Rachel is a writer from Arkansas, most at home surrounded by forests and animals much like a Disney Princess. She spends most of her time writing stories and playing around in imaginary worlds. You can follow her writing at rachelbrittain.com. Twitter and Instagram: @rachelsbrittain
I’ve been thinking a lot about how people choose to fight on the right or wrong side of history. You can probably fill in the blanks as to why. Here in the U.S.—and many other places around the world—it’s not the first time the morality of how we treat others has come into question. In fact, it’s a pretty universal problem throughout history. Some subset of people are dehumanized, and others go along with it. But why? What misguided beliefs or doctrines make them choose to do so? These Civil War historical fiction books may or may not help me find the answer, but reading about another time in which people fought over what was right seems like a good place to start.
From defecting soldiers to spies fighting for the wrong side, these Civil War historical fiction books provide some insight into what it was like for people at the time—to choose sides, to unlearn their own prejudices and misconceptions, and to question everything about what it means to be an American.
The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris
When two brothers seek refuge on a farm in the wake of the Emancipation Proclamation, they kindle an unexpected friendship with the couple who take them in. The brothers save up money in the hopes of going North to reunite with their mother, even as they bring comfort to the grieving couple who lost their only son in the war. A pair of Confederate soldiers, meanwhile, take their tryst to the local woods. When their forbidden romance is discovered, the chaos and repercussions unleashed rock the entire community to its core.
The Thread Collectors by Shaunna J. Edwards and Alyson Richman
A Jewish abolitionist in New York and a Black woman in New Orleans each use their skills with needle and thread to help the men they love and the cause they care about. For Lily, that means rolling bandages and sewing quilts for Union soldiers. For Stella, it’s embroidering intricate maps to help enslaved men flee north to join the Union Army. When their paths unexpectedly cross during the course of the war, they realize the threads tying them together could help them save even more lives if they keep fighting for what’s right against all odds and obstacles.
An Unconditional Freedom by Alyssa Cole
The third book in Alyssa Cole’s Civil War espionage romance series, The Loyal League, is a particularly good fit for this list because it features a heroine who is fighting in a war for all the wrong reasons. Janeta Sanchez, the Cuban American daughter of a plantation owner and a formerly enslaved woman, meets her match when she’s paired up with the surly Daniel Cumberland for her mission with the Loyal League. But Janeta isn’t actually spying for the North; she’s a double agent secretly infiltrating the League for the Confederacy. The farther into her mission she gets, however, the more she begins to question the people she’s fighting for—especially when the man she’s teamed up with seems willing to do more for her than anyone ever has before.
I recommend reading all the books in this incredible series about Civil War spies. They’re interconnected, but I don’t think it’s strictly necessary to read them in order.
Past Tense
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How to Dodge a Cannonball by Dennard Dayle
This new, satirical novel tells the story of Anders, a white teenager who joins up with a Black regiment of the Union Army after defecting from the Confederates. He claims to be mixed race and the incredulous regiment agrees to go along with that, whatever else they may believe. As he makes some unlikely friends and begins to see the world from the perspective of his fellow soldiers, all the ridiculous intricacies of war and humanity are laid hilariously and horrifyingly bare.
The Tubman Command by Elizabeth Cobbs
The author of The Hamilton Affair sets her sights on American icon Harriet Tubman, whose exploits as part of the Underground Railroad and a Civil War spy left an enduring legacy on this country. In May of 1863, with the Union Army facing heavy losses, Tubman, codename Moses, plots a daring expedition behind enemy lines to enact the largest plantation raid of the Civil War. Her plan: to recruit the freed men and women to her cause. Facing racism and sexism at every turn, Tubman takes command of a small team of Black scouts to pull off one of the greatest feats of the Civil War.
Find more Civil War books in these other great Book Riot lists:
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