French author Jean-Laurent Del Socorro has become a very prolific writer since the publication of his debut novel, 'Royaume de vent et de colères' (2015), the first in his universe of the Wars of Religions (between Catholics and Prostestants/Huguenots) that were waged in 15th century France. The latest addition is the novella 'Noir est le sceau de l'enfer' (2022). His novel about the Celtic warrior princess Boudicca followed two years later, in 2017, and catapulted Mr Del Socorro as one of the authors of historical fantasy. His approach is not to invent stories from scratch, but take historical periods and characters and add a fantastic touch to it.

'Je suis fille de rage' is the man's third novel, published in 2019, and focuses on the period of the American Civil War (1861-1865), not what preceded, not what came afterwards. Originally, a crowdfunding project was set up for the publication of this book; the result was more than successful. Three years later, a well-deserved reissue sees the light of day.

Whereas his other books were written in a normal way, like any fiction novel, a different approach was tried for this brick. Yes, 'Je suis fille de rage' is one thick brick compared to his other works. The short and concise chapters make this one heavy page-turner. The war itself didn't progress as swiftly, though.

The book was divided into five parts and an epilogue: each part focused on various points-of-view of a specific year (1861, 1862, etc.), POV's from both sides of the opposing forces (the Union [North] and the Confederation [South]). Each little chapter was given a title to indicate the character in question. Luckily a list of characters at the beginning of the book helps to know which character is focused on, as the chapter titles themselves weren't always as specific, rather descriptive.

Last, there's a non-exhaustive list of books, articles, and films on the subject.

Important characters on the North side (the Union):
* Abraham Lincoln: president (capital: Washington)
* Harriet Tubman: former slave (also known as General Tubman when she heads the group of messengers and spies for the army), leads a network of ferrymen who help slaves travel from the South to the North.
* Frederick Douglass: former slave. Political orator and abolitionist.
* Ulysses S. Grant: General of the Union, head of the army of Tennessee (Western front).
* William Tecumseh Sherman: General of the Union and a friend of Grant. (mentally also not the most stable one)
* Irvin McDowell, George McClellan, Ambrose Burnside, Joseph Hooker, George Meade, ...: successive commanders of the army at Potomac (Eastern front).
* Benjamin Butler: Brigadier-General of the Union army
* Walt Whiteman: poet and writer. Voluntary nurse during the War of Secession.
* Rush Christopher Hawkins: Colonel of the Union, responsible for the island of Roanoke. Nicknamed "the idiot" (zouave).
* Reverend Howard James: administrator of the Bureau of refugees of North Carolina.

Important characters on the South side (Confederation):
* Jefferson Davis: president of the Confederation (capital: Richmond)
* Robert Edward Lee: Commander of the Confederate Army of North Virginia
* Thomas Jonathan Jackson: General of the Confederate Army, under the leadership of General Lee; nicknamed "Stonewall".
* Braxton Bragg: Commander-in-chief of the army of Tennessee (Eastern front)
* Nathan Bedford Forrest: General leading a cavalry regiment under the orders of General Bragg (Eastern front)
* Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard: Confederate general, nicknamed "Paladin of the South"
* Stand Watie: Chief of the Cherokee and last to surrender at the end of the war
* John Wilkes Booth: stage actor and Confederate sympathiser

Also at the beginning of (almost) each chapter: a flag and corresponding outline (left or right) to indicate where the respective character was based:
* left = west: inland and along rivers, like the Mississippi.
* right = east: the Atlantic coast and the attacks between the two capitals, Washington for the North, Richmond for the South.

