Book review
‘Rifles for Watie’ is a historical fiction novel that takes place during the American Civil War. It tells the story of a young teenage boy who leaves his house in the West to fight for his country. Throughout my reading experience, I found myself amazed with this book’s historical accuracy and attention to detail. Because of its vivid descriptions, it soon surpassed my expectations of what I thought this novel would be. The realistic yet imaginative plot delves into the north/south conflict examining how families from both sides of the war were personally affected. The storyline kept me engaged and made me constantly want to read more. Along with the immense intricacy of the book, strong character development led me to obtain a good understanding of those involved in the story. Because of my affinity for history, I felt the author, Harold Keith, was able to keep me entertained with his articulate and accurate writing style. I have read numerous historical fiction books in the past, but this one, in particular, was the most captivating and interesting.
One unique aspect of “Rifles for Watie” is that there is no clear good versus bad. In the introduction of the book, it is shown that Jeff Bussey, the protagonist, has a strong dislike towards the South and a glorified view of the North. Throughout his travels fighting for the Union, he begins to see moral faults within his own army. There is corruption among high ranking military officials and he is ordered to pillage southern farms for food. By doing this unsavory deed, he is pretty much leaving southern women and children to starve. Jeff then gets the chance to go undercover in the Confederate Army in order to stop the sale of a new, lever action rifle. During his time with the southerners, he gradually realizes they are not the demonic figures he and his comrades once thought them to be. Jeff was shown immense compassion by these newfound friends and he wonders how he could have ever fought against them. While remaining sided with the North, he obtains deep understanding of southern culture and can see why these individuals choose to fight for the Confederate States. It is this view on war that sets aside “Rifles for Watie” from other war stories. Instead of having a favored side, Kieth focuses on the good and bad of individuals — not the armies for which they faught.
I would not recommend this book to those who dislike history. The long descriptions and analysis found throughout the novel would likely bore those who do not have an open mind towards historical fiction. Because the story also delves into the history of the repeating rifle, I also would not recommend it to a person who finds guns and warfare either uninteresting or morally objectionable. However, I would highly recommend it to readers with any historical interest or to those who are willing to examine the American Civil War from a new perspective. With an open mind, the story will quickly become engaging and the reader will learn a lot about the Civil War, the culture of the times, and human morality. It is a great story that is captivating for young adult and adult readers.
- Goodreads rating – 3.92
- REVIEW – Mark