The year is 1861. Civil war is imminent and Tilly Pruitt's brother, Noah, is eager to go and fight on the side of the North. With her father long gone, Tilly, her sister, and their mother struggle to make ends meet and hold the dwindling Pruitt family together. Then one night a mysterious girl arrives on a steamboat bound for St. Louis. Delphine is unlike anyone the small river town has even seen. Mrs. Pruitt agrees to take Delphine and her dark, silent traveling companion in as boarders. No one in town knows what to make of the two strangers, and so the rumors fly. Is Delphine's companion a slave? Could they be spies for the South? Are the Pruitts traitors? A masterful tale of mystery and war, and a breathtaking portrait of the lifelong impact one person can have on another.
"Peck's spare writing has never been more eloquent than in this powerful mystery in which personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history. True to Tilly's first-person narrative, each sentence is a scrappy, melancholy, wry evocation of character, time, and place. . . . It's a riveting story that shows racism everywhere and young people facing war, not sure what side to be on or why." --Booklist
"Without compromising his superb comedic timing and vibrant portrayals of country folk, Peck reaches new depth with this Civil War-era novel. . . . Readers will find themselves turning back to the beginning of the novel to uncover how seamlessly he has laid the foundation for the connections between people and across generations." --Publishers Weekly
"A story of two mysterious women from New Orleans, of ghosts, soldiers, and seers, of quadroons, racism, time, and the river. Peck writes beautifully, bringing history alive through Tilly's marvelous voice and deftly handling themes of family, race, war, and history. A rich tale full of magic, mystery, and surprise." --Kirkus Reviews
"The harsh realities of war are brutally related in a complex, always surprising plot that resonates on multiple levels." --The Horn Book
"This unusual Civil War novel really boosts Peck's credentials as America's best living author for young adults." --The Washington Post
"Unforgettable characters and handsome prose make this book one you won't want to miss." --Children's Literature
