Let's try this again. I wrote a long (absolutely mah-velous, of course) review for this book on my laptop last night, and inadvertently did "something" that made the whole darned thing mysteriously disappear before I had a chance to publish it. (An ESO problem, I fear: "equipment superior to operator".) Or maybe my cat did it. Yeah, that's it. Blame it on the cat.

At any rate, let's try, try again...

It's one thing to sit in an American history class to learn the bare bones facts about the Civil War; it's another thing altogether to put flesh on those facts by going back to experience the hardships and heart-wrenching events of that period first-hand. Now, I'm not saying we can actually jump into a time machine and whoosh a century and a half into the past, but a well-researched, well-written novel can certainly transport us there. Such is the case with this book.

Lincoln writes vivid descriptions, and her prose is sometimes so lyrical and engaging, I found myself stopping to read those sections again. I must admit, although it was my own choice to do so, that still irked me a little. my husband complains when we encounter a traffic jam while on a road trip, it "messed up my average." I'm usually a very fast reader, but this book's slow pace, coupled with those frequent stops, made it take me considerably longer to "complete the trip" than usual, which, come to think of it, might be a good thing. Perhaps some books are meant to be savored.

The characters are well-developed and realistic, so it's easy to feel empathy for them, and to internalize their pain and suffering. Theirs is a story of how war and blind hatred can change a community and its people, a tale of neighbors pitted against neighbors, a country and community divided, and families split apart. It's a story of desperate hope in the face of unspeakable atrocities, and of renewal in the midst of death and destruction. And at the center of it all is Agnes Canon, a strong, independent, and adventurous woman who manages to persevere and survive, no matter how difficult or tragic the situation.

If you want to get a real sense of what it was to live in Missouri during the Civil War, victimized by both sides, and caught in a whirlwind of change, this is the book for you. Oh, and Agnes Canon? She was the author's great grandmother. (Made me the book even more.)
educational first-reads heart-wrenching ...more3 s Tara ChevresttAuthor 23 books304

I loved Agnes. Had the entire tale followed Agnes and stuck to Agnes, I'd have been an overjoyed reader. She's a terrific woman and character. The things I admired about her: her stance on slavery, her desire for independence, the fact she obtains this independence and later marries without really giving up who she is.

But I didn't care for the hero. And as much of the book focuses on him and his opinions (he's a secessionist), I got a bit tired of it and began skimming. He lost even more favor with me when he bought a pair of slaves. I don't care that he never beats them. I was already struggling with his character. He comes across as a know-it-all too and I didn't find this very romantic.

However, I must say, I how the story showed us that even if a woman is independent and has a mind of her own, people (townsfolk) don't necessarily see it that way. I felt for Agnes as the town shunned her because of her husband's views to the point she gets kicked out of church. The story also tells the history of Missouri before the Civil War. I have read about the Kansas situation before, but not Missouri, about the war--and trust me, it's a nasty battle, on both sides--as the abolitionists from the north and the slave owners from the south duke it out on what was supposed to be neutral territory.

It's a very historically informative novel. I could have, however, done without the nasty brothers. *shudders* But violence happened and this story really does tell it it was.

historical-fiction2 s Ashley167 40

I read this entire book in 2 days because I fell so deeply in love with Agnes. I just felt I understood her, not as a character but as a woman. Agnes Canon's War is the story of a woman who just wants to build and live her life on her terms. She wants freedom; she wants to live as she wishes away from the obligations of her society. Haven't we all, at some point, felt the same way? Her war isn't fought on the battlefield or in a uniform, it's fought as she struggles to find her own identity within a world where she doesn't belong. She was just a woman so far ahead of her time and her story will just draw you in from the very first page. Actually, it will draw you in from the very first sentence.

"I saw a woman hanged on my way to the Pittsburgh docks."

