Larkin is home after being in Afghanistan for the war. She's been medically discharged for PTSD. She goes to a storage facility and picks up Sarah's goods she's willed to her, and then stops at home before she goes on to her Gram's. She has no desire to talk about the war and when her mother presses, she leaves.
Sourcebooks Landmark and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you). It has been published and you can get a copy now.
As she goes through boxes, she finds an old diary written by a young girl. Her mother had died, her Pa and the oldest son went into the Civil War. She and her younger brother stayed on the farm with her aunt and uncle. The uncle is mean and never satisfied by how much they do. When she finds her father has been killed, she and her brother head out to find her older brother.
Reading about Emily's troubles settles down Larkin a bit. Larkin is still living in a war zone mentally and can't cope. She takes to drink. It makes her forget but it gives her other problems. It's a good thing she has a patient Grandmother.
Emily's brother dies from an illness acquired on the road. So Emily cuts her hair, binds her breasts and joins the Army with her remaining brother.
Neither of ladies had a good ending to their war days. It's sad, affects them mentally, and they have to work hard to come back to a normal life. This is a good look at what the men must be going through, too.
The wars might have been years apart but there are similarities anyway. While this is historical fiction, it hits a little too close to home for me. None of my family members would speak of their experiences...
