Enemy Women, the outstanding first novel by poet Paulette Jiles,
leads us into new terrain, both geographic and historical, in the war
between the states. Set in the Missouri Ozarks during the Civil War,
Jiles's story focuses on the trying times of 18-year-old heroine
Adair Colley. When a group of renegade Union militiamen attacks the
Colley home, stealing family possessions, burning everything down,
and taking away her father--an apolitical judge--Adair gathers the
remnants of her clothes and mounts a rescue effort. Unfortunately,
she is falsely accused of being a Confederate spy, a charge that
lands her in a squalid women's prison run by a decent commandant
embarrassed by his post. After he helps her escape, the two agree to
seek out one another after the war; their separate, harrowing
journeys and the evolution of each character throughout make for
breathtaking action and powerful writing. Each chapter of Enemy Women
begins with excerpts from historical testimony about this terrible
period in the Civil War, when marauding soldiers pillaged and
murdered whole families and communities at will. These documents add
depth and resonance to Jiles's remarkable narrative. --Tom Keogh
We query many merchants so that you can instantly
compare prices and
availability. You can even check historic prices and subscribe
for notifications. For a manual check, clicking on a link will open a
new window with a search for this book on the merchant's site of your
choice.
