Good Time Coming : A Novel of the American Civil War

I killed a man the summer I turned thirteen . . . Thus begins C. S. Harris's haunting, lyrically beautiful tale of coming of age in Civil War-torn Louisiana. Eleven-year-old Amrie St. Pierre is catching tadpoles with her friend Finn O'Reilly when the Federal fleet first steams up the Mississippi River in the spring of 1862. With the surrender of New Orleans, Amrie's sleepy little village of St. Francisville – strategically located between the last river outposts of Vicksburg and Port Hudson – is now frighteningly vulnerable. As the roar of canons inches ever closer and food, shoes, and life-giving medicines become increasingly scarce, Amrie is forced to grow up fast. But it is her own fateful encounter with a tall, golden-haired Union captain named Gabriel that threatens to destroy everything and everyone she holds most dear. Told with rare compassion and insight, this is a gripping, heart-wrenching story of loss and survival; of the bonds that... It's the beginning of the American Civil War, and the Union army is sailing down the Mississippi, leaving death and destruction in its wake. The graceful river town of St. Francisville, Louisiana, has known little of the hardships, death, and destruction of the War. But with the fall of New Orleans, all changes. A Federal fleet appears on the Mississippi, and it isn't long before the depredations and attacks begin. For one Southern family the dark blue uniform of the Union army is not the only thing they fear. A young girl stops a vicious attack on her mother and the town must pull together to keep each other safe. But a cryptic message casts doubt amongst the townsfolk. Is there a traitor in the town and can anybody be trusted? Twelve-year-old Amrie and her family have never felt entirely accepted by their neighbors, due to their vocal abolitionist beliefs. But when Federal forces lay siege to the nearby strongholds of Vicksburg and Port Hudson, the women and children of St. Francisville find themselves living in a no mans land between two warring armies. Realizing they must overcome their differences and work together to survive, they soon discover strengths and abilities they never knew they possessed, and forge unexpected friendships. As the violence in the area intensifies, Amrie comes to terms with her own capacity for violence and realizes that the capacity for evil exists within all of us. And when the discovery of a closely guarded secret brings the wrath of the Federal army down on St. Francisville, the women of St. Francisville, with whom Amrie and her mother have shared the war years many deprivations and traumas, now unite and risk their own lives to save them. A girl grows up too quickly in Civil War Louisiana: “Powerful...This is top-notch historical fiction.”—Publishers WeeklyI killed a man the summer I turned thirteen... Thus begins USA Today-bestselling author C. S. Harris's haunting, lyrically beautiful tale of coming of age in Civil War-torn Louisiana. Eleven-year-old Amrie St. Pierre is catching tadpoles with her friend Finn O'Reilly when the Federal fleet first steams up the Mississippi River in the spring of 1862. With the surrender of New Orleans, Amrie's sleepy little village of St. Francisville—strategically located between the last river outposts of Vicksburg and Port Hudson—is now frighteningly vulnerable. As the roar of cannons inches ever closer and food, shoes, and life-giving medicines become increasingly scarce, Amrie is forced to grow up fast. But it is her own fateful encounter with a tall, golden-haired Union captain named Gabriel that threatens to destroy everything and everyone she holds most dear. Told with rare compassion and insight, this is a story of loss and survival; of the bonds that form among women and children left alone to face the hardships, depravations, and dangers of war; and of one unforgettable girl's slow and painful recognition of the good and evil that exists within us all. “This story of love, loss, and growing up under some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable is beautifully written, superbly researched, emotionally engaging and gripping from first page to last. A must for old-school fans of historical fiction.”—Booklist (starred review The summer Amrie St. Pierre turned thirteen, she killed a man. With the surrender of New Orleans, Amrie's sleepy little village of St. Francisville-- strategically located between the last river outposts of Vicksburg and Port Hudson-- is now frighteningly vulnerable, and Amrie is forced to grow up fact. Her fateful encounter with a Union captain named Gabriel threatens to destroy everything and everyone she holds most dear. Bonds have formed among the women and children left alone to face the hardships, deprivations, and dangers of war ... and slowly and painfully Amrie comes to recognize that good and evil exists within us all It s the start of the American Civil War. The Union army is sailing down the Mississippi, leaving destruction in its wake. For one family the Union army isn't the only thing they fear. A girl stops an attack on her mother and the town must pull together to keep safe. But a cryptic message casts doubt amongst them. Is there a traitor in the town?" A story of coming-of-age in Civil War-torn Louisiana. This is a heart-wrenching story of loss and survival; of the bonds that form amongst women and children left alone to face the hardships, depravations, and dangers of war; and of one unforgettable girl's slow and painful recognition of the good and evil that exists within us all.