  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 12/15/2016 Fort Monroe, a Union-controlled outpost in the antebellum South, provides the backdrop for the story of Callie, an enslaved girl. Callie’s mistress is also her aunt, and one day she will free Callie, like she freed her brother, Callie’s father. But the sale of Callie’s stepbrother, to raise money for the war effort, reveals how fragile that promise is. Then comes news of Fort Monroe, where slaves can find refuge as “contraband of war,” outside the reach of newly seceded states. Part one documents the start of the Civil War and the break up of Callie’s world, while part two focuses on the choices Callie makes as she prepares to leave her family for an education in the North. Callie’s story, despite the disturbing complexity of her family tree, is less compelling than the history lesson. Background notes and a time line at the beginning explore how Union soldiers were able to exploit a legal loophole to save countless lives, while an afterword provides further source material for this pivotal moment in American history. - Copyright 2016 Booklist. Loading...
 |