An excellent book, enjoyable by an adult even with a 14 yr old main character. Caroline matures rapidly when the British (Revolutionary War) invade her family's home and she copes with the killing of a friend, her interracial heritage, and questioning who can be trusted in a time of shifting alliances. Set in South Carolina, her family were plantation owners but she was much more of a tomboy than her sister.
Well researched, with bibliography for further background. ( )

I started reading this one reluctantly. I didn't want to read a book set during a war. And it is true, this book is a really good comment on man's inhumanity to man. My first impression was that the author leaned toward making one side look worse than the other...then I read her comments at the end of the book. She did acknowledge that there were atrocities all the way around. Even the Bible says that humans cannot rule themselves. Ecclesiastes 8:9 says that man rules himself to his own injury...to me this is what this book was all about. ( )

Caroline Whitaker is fourteen-years-old, and is witnessing the American Revolution first hand. A British officer and army had commandeered her home. Her father (a Patriot) has been imprisoned, her brother Johnny (a Loyalist) is wounded, and the British, before her eyes, hang her best friend. Her sister is becoming the mistress to the cruel British officer who has stolen their house.
Adding to Caroline’s fears and self-doubt, she knows she is the result of her father's dallianace with one of his black slaves. No one acknowledges or talks about this. Her grandmother, Miz Melindy, lives with the slave. When Caroline and Miz Melindy take a long wagon journey together to save Johnny (who has turned to the other side) the young heroine learns how to deal with the uncertainty, violence and anger in her life.
This is a great book for young adults to get an idea about how tumultuous and frightening the Revolutionary period was. Caroline tries to be as mature as possible, but is still confused and scared. The plot moves quickly and the characters are well developed and likeable. ( )