Book Review: Charleston

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I finished reading Charleston by John Jakes sometime between Christmas and New Year's Day. I'm slow on posting :)

Charleston chronicles the fictional Bell family from their immigration to the new world through the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. It outlines the struggles of patriots vs. loyalists; separatists vs. unionists. It addresses issues of race, class, politics and religion. Through several generations, the reader engages with characters to love, and characters to love to hate.

The Low Country of South Carolina is one of my favorite places, so I love reading novels that play out there. I've also been a big fan of historical fiction of the British royal persuasion, so I was anxious to see if I would like American historical fiction as much. I really enjoyed reading this book, and it was another novel that the closer I got to the end, the less I wanted to put it down! It offered a fascinating insight into how these two key wars in American history affected such a beautiful town. I enjoyed being able to picture some of the locations (St. Michael's Church, the Battery, etc) in my own mind, and to think about what the city I love so much might have been like at this time.

If you love anything to do with Charleston or American war history, I'd definitely recommend this book! There was plenty of intrigue, romance & scandal to keep me entertained!

Overall Rating:

Currently reading: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson. (So far, I LOVE it!)

Any historical fiction or novels-set-in-the-Low-Country to recommend for me?