The Spy Lover: A Novel

by Kiana Davenport

Thrust into the savagery of the Civil War, a Chinese immigrant serving in the Union Army, a nurse doubling as a spy for the North, and a one-armed Confederate cavalryman find their lives inextricably entwined.

Fleeing drought and famine in China, Johnny Tom arrives in America with dreams of becoming a citizen. Having survived vigilantes hunting “yellow dogs” and slave auction-blocks, Johnny is kidnapped from his Mississippi village by Confederate soldiers, taken from his wife and daughter, and forced to fight for the South. Eventually defecting to the Union side, he is promised American citizenship in exchange for his loyal services. But first Johnny must survive the butchery of battles and the cruelties inflicted on non-white soldiers.

Desperate to find Johnny, his daughter, Era, is enlisted as a spy. She agrees to work as a nurse at Confederate camps while scouting for the North. Amidst the unspeakable carnage of wounded soldiers, she finds solace in Warren Petticomb, a cavalryman who lost an arm at Shiloh. As devastation mounts in both armies, Era must choose where her loyalties lie—with her beloved father in the North, or with the man who passionately sustains her in the South.

A novel of extraordinary scope that will stand as a defining work on the Chinese immigrant experience, The Spy Lover is a paean to the transcendence of love and the resilience of the human spirit.

• ISBN10: 1612183417
• ISBN13: 9781612183411
• Publish Date: 28 August 2012
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Thomas & Mercer
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 303
• Language: English

Reviews

[stressedrach]

First I want to say what a amazing book this was. There was so much research put into this book and with it based from Kiana Davenport’s ancestor Warren Davenport, named Warren Petticomb in the book I have no doubt that it will be a best seller.

This is not a book I would have chosen to read as I am not really into war and historical books but I am glad I did read it. It was very interesting, I learnt a few things I did not know about. So it was educational for me too.

There are three main characters in the book, Johnny who is a Chinese immigrant, he was forced to fight the south in the U.S Civil War, but changing to the Union because he hates slavery. He is driven to fight for freedom and seeing his wife and daughter once more.

Era is Johnny’s daughter, she had agreed to spy in the North in exchange for information regarding the whereabouts of her father. She works as a nurse in a confederate hospital where she meets Warren Petticomb a Confederate cavelryman who loses an arm fighting in Shiloh. She tends him well and Era falls in love with Warren as does Warren with Era but will he still love her when he finds out the truth about her being a spy?

I really liked this and knowing that it was based on family history gave it that extra believability!