The Lost Women of Mill Street by Kinley Bryan
The Lost Women of Mill Street by Kinley Bryan
Publisher: Blue Mug Press
Published: 7 May 2024
Genre: Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction, American
Historical Fiction
Pages: 282
Available: Paperback, ebook
Violence: minimal
Sex: none, clean romance
The Short Story: A engaging survival story set during
the American Civil War.
My Review: First my thanks to author Kinley Bryan for
providing a review copy.
Sherman’s army is on the move across Georgia, burning and
destroying buildings and infrastructure as they march across the rebellious
state. Sisters, Clara and Kitty, work at a mill weaving tent canvas for the Confederate
Army. The owners have long since fled, leaving the workers to fend for
themselves. Fear of losing their jobs keeps them tethered to their machines.
Clara wishes her fiancé, Benjamin, would return from Nebraska to rescue them from
the approaching violence.
Soon, their world is upended when they find themselves accused
of traitorous acts and sent to a disease ridden POW camp. The Lost Women of Mill Street
is the story of their survival and the rebuilding of their shattered lives.
I really enjoyed this story of Clara and Kitty and their
struggles to not only survive the loss of jobs and home but also their plight
as refugees in a strange city where they are often viewed as the enemy. Desperate
to keep a roof over their heads, Clara looks for work while her sister recovers
from illness. She’s timid but fierce, determined but wary of dreams. Kitty,
once recovered, chaffs under Clara’s smothering love. She, the bolder of the
two, knows what she wants, and urges Clara to do the same.
The story is not as straightforward as one might think and
the author does a great job of surprising the reader with her plot twists. I found
the history interesting and was unaware that civilians were arrested and sent
to POW camps, women, children and the elderly included. I also learned a thing
or two about 19th century women’s bonnets, which I ended up having
to google so I could better visualize the author’s descriptions while reading!
Well written with a steady pace. It’s a clean read with
limited violence and a sweet romance. I enjoyed this book and look forward to
reading more by the author. I recommend The Lost Women of Mill Street to
readers of historical fiction, American Historical Fiction, readers who enjoy
the Civil War Era, and women’s history.
I rate this book 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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