A historical novel with unexpected truths.

I have been putting off my review of Veiled in Smoke for a couple of weeks now. You see I was so surprised to find a historical book with such a depth of knowledge of post-traumatic stress disorder.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, I thought Veiled in Smoke would be a sad book, but I didn’t expect it to be so, so hard. Stephen was a character who suffered horribly at Andersonville during the Civil War as a prisoner of war.

Meg and Sylvie’s relationship wasn’t the closest or the sweetest in the history of sister relationships, but I liked seeing how they changed and grew as the story progressed.

I know this is a shorter review but I don’t want to spoil anything and I surely would if I said much more. ( )

I was swept Away by the beautiful story that surrounded the Chicago Fire's. I connected with many of the characters and was pleased to see how the story ended. Another great book by Jocelyn Green! ( )

Veiled in Smoke is set in the days leading up to the infamous Chicago Fire and in the months after during that city’s rebuilding. It is a great backdrop for the story of two sisters caught up in the wreckage of not only the flames but a war over a decade before. Meg and Sylvie are the grown daughters of Steven Townsend, Civil War veteran and bookseller. Their days are filled with keeping the business alive and their father calm and sane. The war may be over, but Steven relives it with every nightfall and loud sound. A POW in Andersonville, Steven has been wounded by the horrific treatment and the hard decisions he made there. I really enjoyed the history explored within the novel. The griefs of the past are all too real and the future of Chicago looked bleak, but Green infuses the story with hope. The story of the Townsend family could have been set anywhere — their struggles are common to all generations. There’s also romance and mystery and a very suspenseful ending — all of which kept me turning the pages.

If you are a historical fiction fan, then Veiled in Smoke is for you. I learned so much from this book. The novel is both fascinating historical fiction and a touching family drama.

Highly Recommended.

Audience: Adults and Older Teenagers.

(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )

This book was totally captivating. It held my interest from the first page to the last page and I’m so happy there’s a sequel. I love reading historical novels and if you read the Author’s Notes at the end you’ll see there’s some actual truth mixed in with the story.

I loved the characters and watching them develop throughout the storyline. The great Chicago fire was written so well, I do believe I smelled smoke while reading it. I know every muscle in my body was tense from the whole ordeal. There’s a great mystery and some sweet romance.

This novel covers so many topics like fire, PTSD, soldier’s heart, Andersonville prison during the Civil War, burns, mental asylum, dyslexia. It’s eye opening on so many levels. The authors writes with compassion on all these subjects.

There is no bad language, no sex, there are tense moments during the fire and the asylum is not a pretty place, but the author handles everything with care. This is a Christian fiction but it’s not preachy, it’s just people living out their faith in God and watching their struggles through trials.

A favorite quote:
“What a mercy that God was not limited by that which limited her. What grace that His power and presence remained, regardless of whether she felt close to them. She must trust Him for what she could not see. Wasn’t that the essence of faith? Her hands were bound. His were not.”

I also loved that her mother wrote in the margins of books, even talking back to the characters. In her copy of Little Women her mom wrote a quote from the character Amy March: “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.” And her mom wrote by it: “Yes, dear Amy, but I’m not afraid of storms, for the One who made the sea is in my boat with me.”

I highly recommend this novel and I’m sure the next two book in this series will be just as good. ( )

Why did I wait so long to read "Veiled in Smoke" by Jocelyn Green? She is on my list of top five writers. This book is just what one expects from this outstanding author. Her characters have a depth of brokenness while still carrying future hope in their hearts. The prose is simply amazing. (She describes light through a prism as being "shattered", not "refracted".) Her research is impeccable. Her ability to seamlessly weave fact and fiction together makes for a great storyline. Her references to authors and their works at the time help create an atmosphere of "being there". I can't wait to read the next two novels in the series! ( )