Also, and very important for the story, added (and translated) by the author: historical documents (extracts from letters, cuts from newspapers, orders, telegrams, ...). The translations were either based on said documents or romanticised for the sake of the story here, as clearly explained at the beginning of the book. It's not historical fiction as such, as Mr Del Socorro always adds a touch of fantasy, however small. Here we find the character of Death staying by president Abraham Lincoln during the entire duration of the war and serving as his conscience, while also indicating through chalk on the walls, on the ceiling, ... how many people (and especially children) have died. In the end, the entire office has been chalked to such an extent that dust falls down on Lincoln's desk. Lincoln's goal was to not only end the war, but also and foremost slavery. Unfortunately, he wasn't the best tactician and had to rely on some military leaders who lacked one or more of these competences - discipline, courage, tactical insight, nerve - to lead their troops to victory or deal the opponent a final blow. This also led to a war that could have ended sooner, but didn't, and resulted in more casualties than needed.

----------

It all started on the 12th April, 1861, at 4h30 at Fort Sumter, Charleston...

Two opposing forces, the Union vs the Confederation, pressure and stress building up, the Confederates shouting "Out with the Union!", and one Confederate soldier firing a cannon ball... by accident. And so, the war had started (in South Carolina) and would have other states follow South Carolina's lead to break free from the United States of America and form the Confederate States. President Lincoln wasn't going to let these states wreak havoc without a fight.

As mentioned above, each side had its principal characters, all of whom were given a(n almost equal) portion of the pages to tell their side of the war, to show the reader what they went through. Of course, there was a higher focus on the POV's of the respective presidents and the generals, because they played crucial and decisive roles throughout those five horrible and dreadful years, which exposed an age-long problem of racism and slavery. Like in his other novels and short stories, there is room and attention for female characters - slaves, Lincoln's wife, military assistants, ... -, as they too played a crucial role, which didn't receive as much or the same kind of attention as that of their male counterparts.

Unless my linguistic capacity fooled me, I had the impression that in some battles, the Confederation was on the winning hand. Better said, the army of the Union was hesitant to attack, to deal the Confederate army a deadly blow. And yet... the Union army did then advance and win territory, strangely enough and despite the hesitation of the commander in question, whom I believe was George McClellan. In any case, I must admit that I too didn't have such a positive image of McClellan, even though he seemed to have been a very important leader throughout the war. In short, he came across as someone who'd let others handle the dirty work while he could observe and organise (if ever) from behind the scenes, whilst showing his female assistant how important he (thought that he) was. I read in an other review that the characters' portrayals remained pretty true to historical and factual records, but McClellan's was not so true to those records.

Yet president Lincoln wasn't free from guilt either when he continued to support McClellan and to turn a blind eye to his errors. General William Tecumseh Sherman suffered from psychological problems, was also hesitant in certain battles, which then led to serious losses. Despite displacing him to another army, he never really recovered, despite making an effort to lead his army to victory. In the end, he lost his rank, was returned to colonel.

Of course, the Union were the good ones, the Confederates the bad guys, since they favour(ed) slavery and white supremacy. However, General Lee (Confederation) was portrayed as someone you could sympathise with, depending on the situation. On the Union side, especially General Ulysses S. Grant was the one to hold in great esteem, always classy, even when wrote to his wife and children.

President Lincoln was portrayed as a leader who had a lot of issues - contrary to his Confederate colleague, Jefferson Davis -, had been going through a lot of stress and thus sometimes had lost the overview of the battles. The last he needed was a character like Death to show him how horrible the war was for everyone, not in the least the population. Del Socorro's Death is not the same as the sarcastic Death of the late Terry Pratchett, although this last version would certainly have fit here.

Slaves rescued and brought to the island of Roanoke, were promised a safe harbour (temporarily!), but there too they had to obey and follow rules. As the title indicates, there was also a girl (Caroline) who changed sides and joined the Union army, as she was fed up with how slaves were treated, how her family thought about slavery. Her family too would have been hit by the war, but in the end, the bond would prove too strong for each to remain stubborn.

On the 6th December 1865, the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified:

Thirteenth Amendment

Section 1

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

... And the story ended on the 24th December 1865 at Selma. Well, that battle took place in May 1865, but the story of the novel ends at the aforementioned date, so as to complete the year, but not the ideology of white supremacy and slavery (Klu Kux Klan, of which Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest was a key member in its first version). Six months earlier, the Indian/Native American General Watie surrendered as last Confederate general. The Cherokee nation was also in favour of the Confederate plans, at least concerning independence and secession.

