The Thread Collectors by Shaunna J. Edwards & Alyson Richman #bookreview

Thank you HTP Books / Graydon House, #partner, for the advanced copy of The Thread Collectors in exchange for my honest review. 

Publisher: Graydon House

Published: August 30, 2022

 

SUMMARY:

1863: In a small Creole cottage in New Orleans, an ingenious young Black woman named Stella embroiders intricate maps on repurposed cloth to help enslaved men flee and join the Union Army. Bound to a man who would kill her if he knew of her clandestine activities, Stella has to hide not only her efforts but her love for William, a Black soldier and a brilliant musician.

Meanwhile, in New York City, a Jewish woman stitches a quilt for her husband, who is stationed in Louisiana with the Union Army. Between abolitionist meetings, Lily rolls bandages and crafts quilts with her sewing circle for other soldiers, too, hoping for their safe return home. But when months go by without word from her husband, Lily resolves to make the perilous journey South to search for him.

As these two women risk everything for love and freedom during the brutal Civil War, their paths converge in New Orleans, where an unexpected encounter leads them to discover that even the most delicate threads have the capacity to save us. Loosely inspired by the authors’ family histories, this stunning novel will stay with readers for a long time.

 

My thoughts:

As soon as I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. And the fact that it was written by two authors and that they drew inspiration from their own family histories just made me more excited about the book. I was thrilled when we decided to pick this book as one of our #bookfriendsbookclub picks this month and that the authors were able to join us on a zoom chat – having the chance to listen to the authors talk more in depth about the book really added to our discussion. And then I even got to go see the authors in person at my local independent bookstore which was just fantastic.

There aren’t a ton of historical fiction books set during the Civil War era, so that immediately drew me to this book. But even more so is the fact that we see the story told from such unique points of view. It follows two soldiers who meet up on the battlefield – one an escaped Black slave and one a White Jewish man – and they form a friendship. It is through this friendship that brings their beloveds into the fray – a Black enslaved woman trying to make the most of her situation and a White Jewish woman doing all she can to support the troops.

This story is not always an easy one to read – it brings the darkness of this time right to the front without belaboring it. But at the same time, the story is balanced with these deep friendships and stories of love that are woven into the story. We see the lengths one will go to protect those they love, how a shared interest can forge a bond that looks deeper than color. We see these characters continually putting themselves at risk in order to do what they think is right. I loved how the authors explored the war from the perspective of outsiders – it makes for such a fascinating and memorable story.

This book is highly emotional and raw. It doesn’t shy away from the truth and I appreciated that the authors stayed true to the historical details that they came across. This is the reason why I love reading historical fiction – I love learning and feel that I learned so much from reading this one. And be sure to read the authors note – it is not to be missed!

I loved this book, as tough a read as it was in certain parts. I will be recommending it to everyone I know that loves historical fiction and I cannot wait to see what this phenomenal writing duo pens next!

 

*** Because I attended the bookstore event, I have a signed copy to give away – head to my instagram page for details!