You will want to read about Agnes and Jabez. You will think about this book when you're not reading and you will procrastinate other things on your to-do list just to squeeze in another 10 or 15 minutes with them. This book? It's fantastic! I have it right now only as an eBook but it's the kind of book I want to buy in hardcover. I want to put it on my shelf and then, when people visit my home, pull it off the shelf, shove it in their hands and say, "THIS. You must read THIS!"
author-female2 s Leslie LindsayAuthor 1 book81

I've recently hit a jag with historical fiction--I can't seem to get enough! AGNES CANNON'S WAR is testament to that hunger. There's something so vital about adding depth and precision to a real-life event (and in many cases people), to truly bring it to life, even many years later. Sure, you can read a history book or sit in a lecture, but those tend to give dates and facts...if you really want to "live" the history take a step into AGNES CANNON'S WAR where you'll get a vivid, lyrical, engaging description of life in the 1860s+ and how Missouri (my homestate) responded to the Civil War.

You'll meet Agnes Cannon, a real-life woman (the author's great grandmother), and also a very strong, independent, adventuress who hated corsets but loved books. I enjoyed her story, but wanted the book to focus even more on her (lucky for us, the author has distant plans to continue her story in a sequel). I found some of the supporting characters to grow a tiny bit tedious, but overall, the book was well-done.

Do keep in mind if you tend to "speed-read," this one may take you a bit longer. While the prose is lush and lyrical, you'll be plodding along at a slightly more languid pace, savoring those descriptions and ingesting the story. 1 Margaret1,279 62

I can't recall reading much historical fiction about the Civil War, for me this book was a real eye-opener. Deborah Lincoln is a new author to me which made me doubly excited to read this book. Agnes Canon is the great grandmother of the author, I love this type of book as it is so much more personal from the author.

The synopsis above tells a lot of the plot here but what it doesn't say is how powerful a book this is. I was captivated right from the that opening line. There is much going on in this book and the author writes in such a mesmerizing way that I was visualizing and feeling this story. This was a tumultuous time in American history and Agnes Canon's War gave a vivid glimpse of not just the physical side but the emotional side also. This isn't a 'happy ever after' type of book (it's war time remember) but rather one that will stay with you long after you are finished.

My copy as part of book tour. This and other can be found at my link text2014 for-review historical ...more1 SueAuthor 18 books40

Agnes Canon sets out from Philadelphia in the 1850s to conquer the Wild West: Missouri. On the way, she meets a doctor named Jabez Robinson, who has a fiery temper and a tendency to get involved in politics. He also happens to be going to the same tiny town where Agnes and her family buy a farm and settle down. You just know from the first meeting that they will be married eventually and that they will be involved in the Civil War. I almost don’t want to know Lincoln based this book on what happened to her great-great grandparents. It’s entertaining, but it’s corny and predictable. Plus there are so many characters I can’t keep them straight. Also, it’s gory. In the Civil War, Missouri was the undecided state between the north and the south, and the fighting was especially intense there. It might be historically correct, but do we need to read endless descriptions of people being shot, hung or dismembered? The book is full of history, and the characters are appealing. I give it a B. Steve WiegensteinAuthor 8 books25

I enjoyed this book immensely....it caught me up with some fantastic opening chapters that drew me into its world from the very start. The book has a powerful descriptive quality that sets it apart from a lot of other Civil War-set fiction. I d the way it delved into the internal life of the title character in a much more in-depth way than many. I got a bit confused with some of the secondary characters, but that might just have been me and not the book.1 Charis Weible1 review44

Absolutely loving this so far! I'll update the review when I'm done with it.1 SarahAuthor 5 books48

The terribly difficult and complex arguments and dilemmas faced by those who stood on the periphery of the American Civil War are really brought to life in this thoughtful book, as are the struggles of women in the era. It definitely made me think about the war from new perspectives that aren't covered in most history books, and because of that it is a challenging and useful read, well worth the effort. Pauline390 2

I just could not get into this book. Couldn’t relate to the characters, the time period, the events . I’m maybe just not interested in civil war era stories, but whatever - I’d pass on this. Carol Kean410 67

This novel has one of the most memorable opening lines I've seen in forever:

Chapter One - April 1852

I saw a woman hanged on my way to the Pittsburgh docks.