----------

'Je suis fille de rage' is Mr Del Socorro's magnum opus. The original setup of short chapters mixed with historical material, and showing the American Civil War through the eyes and ears of the people involved (Union and Confederation) have resulted in a heavy tome that can not be put down, grabs you by the throat, and shows you what hardship everyone had to go through. Of course, there are gaps here and there, but you don't really need foreknowledge to appreciate this book. Heavily recommended and a perfect stepping stone more serious works and other novels on the subject.

----------

Like in 'Royaume de vent et de colères', there is a short story to complement the larger story: 'Le Diable dans la boîte' (transl.: The Devil in the Box). Or rather, it was originally a left-out scene and reworked to become a short story, serving as a sort of prelude to the war. The story is based on a true story: Virginia-based slave Henry "Box" Brown trying to find a way to escape his life as a slave. More information can be found on Wikipedia, PBS.org, Encyclopedia Virginia, National Geographic, Documenting the American South (link 1, link 2), and many other websites. Jean-Laurent Del Socorro's version is quite simple, yet was written to show what Mr Brown (what's in a name?) had to go through to be able to live a life in freedom.

----------

Useful links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_the_American_Civil_War
http://www.civilwarhome.com/

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/reasons-secession
https://www.loc.gov/collections/civil-war-glass-negatives/articles-and-essays/ti...
https://turtledove.fandom.com/wiki/War_of_Secession

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_(American_Civil_War)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_States_Army

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_of_the_Potomac
https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/army-of-the-potomac/
https://civilwarintheeast.com/us-armies/the-army-of-the-potomac/
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Army_of_the_Potomac

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roanoke_Island
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Roanoke_Island
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedmen%27s_Colony_of_Roanoke_Island

----------

I was sent this book by Éditions ActuSF for review. Many thanks to them for the trust. ( )

French author Jean-Laurent Del Socorro has become a very prolific writer since the publication of his debut novel, 'Royaume de vent et de colères' (2015), the first in his universe of the Wars of Religions (between Catholics and Prostestants/Huguenots) that were waged in 15th century France. The latest addition is the novella 'Noir est le sceau de l'enfer' (2022). His novel about the Celtic warrior princess Boudicca followed two years later, in 2017, and catapulted Mr Del Socorro as one of the authors of historical fantasy. His approach is not to invent stories from scratch, but take historical periods and characters and add a fantastic touch to it.

'Je suis fille de rage' is the man's third novel, published in 2019, and focuses on the period of the American Civil War (1861-1865), not what preceded, not what came afterwards. Originally, a crowdfunding project was set up for the publication of this book; the result was more than successful. Three years later, a well-deserved reissue sees the light of day.

Whereas his other books were written in a normal way, like any fiction novel, a different approach was tried for this brick. Yes, 'Je suis fille de rage' is one thick brick compared to his other works. The short and concise chapters make this one heavy page-turner. The war itself didn't progress as swiftly, though.

The book was divided into five parts and an epilogue: each part focused on various points-of-view of a specific year (1861, 1862, etc.), POV's from both sides of the opposing forces (the Union [North] and the Confederation [South]). Each little chapter was given a title to indicate the character in question. Luckily a list of characters at the beginning of the book helps to know which character is focused on, as the chapter titles themselves weren't always as specific, rather descriptive.

Last, there's a non-exhaustive list of books, articles, and films on the subject.

