With so many novels written about the American Revolution already, I worried that Avis latest effort wouldnt bring anything new to the table. Instead, Sophias War turned out to be a breath of fresh air in a crowded genre. The book strikes a perfect balance between factual and fictional characters. Sophia is a courageous and resourceful character that we truly care about. Meanwhile, the supporting characters, whose names you may recognize from history textbooks, are just as interesting and multilayered. The antagonist is especially memorable, and is skillfully portrayed as a human, rather than just another one-dimensional villain. The historical background is full of detail; its clear that Avi did his research when he wrote this book. The plot is the part of the book I enjoyed the most, and perhaps the best aspect of the book. Its both believable and suspenseful, and nearly every chapter ends with a cliffhanger. I simply did not want to put the book down; in fact, I finished it in a day! Fans of Laurie Halse Andersons Chains or just books about the American Revolution in general will enjoy this book, and Avis fans will certainly not be disappointed. Even ten years after his Newbery Medal winner was published, and over seventy books later since he was first published, Avi is still going strong.