The rope snapped taut beneath the hooded head, and a hiss the new steam engines rose from the watching crowd. The figure dangled, ankles lashed together, head canted at an impossible angle. The skirt loosened from its ties and flapped in the breeze.

Bludgeoned her husband while he slept was the rumor that flew up and down the wayside, and I heard it muttered that he well deserved it.

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You might expect the novel to be about women's liberation, the right to vote, feminism, or any number of related subjects, but it's so much more than that. This is the story of one strong, intelligent woman who really lived, Agnes Canon. She waited a long, long time to get married. Only one of her children survived to adulthood. From that one child, generations of descendants followed. One of them, Debrah Lincoln, took the time and trouble to write a book about her.

Before I get busy extolling the virtues of this novel, let me go off on my favorite tangent. The DNA of Agnes Canon has multiplied, recombined and become the heritage of countless new human beings. Success, by biological rather than social or economic measures, means living to adulthood and leaving behind descendants. As one famous scientist put it:

We are the descendants of a tiny elite of successful ancestors. Our DNA has proved itself successful, because it is here. Geological time has carved and sculpted our DNA to survive down to the present. -- Richard Dawkins, in "Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder"

Historical fiction is not for the lazy. The tremendous amount of research that skilled writers weave into the narrative simply amazes me.

I'm afraid I'll be guilty of plot spoilers if I mention some of my favorite scenes or the tragic events that really happened. I will say Jabez has a first wife, and Agnes befriends her to her dying day. That first wife has a fascination for what today would sound New Age mysticism. Any reader who hates reading about war should keep going, because all sorts of intriguing historical issues and beliefs come to light in Agnes Canon's world.

Anyone who thinks we live in dangerous times should consider how much safer we are than our pioneering forefathers/mothers. Scenes this are chilling:

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...A moonless dark settled over Oregon, pierced by fires lit among the troops in the square and torches flaring along the streets. The townspeople dispersed as soldiers expanded their forays into homes lining the square and nearby side streets ... We watched from the bank as the captain touched an oiled torch to the pyre of newsprint, and flames licked up the summer-dry boards of the ramshackle structure. Jabez leveraged himself against the door jamb and dragged himself to his feet, reaching down a hand to me.

"Agnes, go home," he said. "I don't trust these men to destroy only the paper." He nodded across the square at our home. The children ... Federal troops were rumored to “liberate” slaves, impressing them into the army, selling them for profit, setting them free to be preyed upon by slave-catchers.
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With phones and mass transit today, we can hardly imagine the long periods of separation from loved ones, and worse, the not-knowing if they are alive and well. Agnes left behind family in Pennsylvania, got as far west as Missouri, suffered through the war, then got uprooted again to move all the way to the west coast. Agnes has the patience of a saint, the fortitude of a Spartan warrior.

I hope the book will include photos. The author has shared some at her Facebook page, including one of a bone-chilling (pun intended!) amputation kit, the one Dr. Jabez Robinson used in a scene I will not mention here. You'll also find a photo of little Harrie Lee (named after the Revolutionary War hero), the sole "successful" human who lived to carry the DNA of Agnes and Jabez to future generations.

The prose is polished, the story spellbinding, the authenticity both inspiring and heartbreaking. Most of the events in the novel really happened. It's quite a tribute to our ancestors, Jabez and Agnes in particular. Mia DarienAuthor 53 books167

(This received a 4.5 on my blog. I received this book free in exchange for an honest review, as part of this book's blog tour.)

This book reminded me a lot of ‘Centennial,’ and I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I mean the mini-series from the ‘70s rather than the book. I have yet to manage a sojourn through Michener’s epic (and epically sized) work. But my mother loved the mini-series, so I watched it a lot when I was younger and I still enjoy it. Anyways, what I mean by that is that this felt a story as much about its setting as the “main” characters; perhaps more about the setting.