Important characters on the North side (the Union):
* Abraham Lincoln: president (capital: Washington)
* Harriet Tubman: former slave (also known as General Tubman when she heads the group of messengers and spies for the army), leads a network of ferrymen who help slaves travel from the South to the North.
* Frederick Douglass: former slave. Political orator and abolitionist.
* Ulysses S. Grant: General of the Union, head of the army of Tennessee (Western front).
* William Tecumseh Sherman: General of the Union and a friend of Grant. (mentally also not the most stable one)
* Irvin McDowell, George McClellan, Ambrose Burnside, Joseph Hooker, George Meade, ...: successive commanders of the army at Potomac (Eastern front).
* Benjamin Butler: Brigadier-General of the Union army
* Walt Whiteman: poet and writer. Voluntary nurse during the War of Secession.
* Rush Christopher Hawkins: Colonel of the Union, responsible for the island of Roanoke. Nicknamed "the idiot" (zouave).
* Reverend Howard James: administrator of the Bureau of refugees of North Carolina.

Important characters on the South side (Confederation):
* Jefferson Davis: president of the Confederation (capital: Richmond)
* Robert Edward Lee: Commander of the Confederate Army of North Virginia
* Thomas Jonathan Jackson: General of the Confederate Army, under the leadership of General Lee; nicknamed "Stonewall".
* Braxton Bragg: Commander-in-chief of the army of Tennessee (Eastern front)
* Nathan Bedford Forrest: General leading a cavalry regiment under the orders of General Bragg (Eastern front)
* Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard: Confederate general, nicknamed "Paladin of the South"
* Stand Watie: Chief of the Cherokee and last to surrender at the end of the war
* John Wilkes Booth: stage actor and Confederate sympathiser

Also at the beginning of (almost) each chapter: a flag and corresponding outline (left or right) to indicate where the respective character was based:
* left = west: inland and along rivers, like the Mississippi.
* right = east: the Atlantic coast and the attacks between the two capitals, Washington for the North, Richmond for the South.

Also, and very important for the story, added (and translated) by the author: historical documents (extracts from letters, cuts from newspapers, orders, telegrams, ...). The translations were either based on said documents or romanticised for the sake of the story here, as clearly explained at the beginning of the book. It's not historical fiction as such, as Mr Del Socorro always adds a touch of fantasy, however small. Here we find the character of Death staying by president Abraham Lincoln during the entire duration of the war and serving as his conscience, while also indicating through chalk on the walls, on the ceiling, ... how many people (and especially children) have died. In the end, the entire office has been chalked to such an extent that dust falls down on Lincoln's desk. Lincoln's goal was to not only end the war, but also and foremost slavery. Unfortunately, he wasn't the best tactician and had to rely on some military leaders who lacked one or more of these competences - discipline, courage, tactical insight, nerve - to lead their troops to victory or deal the opponent a final blow. This also led to a war that could have ended sooner, but didn't, and resulted in more casualties than needed.

----------

It all started on the 12th April, 1861, at 4h30 at Fort Sumter, Charleston...

Two opposing forces, the Union vs the Confederation, pressure and stress building up, the Confederates shouting "Out with the Union!", and one Confederate soldier firing a cannon ball... by accident. And so, the war had started (in South Carolina) and would have other states follow South Carolina's lead to break free from the United States of America and form the Confederate States. President Lincoln wasn't going to let these states wreak havoc without a fight.

As mentioned above, each side had its principal characters, all of whom were given a(n almost equal) portion of the pages to tell their side of the war, to show the reader what they went through. Of course, there was a higher focus on the POV's of the respective presidents and the generals, because they played crucial and decisive roles throughout those five horrible and dreadful years, which exposed an age-long problem of racism and slavery. Like in his other novels and short stories, there is room and attention for female characters - slaves, Lincoln's wife, military assistants, ... -, as they too played a crucial role, which didn't receive as much or the same kind of attention as that of their male counterparts.

Unless my linguistic capacity fooled me, I had the impression that in some battles, the Confederation was on the winning hand. Better said, the army of the Union was hesitant to attack, to deal the Confederate army a deadly blow. And yet... the Union army did then advance and win territory, strangely enough and despite the hesitation of the commander in question, whom I believe was George McClellan. In any case, I must admit that I too didn't have such a positive image of McClellan, even though he seemed to have been a very important leader throughout the war. In short, he came across as someone who'd let others handle the dirty work while he could observe and organise (if ever) from behind the scenes, whilst showing his female assistant how important he (thought that he) was. I read in an other review that the characters' portrayals remained pretty true to historical and factual records, but McClellan's was not so true to those records.

