A brief aside and intro here but this is my first time reading Simons. Which is odd considering I have had a copy of The Bronze Horseman for a shamefully long time. So long, in fact, that I brought it along for my week long "vacation" having my wisdom teeth removed. Yeah, no reading happened that week! Anyway, upon learning that Children of Liberty is in fact a prequel to Bronze Horseman, I figured this was my chance! Thankfully, a fellow reviewer on the tour has read the other books and was able to answer my biggest question about just how this ties in with Horseman: Children of Liberty is about Alexander's parents!
Gina's father longed to bring his family to America but it wasn't until after his death that his wife and remaining children were finally able to make the journey. Upon their arrival, the family meets Ben Shaw and Harry Barrington, two young men who come to their aid as new immigrants. Ben is immediately drawn to Gina, but it's Harry who will capture her affections in this new world.
I couldn't help comparing this to Adriana Trigiani's The Shoemaker's Wife for obvious reasons. In reality, other than the romance aspect, they are very different books.
I love the historical context in Children of Liberty: Ben and his bananas (and the Panama Canal), early Massachusetts, and the constant friction between Gina and her family with regards to proper behavior. She shines as a headstrong and willful girl who seems to have the best of intentions. All in all, Children of Liberty is a wonderfully atmospheric historical tale and one that no doubt has only begun - while I have heard that this is just part of their story, it was quite clear that even considering The Bronze Horseman we haven't seen the last of Gina and Harry. It's equally clear that their future is going to be rocky.
For more stops on the tour, visit the official TLC tour page here.
For more on Simons and her work, check out her official website. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
1 comment:
"Ben and his bananas" just sounds funny!
But seriously, this is my absolute favorite kind of book - one that combines a great story with lots of historical detail. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on a copy soon!
Thanks for being on the tour. I'm featuring your review on TLC's Facebook page today.
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