recommended!

NOTE: This review was originally posted on Red Adept Reviews on April 6, 2011.

Overall: 5 stars

Plot/Storyline: 4 3/4 stars

First, the title. "Paper Woman" referred to the heroine, Sophie Barton, who helped run her father's printing press. The story took place during the American Revolution, and although Sophie and her brother David were neutral, their father Will was actively for the revolution, printing anti-British flyers when he wasn't printing the town newspaper. When Will and two other men were brutally murdered, the commander of the local redcoat garrison, Major Edward Hunt, wasn't overly concerned. Then, when Sophie was accused to printing seditious flyers, she was forced to go on the run to escape the gallows. She was also determined to learn who killed her father and to seek justice for his murder.

Paper Woman is historical fiction. It was also a humdinger of an action-adventure story wrapped around a mystery. Little did Sophie, her brother, and their little band of friends know what perils awaited them on their long journey, or what strange twists and turns the story would take.

My only reservations about the story were that there were quite a few characters to keep track of, and the plot was complex enough that I sometimes had a little difficulty sorting it all out. However, the author did tie everything together nicely at the end, and it was all logical. This is a minor quibble, and I acknowledge that I don't read many mystery stories, so my brain doesn't shift easily into mystery gear.


Characters: 5 stars

As a twice-widowed 33-year-old woman who had never been more than a few miles from her village, Sophie was an unlikely heroine. But she was a plucky lady bent on solving the mystery of her father's murder, no matter what hardships or danger she might face. She reminded me of Mattie Ross in True Grit, with her single-minded determination even against heavy odds and with danger lurking around every corner.

The British-hating "Uncle" Jacques le Coeuvre was another great character. He provided some nice comic relief at times, but he also swung a mean tomahawk when necessary.

Mathias Hale, the village blacksmith, had once loved Sophie from afar, but each of them married others, their youthful love affair seemingly forgotten now. But thrown together on their journey to learn the truth about Sophie's father, they discovered that the old feelings still smoldered.

The British redcoats were, I believe, represented in an historically accurate way. Some were brutal warriors who gave no quarter, while others were actually sympathetic to the American cause. The leader of the British garrison in Alton, Major Edward Hunt, was a decent fellow just doing his job, which was complicated by his amorous feelings toward Sophie.


Writing style: 5 stars

The writing was professional quality. Dialogues were realistic. The book impressed me as being a finely-crafted story by an author who cared about her work very much. The story obviously required quite a bit of research about the American Revolution and what life was like for colonials in that era. There was also a lot of information about the southern Indians, particularly the Creeks, who played a key role in the story.

At the end of the book were an historical afterword, which gave some helpful background information on some of the events and places mentioned in the story; and a selected bibliography.


Editing: 5 stars

The editing and Kindle formatting were as close to perfect as I've seen. Kudos to the author.

'Paper Woman' by Suzanne Adair is a gripping story and refreshing portrait of the American Revolution in a genre woefully depleted of anything connected to the founding of our country.
The first in a trilogy, 'Paper Woman' is a historical suspense novel that captures the essence of the American Revolution in the southern theater from a woman's perspective. This well-paced novel is filled with intrigue, adventure, treachery, deception and enough twists and turns wrapped into the drama of the War for Independence to keep readers turning pages eagerly anticipating the pinnacle while looking forward to her follow-up books, 'The Blacksmith's Daughter' and 'Camp Follower'.
In 1780, Sophie Barton is a young widow running the printing press of her father - an outspoken patriot - in Alton, Georgia. Determined to remain autonomous, the worlds of the British, rebels and Indians collide for Sophie when the British search her father's business inquiring after him. But when Sophie learns of her father's murder, then receives a threatening visit from Spaniards, she's determined to discover the truth about her father's slaying. Further misgivings are raised when she intercepts a secret message intended for him and sets off on a harrowing journey from Georgia to Florida and ultimately Cuba intent on keeping the meeting her father was to have. With only her brother David and friend Matthias as her protectors during an arduous and perilous trek south to Florida, the three begin a journey into treachery that even the reader can't anticipate.
Sophie is faced with impossible prospects as a strong, single woman struggling to endure while remaining neutral but loyal to her family and friends in a war that pits countrymen against countrymen. Readers will experience a truly different side of the Revolution - from a woman interacting with the British, Americans, Creek Indians and French. Sophie Barton, the heroic (Matthias and Edward Hunt) and treacherous characters (Lieutenant Fairfax and El Serpiente) populating the book and the ambience of the American Revolution (rural Georgia and St. Augustine, FL) come alive thanks to Adair's adept writing.
We feel Sophie's struggle as she questions her father's demise circling back to his political beliefs, we understand the toil of being a woman alone without protection as the British ransack her place of business and interrogate her, and we empathize with her facing extreme conditions and circumstances at home and across rugged terrain. We are taken into and experience the world of the Creek Indians and Spanish. But mostly, we cheer Sophie's unrelenting spirit in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds whether fighting off enemies, suspicions or her conscience.
What makes this story distinct is the enormous task Adair has undertaken to skillfully weave so many elements, sides and personalities into a complete story that takes us across two states, political divides and the Caribbean.
As a devoted follower of the American Revolutionary period, I was utterly captivated by this tale that is rich in substance, realistic in detail and does not romanticize the era. Adair is uniquely qualified to capture this aspect of history thanks to her hands-on research as a Revolutionary War reenactor. She translates the senses, experiences and environments (of cooking, cleaning, foraging and fighting) so well through her characters and settings; I had to look away from the book more than a few times to remember I was in the 21st century!
So it's not surprising that 'Paper Woman' won Adair the acclaimed Patrick D. Smith Literature Award.
'Paper Woman' is a treat for the senses and historically hungry reader - especially the American Revolutionary War fan - the multi-faceted characters, geographical and political scope and complex plot make this a must-read with two more books in the trilogy to look forward to.