Yet president Lincoln wasn't free from guilt either when he continued to support McClellan and to turn a blind eye to his errors. General William Tecumseh Sherman suffered from psychological problems, was also hesitant in certain battles, which then led to serious losses. Despite displacing him to another army, he never really recovered, despite making an effort to lead his army to victory. In the end, he lost his rank, was returned to colonel.

Of course, the Union were the good ones, the Confederates the bad guys, since they favour(ed) slavery and white supremacy. However, General Lee (Confederation) was portrayed as someone you could sympathise with, depending on the situation. On the Union side, especially General Ulysses S. Grant was the one to hold in great esteem, always classy, even when wrote to his wife and children.

President Lincoln was portrayed as a leader who had a lot of issues - contrary to his Confederate colleague, Jefferson Davis -, had been going through a lot of stress and thus sometimes had lost the overview of the battles. The last he needed was a character like Death to show him how horrible the war was for everyone, not in the least the population. Del Socorro's Death is not the same as the sarcastic Death of the late Terry Pratchett, although this last version would certainly have fit here.

Slaves rescued and brought to the island of Roanoke, were promised a safe harbour (temporarily!), but there too they had to obey and follow rules. As the title indicates, there was also a girl (Caroline) who changed sides and joined the Union army, as she was fed up with how slaves were treated, how her family thought about slavery. Her family too would have been hit by the war, but in the end, the bond would prove too strong for each to remain stubborn.

On the 6th December 1865, the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified:

Thirteenth Amendment

Section 1

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

... And the story ended on the 24th December 1865 at Selma. Well, that battle took place in May 1865, but the story of the novel ends at the aforementioned date, so as to complete the year, but not the ideology of white supremacy and slavery (Klu Kux Klan, of which Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest was a key member in its first version). Six months earlier, the Indian/Native American General Watie surrendered as last Confederate general. The Cherokee nation was also in favour of the Confederate plans, at least concerning independence and secession.

----------

'Je suis fille de rage' is Mr Del Socorro's magnum opus. The original setup of short chapters mixed with historical material, and showing the American Civil War through the eyes and ears of the people involved (Union and Confederation) have resulted in a heavy tome that can not be put down, grabs you by the throat, and shows you what hardship everyone had to go through. Of course, there are gaps here and there, but you don't really need foreknowledge to appreciate this book. Heavily recommended and a perfect stepping stone more serious works and other novels on the subject.

----------

Like in 'Royaume de vent et de colères', there is a short story to complement the larger story: 'Le Diable dans la boîte' (transl.: The Devil in the Box). Or rather, it was originally a left-out scene and reworked to become a short story, serving as a sort of prelude to the war. The story is based on a true story: Virginia-based slave Henry "Box" Brown trying to find a way to escape his life as a slave. More information can be found on Wikipedia, PBS.org, Encyclopedia Virginia, National Geographic, Documenting the American South (link 1, link 2), and many other websites. Jean-Laurent Del Socorro's version is quite simple, yet was written to show what Mr Brown (what's in a name?) had to go through to be able to live a life in freedom.

----------

Useful links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_the_American_Civil_War
http://www.civilwarhome.com/

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/reasons-secession
https://www.loc.gov/collections/civil-war-glass-negatives/articles-and-essays/ti...
https://turtledove.fandom.com/wiki/War_of_Secession

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_(American_Civil_War)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_States_Army

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_of_the_Potomac
https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/army-of-the-potomac/
https://civilwarintheeast.com/us-armies/the-army-of-the-potomac/
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Army_of_the_Potomac

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roanoke_Island
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Roanoke_Island
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedmen%27s_Colony_of_Roanoke_Island

----------

I was sent this book by Éditions ActuSF for review. Many thanks to them for the trust. ( )