We do follow Agnes Canon and Jabez Robinson, and their families and their lives together, but we also follow a town and a state and a people over the course of more than ten years. And when talking about the 1850s and 1860s in America, what a ten years that was. We follow the years that led up to and then through the Civil War, but what makes this book interesting in that is that it’s set in Missouri. It was a much “greyer” area between people siding with the unionists versus the secessionist, the slave-holders versus the abolitionists. It was more divided and less decided than the far north or deep south. So for a book about the civil war, and for a girl with family in Alabama and Connecticut, it provided a different perspective than I usually get and I d that.

This was a very good book. It was very readable. The way it moved through time–fitting so many years into a three hundred page book–could be a little jarring, but not that bad. Even if you looked at the surroundings and the setting more than the people, you still felt the people. You still got into the characters.

Agnes was an interesting portrait of what a woman was expected to be in her day and age and the modern way that women reading these books today wish those historical figures had been . Jabez showed the general restlessness of much of America, and all those who moved west to the uncharted areas. And in them and through them, we see a lot of the fuzzy lines of that time period.

Overall, this story was…heartbreakingly realistic. There were some scenes that were very difficult to read and, yes, made me cry. But they were true to the day they lived in, and well portrayed. And the fact that this story was based on some of the author’s personal lineage makes it all the more fascinating.

I can’t quite say this was a 5 for me, but 4.5 Fireballs is sound. Rylee1 review

I won a signed copy via Goodreads giveaway back in October of last year.(thank you!)
Firstly I would to thank Deborah Lincoln for sending me a copy of her book, I was pleasantly surprised at how fast I received it and the little note she wrote.
Now for the review! Which is basically what Sue said . Overall a very well-researched book about Missouri before, and during the civil war and the Politics that were involved in starting it. I did get a bit bored at times but overall a good book with interesting characters, a few heartbreaks, and a whole lot of opinions on politics. Patricia Levack34 1 follower

Goodreads First Reads free book by Deborah Lincoln was thought provoking. The choices that were open for women in the 1800's compared to today. Agnes Canon doesn't want to marry her fathers choice of a husband so she travels to a new frontier with relatives. This novel deals with her travels to new territories, finding love, having a family, loses and how she dealt with the war between the North and the South. You realize how hard it was leaving family, dealing with sickness and making a living. A great family story. Rosie Mcclurg158 2

Just finished this book and really enjoyed it. Enjoyed the history of the civil war and the characters in it. The friendships that were formed and the human feelings that were felt. I recommend this book and find it a privilege that I received as a gift from Goodreads. I am
grateful to the author and the way she expresses herself. I would recommend it to anyone who s history and the Civil War. It is fictional with some truths. A good read all in all.
Pat385

Interesting book about a strong, independent-minded woman in the years leading up to and through the Civil War. Set in Missouri, it highlights a face of the Civil War not often seen, and shows how divided Kansas and Missouri were at that crucial time. At times the book is brutal and heartbreaking, but I found it to be a interesting insight into the so-called grey areas--not South, not North, but torn between the two. cherie11 10

Beautifully written book detailing the daily struggles of some of the everyday life events during the Civil War. I would have loved more focus on Agnes. As soon as her character was introduced, i wanted to know more about her. I think, at times, she was lost in the shuffle. The tension between North and South is felt strongly. More of Agnes.....to live up to the book's title, would be nice.book-riot-2015-read-harder DorisAuthor 6 books13

This book started very strong and I had high hopes for it. But as the novel progressed, the focus shifted away from Agnes to other characters. There was no character development and a lack of content editing. If you are interested in the history of Missouri before and during the Civil War, this book might be for you.fiction Sarah Prueter18

Love reading well-written, well-researched historical fiction and this certainly was. Not only did I enjoy the intriguing characters (especially Jabez) but the book lays out discussion on the complex issues of our Civil War which has been simplified too many times. Susan SwiderskiAuthor 3 books38

A beautifully written book. Review to come asap. educational heart-wrenching historical ...more2 s Lee Ann381

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