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3/03/2012

Alias Dragonfly by Jane Singer

book: Alias Dragonfly
written by: Jane Singer
genres: historical, fiction, romance
pages: 161
own / library / netgalley
release date: November 1st, 2011
publisher: Bell Bridge books


note: thanks to the author and Netgalley for letting me read and review this book. It's not what I usually read, but I liked it :)


the book:
Fifteen years old. Wanted: Dead or Alive.


"Don't love a spy," warns fifteen-year-old Pinkerton agent Maddie Bradford, a lonely, rebellious outsider with a mind on fire and a photographic memory. It is 1861, the Civil War has just started and this motherless teen must move with her soldier-father from New Hampshire to Washington, DC-a city at war, packed cheek by jowl with soldiers, Rebel spies, slave catchers and traitors of all stripes bent on waging a war of destruction against the Union, and President Lincoln himself.


Maddie's journal, written in secret, of course, begins with her arrival at her aunt's DC boardinghouse through the first year of the Civil War, a time, as Maddie puts it, full of "dips and dangers," when she becomes a fearless Union spy. And then there is the mysterious, maddening Jake Whitestone, a young man who awakens something equally dangerous in Maddie: Love in a time of terror.
(summary from goodreads)

review:
I liked this book. The writing style was ok, the characters were nice, but not great. The book was not like the usual books I read. Most of the time I don't read historical books, but this one sounded great so I gave it a shot. And I did not completely dislike it, so that's a great thing! Still, I did not love the story. Maybe that's because I don't know a lot about the civil war *and by not much I actually mean nothing* because I am not American and my history teacher did not teach me a lot about the civil war, or maybe historical fiction just isn't my thing... 
Still, this book taught me a lot, and that is awesome. I kinda like to learn something while reading a book. It's like learning without feeling like you're really doing so. That's one of the things that made this a great read, which I will not soon forget.
Aside of the subject, the story was fine. I would not call it boring, but I would not call it full of action either. But there happened a lot in the 161 pages this book contained, more than I had expected of such a thin book :) 
Being a spy in the civil war really sounds like a job I would like, but would not, and never, be fit for... I am not really fearless enough, so I have to show some respect to Maddie, who rocks. And also it's awesome that there is someone who writes pieces for the newspaper, and that she gets to meet him.

This book taught me about the civil war, but also about the importancy of family :D

rating:
I give this book 3 stars :3

xo Mar
 

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