A first novel by Suzanne Adair, this book won the Patrick D. Smith Literature Award. Fluid and descriptive, with writing that seamlessly weaves plot and historical context, it was a well-deserved win. The writing carries you along in such a way that you can't help but become engrossed in the time and the context of the story. The gritty realities of life in this time are made clear, as are the challenges women faced. This is no romanticized vision of the past, this is truth down to the grueling detail. The story was immediately engaging as we follow Sophie at a party, fending off unwanted advances and trying to keep track of her willful and outspoken father. Taking the reader across Florida and then across the ocean, this is a thrilling ride, full of adventure, duplicity and intrigue. With just enough twists in the story to maintain interest, it's easy to imagine yourself there, amidst the grime and fear, struggling to stay a step ahead of the game.

There are plenty of characters to keep track of, and the development of these characters is top-notch. Although it's sometimes tricky to remember a name here and there (and, for some reason, it threw me off that Sophie's father is referred to as "Will" in the story rather than "her father" or some such moniker to denote his relationship to Sophie), there is enough context given for each character that they really distinguish themselves along the way. Sophie is a kick-ass character. She is a woman in a man's world, but manages to hold her own against many powerful and determined men. She's strong, yet vulnerable; especially with regards to her love life. "Uncle" Jacques is colorful and engaging, and it's easy to imagine him as the fun guy at the party. Edward appears a simple character, but turns out to be more complex than we may have imagined, while Fairfax is so ruthless and clever it's easy to despise him. David is perhaps the least developed character, and it would have been nice to get a little more personality from him, but, really, "least developed" in this crew is still more developed than many stories I've read. He may just seem the least developed to me because the others are so tangible in my mind. Of all the characters, Mathias is my favorite. There's something about his own past and his conflicted feelings about love and happiness that pulls me right in. I rooted for him, but I wanted to smack sense into him at the same time.

Although a very well-written and engaging story, I did find myself lost a time or two along the way. There was so much going on, sometimes I had to backtrack to see what I'd missed on my first read. Some of the plot events almost seemed too much. I think I craved a touch more simplicity in the plot, since the characterization and setting were so rich and complex. Overall, however, a fantastic story that allowed me to fully immerse and enjoy!

4.5 /5 stars @ MotherLode blog

Paper Woman by Suzanne Adair isn't your average, every day novel about the Revolutionary War. Instead, Ms. Adair has created a captivating world and characters that readers can easily visualize and relate too. The novel's title is derived from the heroine in the story, Sophie Barton, whose nickname is Paper Woman. She has gained this title after helping her father run his printing press. To make matters more intriguing, Sophie is being courted by a British Major who offers her the chance to leave the little town of Alton and live in luxury as his mistress. Although financial security is an amazing offer for women in 1780, Sophie is torn between what she wants and the duty she feels towards her family.

When Sophie is called upon to identify her father's corpse, she makes the decision to leave Alton and try to solve her father's murder. Since traveling is dangerous for women of that time, she enlists the help of her brother David, an ex-lover Mathias, and Mathias's Uncle and Creek cousins.

There is adventure and action around every corner with the British, southern Rebels, Spanish assassins and Creek people thrown into the mix. Ms. Adair does a wonderful job of giving straight facts as to the conditions of that time instead of glamorizing it for readers. I would highly recommend Paper Woman to anyone who loves historical fiction with romance, mystery, suspense and action all wrapped into one.

The author does a wonderful job evoking the time and place of the novel (South Carolina, Florida, and Cuba in the Revolutionary War). It's clear that the author has done her research and knows this period well. I enjoyed the adventure, and am looking forward to the next installation in the series.

I am not much of a fan of romance novels, and there was more romance in this tale than I typically care for - so I took a star off for that. But readers who are fans of that genre will probably like it very much. And, even with that qualification, this is a very well done historical novel.