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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful story of survival!, June 29, 2001
This review is from: The Tamarack Tree (Hardcover)
I decided to read 'The Tamarack Tree' because it was written by Patricia Clapp, the author of 'Constance'; my very favorite book in the world. Patricia Clapp did not let me down! I absolutely loved 'The Tamarack Tree'! Charming characters, realistic details, and an interesting historical setting made this book good to the very last drop. It tells the story of Rosemary Leigh, who moves to Vicksburg, Mississippi from London, England with her older brother, Derek, after the death of their mother. In Mississippi, and the rest of the Deep South, it is a time of wealthy cotton plantations, lazy hours spent relaxing in the heat of the afternoon, parties, and storybook life of contentment. All this changes, however, with the start of the Civil War. Rosemary herself believes that slavery is wrong, but has a great deal of loyalty and love for the gentle Southerners who befriended her and welcomed her into their society. The war seems distant and almost unreal to Rosemarie until it comes directly to Vicksburg. Confederate troops settle on the Mississippi River and the Siege of Vicksburg begins. Amidst starvation, death, fear, and the constant, 24-hour threat of raging Northern bullets, Rosemarie tries her very best to remain calm and brave. She manages to prove herself as a confident and capable young woman throughout the siege that lasts for 47 days during the spring of 1863. As the war finally leaves Vicksburg Rosemarie has learned a number of valuable lessons, survived more than she ever thought she could, and has a better understanding of herself and life.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Courage, April 11, 2002
A Kid's Review
This review is from: The Tamarack Tree (Hardcover)
Imagine a world where all your dreams come true. This is how Rosemary, the main character in "The Tamarack Tree," thought life in America would be when she was sent from England. But what if all your dreams were nightmares? What if you lived in a world where war was a natural occurrence? This is Rosemary's world in the United States during the Civil War. She and her brother Derek are trapped in a world of hate, slavery, and misunderstanding. The following is an example of this misunderstanding: " Rosemary, you haven't changed, have you?" " I must have. In some ways I must have." " But you are still Rosemary Leigh, the very beautiful English girl who could not say where her heart belonged in this war. The girl whose beliefs were with the North, and whose affections were with the South. The stormy girl who accused me of coming back to fight the friends I had made in Vicksburg. I have not fired one shot at Vicksburg, Rosemary, and very few at any place else. I am a cartographer- a mapmaker. I took up a pen instead of a gun.'' I looked at him sqaurely. " I am glad, Jeff. Oh, I am so glad!" Rosemary's hometown, Vicksburg, is under the pressure of being beseiged by the Union Army, and she writes on whatever paper she can find what she is going through. Her courage and will to survive is about all that keeps her alive. During the course of the book, certain dilemmas will take place and test her ability to control herself under poor conditions. I think this is an emotional and moving text, and it is also very inspiring to young people trying to reach there goals. I also think the author was trying to tell people to keep on trying to achieve their goals because even if something undesirable happens, you can get through it. I think this is a good book and I recommend it to young adult readers of all ages.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Patricia Clapp's The Tamarack Tree, April 20, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: The Tamarack Tree (Hardcover)
Patricia Clapp's The Tamarack Tree is the story of a young girl's struggle to survive the seige of Vicksburg during the American Civil War. Following the death of her mother, Rosemary Leigh leaves her home in London to live with her brother Derek and Uncle Will in antebellum Vicksburg. There she becomes friends with many of the residents, including Mary Byrd Blair, the pampered daughter of a plantation owner. She also forms close relationships with Amanda, the free black housekeeper, and Amanda's husband and daughter. When the Civil War erupts, Rosemary is forced to reconcile her own personal hatred of slavery with the friendship and loyalty she feels for her Southern friends. The text of The Tamarack Tree is well-written. The story progresses through a series of flashbacks, as well scenes from Rosemary's current life. These flashbacks help to show the fear and horror of war, as well as its effects on Rosemary and her friends. The happy days when she first arrives in Vicksburg contrast sharply with her work in a hospital at the height of the Seige. The characters are easy to identify with. Rosemary's uncertainty following her mother's death and her feeling of insecurity when compared to the vibrant and flirtatious Mary Byrd translate easily into the confusion that many young girls find themselves in today. Rosemary's ability to conquer her fear and help others conveys a message of courage for any who read this book. One of the most significant things about The Tamarack Tree is the way that Patricia Clapp represents the people in the story. Instead of the typical treatments of the Civil War, Clapp shows both the good and the bad of everyone. The plantation owners are not hideous cruel monsters, but neither are they the "O'Haras" from Gone With The Wind. They are wrong for holding slaves, but they are also kind, generous, loyal, and courageous throughout the Seige. Similarly, Clapp portrays the slaves and free African Americans differently from their characterizations in other works. Some loot, burn, and kill, much like the slaves in Gone With The Wind, but there are also people like Amanda, who help everyone regardless of their color, even going so far as to feed Confederate soldiers some of her supper. Finally, the "Yankees" are not monolithic invaders, but they are not a grand and glorious army either. In short, Clapp represents humanity as it is. Amanda's husband, Hector, sums it up best when he says, "There are mean men and there are good men, and the color of their skin doesn't change what's inside." This is a good novel for storytelling purposes, but it is not very true to the social realities of the time. A middle-class English family would have found it difficult to relocate to America and live as Rosemary and Derek did. They maintained their home in England, while renting a house in Vicksburg. Rosemary was completely accepted by the social elite of Vicksburg, and had no problems with dressing the part of a typical Southern belle. A middle-class family simply would not have had the money to do this, nor would they have enjoyed such complete acceptance. Also, Hector and Amanda's situation paints a false picture of the typical life of an African American in Mississippi during the Civil War. Most were slaves, and the "free blacks" were often anything but free. There were rules on where one could go, how many blacks could gather at once, and so forth. Education was scarce among the white population, and practically non-existent among the African Americans. Hector and Amanda are far better off than the averag African American of that time. Nevertheless, The Tamarack Tree is an excellent novel, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good story of courage and friendship.
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