3.5 stars!This book being the sequel to Candle in the Darkness (which I gave 5 stars to) didn't exactly meet the expectations I had. I loved the first book so very dearly (it made me cry, this one didn't), but this one, instead of focusing on the slavery during the Civil War period as the first one did, focused more on two different women and how they helped the Union army. I guess because I know the first and third books are about slavery (and I'm an abolitionist for Justice-network.org), I was hoping this would talk more about it. It was mentioned but was a background thing, not much of a foreground. It was definitely good though.The first person we learn about is Julia, Caroline's cousin who we had met for a period during the first book. Her heart desires Nathaniel Greene, the minister. I think partly why I didn't enjoy this book so much is because in the first book he was all about abolition but he didn't mention anything about it at all in this book and was more about just being selfless and helping those who are suffering in the war in general. It is kinda as if they changed who he was, though they mentioned how he spoke of abolition a couple of times in the past. Caroline will do anything to get the attention of the young minister in hopes that he'll want to marry her. So many men would love to marry her but the one she wants doesn't seem to care and seems to loathe her. In order to make him like her, she starts to see the person he saw and dove into nurse work in order to become the woman he wanted. Her whole story develops so well where she starts to understand God's will for her life. She believes highly in loving God first and her neighbor second. We learn of a new character named Phoebe, but her brothers call her "Ike" for some reason (never explained why). When her big brothers go off to war, she is left alone. She is not very pretty and looks a bit manly. She decides to sign up for the army. As far I know the army always made you strip down before you were able to be put in even in Civil War times, but perhaps I'm wrong there. Somehow she gets in and lasts in there for a long time. Anyway, she starts to understand God's love for her as she begins to fall in love with a fellow soldier.This story is quite a bit about how lies can get you into trouble, how we should care more about God than what other people think about us, and how it is important to show love to all people including the "Least of these", and how when you are in love you are willing to sacrifice yourself for the other person.
This book has 2 main characters, Julia Hoffman and Phoebe "Ike" Bigelow. In book one of the series, we met Caroline Fletcher, who lived in Richmond, VA and experienced the Civil War from the confederate side. Caroline's cousin Julia lives in Philadelphia, and is privileged, beautiful and shallow. Her main focus is to find a husband, and she is determined to win Reverend Nathaniel Greene's attention.After watching a battle (with other society member, not because she was caught in it), Julia panics and does not want to offer help to the wounded soldiers. She then overhears Nathaniel talk about how shallow she is and that he'd never marry a woman like Julia, so she decides to prove herself worthy of Nathaniel, to win his heart and to then reject him. The novel follows Julia as she works on changing who she is - first superficially and then because she wants to change. She becomes a nurse with a few little white lies, followed by some blatant disobedience in regards to her father/and eventual fiance. Julia is not the most likable character to me, she often regresses to the shallow petty person she was in the beginning of the book, but she does undergo a great transformation.The far more interesting character is Phoebe, She lives in what will soon be W. Virginia with her 3 brothers. Her parents are dead, and she's a complete tom boy. Even her brothers call her "Ike". After her brothers send her to town to live with a family (and care for their children) while they go to war, Phoebe decides to disguise herself as a man and enlist herself. Her journey is a great read, as she lives as a soldier for over a year, is wounded, and eventually becomes a nurse.
Do You like book Fire By Night (2003)?
Before I begin let met just say that : #1 I don't usually like books that have two heroines and two heros, I feel that it's some how cheating and that each couple should have their own book. #2 I detest spoiled brats. #3 I hate it when a character I like dies. But you see I still gave this five! And that is because this is the best book I've ever read with more than one main story line in it that clocks in a 473 pages. HOW did she do it? Readers, I don't know. But I do know that she did a wonderful job. How often do we see a spoiled heroine who has actually done an about turn by the end? Not often. How often does an author kill of a beloved character and make it up to you? Rarely, very rarely.So, that is what I love about this book, it's Lynn Austen's absolute best Imo. Watching Julia Hoffman turn from spoiled society belle to an unselfish war nurse was sometime else, especially because it took her time. She didn't just become unselfish overnight.Then, the Hero. He is my favorite of all of Lynn's heroes. His having a beard may have something to do with that… but I think it's just him. He's tortured by his past and cannot get passed it. As for the other Hero and Heroine, I can't spoil it for you by saying anything about them. But Phoebe Bigelow was an amazing character. She was too tall, too plain and could shoot like a man. Who in their right mind would want to marry her? Phoebe can't think of anyone so she does the unthinkable, and marches off to war. She was a free spirit, no one could bind her to their opinions. (And that's what I loved so much about her, that and her self sacrificing love)PG-13 For the battle descriptions, (not gory I promise) the attempted rape, two murders and nursing. FYI, there were a few preachy spots, I skipped them without losing any of the story.
—Tweety
Book 2 of Refiner’s Fire. The drama of the Civil War unfolds through the eyes of two very different Northern girls. Lovely Julia Hoffman has always enjoyed the carefree life of her well-to-do family, but when she fails to attract the attention of Rev. Nathaniel Greene, a fierce abolitionist, she determines to bring meaning to her empty and shallow existence. When she becomes a Union nurse, her eyes are opened to the realities of war and suffering. She also meets Phoebe, who has entered the army under false pretenses--and whose journey to understanding herself, as well as the tumultuous world about her, is revealed with sensitivity and drama.My Review - This book started out very slowly for me mainly because I thought there would be more linking the first book to this book. But once I got into the book it was really good. I loved the underlying love story and how it worked out with both Julia and Phoebe. I can't wait to get the next book to read it.
—TheReadingKnitter/ Kasey
I liked this book. I liked the history mixed into a story of love and heartache. Julia comes from a well to do family and she set her site on the new Reverand Greene as her husband so didn't give up easily until she overheard him tell someone that he thought she was a "spoiled rich girl who couldn't do anything for herself and wasn't what he was looking for in a wife. When the war broke out she wanted to help. Learning about Dorothy Dixon, she set out to become a nurse. After some finagling she
—Kathryn
