LitPick Review
It’s April, 1861 and the civil war is right around the corner.
Joe Wood is a young newspaper man. At the age of 14, he runs the Wiscasset Gazette with the help of his young assistant, Owen, and his older best friend Charlie. Joe has three weeks to repay his debt of $23 or he loses the Gazette. But Joe isn’t the only one with problems, not counting the debt he has to repay. Joe is trying to keep Charlie from enlisting.
When Owen's father is rejected from the army because he is black, it takes a hard toll on Owen. He blames himself and disappears. After searching for 2 days, Joe seeks the help of a young girl named Nell in helping him find Owen. Nell is supposedly able to speak to the dead, but what if she can’t find Owen? What will happen to him? As the tension of the war settles over everyone’s head, will Joe be able to rope in all of his responsibilities?
Opinion:
After reading this book, I have decided to increase the variety of books I read. I learned that I not only have fun reading historical fiction, but I get a look into the past. And it helps that I am studying the Civil War at school as I was reading this book. I was really intrigued when I learned that the printing shop in this book actually did exist. My favorite part was when Nell didn’t have to live with her Uncle anymore, but my least favorite part was when Owen disappeared. Not only because he disappeared, but why he disappeared because it makes me sad to think about living back when not everyone agreed to racial equality.
