Enemy Women

Two Thumbs Up!

Enemy Women was written by Paulette Jiles in 2002. This book takes place in Missouri during the time of the Civil War. This book is a story of freedom, love, and duty. Jiles shows that women are not weak and small minded, but rather they can accomplish and overcome many things.
During the Civil War, the men that made up the Missouri Sate Guard were sent to the Virginia, Tennessee, and the Southern part of the country, leaving only women and children at home. Meanwhile the other state militias soon began to invade Missouri, and with no men there to protect the women, these militias began to take and use whatever they wanted from these women. During the Civil War many women were arrested and convicted of being spies for the Confederate Army, these women were placed in special camps until the end of the war. These camps were harsh, cold, and a very poor environment for anyone to live in.
In the beginning we meet the Colleys, the father Squire, Adair, Little Mary, John Lee, and Savannah. The Colleys live on a farm in Missouri and their father is a Justice of the Peace. Their family has chosen to remain neutral in the war against the states and the men do not go to war, voluntarily anyway. Eventually Adair¿s father and brother are pulled into the war leaving Adair to care for her younger sister¿s. When the Union soldiers start taking over their land Adair and her sister¿s must leave.
Along the way, the girls meet up with some other migrants and travel with them. When Adair is betrayed by a member of the party she is arrested for giving information to the Confederate Army and placed in a camp. This novel tells of Adair¿s trying time in the camp, how she survived the interrogations and fell in love with one of the interrogators, and her journey as an escaped ¿enemy woman¿ to find her family. This plot appealed to me because it was very lively and was realistic. The plot was just complicated enough to keep me interested, but not so that I was confused.
This story is amazing and I recommend it to all who are interested in suspense, romance, or adventures. The Denver Post called it, ¿A remarkably engaging story¿.¿ I give this book two thumbs up. This book is full of suspense and adventure and left me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire time I was reading it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great Book(:

Paulette Jiles captures the essence of the Civil War with her novel Enemy Women. Jiles takes us back to the 1860s, when the Civil War is in full effect and taking thousands of lives. Adair Colley, the main character, lives in Missouri and is a victim of total warfare. Accused of being a spy shortly after her father is taken away from her by Union soldiers; Adair is imprisoned in St. Louis and is forced to live in harsh conditions and catches consumption. Even in the harsh conditions shes faced to live with, she finds love. William Neumann, the major assigned to her case, fancies her and they soon become close and even engaged. They are faced to split apart when he is transported to Alabama, but he makes a plan for her to escape and it is successful. She sets out on foot to return home and try and conjure up her old life. The audience experiences the struggles Adair faces when she tries to find all the missing pieces to her life, such as finding her father and her horses. This book is great for historians, in that, each and every chapter starts with Civil War entries making the novel even more realistic. This historical fiction is intended for just about everyone because it is very relatable and understandable. Though there is a variety of words that are uncommon and youll probably have to pull out a dictionary. This novel, for me, was a very entertaining book but it could use a tweak or two to enhance the overall effect. Jiles does not use quotation marks making it a hard time to read and will probably have you re-reading sections. Thats probably the only improvement I would do to this novel. Readers will instantly feel the inspiring, passionate tone Jiles gives to this book. Courage and Bravery plays an important role in this book.

Great read for American Civil War fans *******SPOILER ALET*********

Enemy Women is a wonderful read for fans of the American Civil War. It shows the civil war in a light not often seen by examining the wars effect of civilians in addition to soldiers.

Enemy Women is a historical fiction novel set in the American Civil War and early post American Civil War time period. The author, Paulette Jiles, writes with a kind of seriousness and urgency that makes the reader keep turning the pages for more. Jiles builds suspense with her writing and dark mood. Jiles writes in a third person limited point of view which allows her to give objective descriptions of situations while still reaching into the main character's feelings for added effect.

The novel follows Adair Colley, a Confederate citizen of Missouri, in her quest to find her father. She is arrested as a Confederate spy/consperiter and is sent to a women's prison in St. Lewis. While in prison Adair meets the second main charater, Major William Neumann. Major Neumann and Adair develop a romance and this is used to further the plot after Adair escapes the prison and Neumann is transfered to a fighting unit.

The intended audience of this book is of course American Civil War fans; however this book also appeals to romance readers and people interested in the change of women's roles over time. The book appeals to Civil War fans and historians by taking the civil war in a new light. All civil war book cover what life was like as a soldier, however this is the first book I have come accross that shows what it was like to be a civilian during the civil war. This book is 90% civilian and 10% soldier.

I did enjoy this book in general becuase I am a civil war fan. It gives accouts of major battles in my home town area and it is not the typical war novel.

I feel the purpose of this book was to show that the civil war was a total war or where a peoples lifestyle and cultural existance weigh in the balence. It did this great by showing the cruelty that civilians but mostly women suffered during the war. It gives an accurate view of a civil war prison and every aspect is supported by historical evidence.

As I have said I specifically like the fact that this is not a typical war book. I like that it places the reader in the action as if I were watching the battle unfold before my eyes. However, I makes me thing about how civilians were powerless to defend themselves against the opposing side. I like the part where Adair's house is attacked and I like how it makes me think what I would do given that situation.

I feel that the author did a wonderful job writing this book. At the beginning of every chapter cited historical evidence is given to support what ever is said in the chapter. Jiles did a great job researching for the book and writing it historically accurate. It feels that I am reading a text book that I actually enjoy.

The only two problems with this book are the fact the author leaves a huge cliff hanger and the author uses no quotation marks. The book needs a follow up for the fact that Adair and Neumann talk of moving west and at the end of the book it seems to just end. Also the author uses no quotes to distingush what is being said and what the author is observing. This would simply make the piece easier to follow.

Recommended - Good read

"Enemy Women" by Paulette Jiles is a historical fiction book that takes place during the civil war. The tonality of this book is quite depressing which is fit for this time period but it runs into a few lighter spots in the story. The point of view of this book is third person omniscient and is told by the protagonist, a teenage girl by the name Adair Colley. The main characters are the Colley family, Lt. William Neumman and Adair Colley. I believe that this book is intended for younger adults who appreciate a love story that is tied in with American history. I myself did not like the book. I thought it did not focus enough or describe the true feelings and situations that would truly convey the time and problems of the Civil War, but instead more along the lines of a love story with a somewhat unrealistic plot. I do think that with the purpose of showing how people at the time were suffering and were depressed. I specifically liked how she described the very detailed scenes with the characters moving from place to place giving the book a feeling of depth to it. I also detest the plot. I think that how under such circumstance the character should have had a much more difficulty than what they had and that some event should have never happened. The author did do a good job with this book. It would be a very good read for someone who enjoys history and romance. It could have been improved by giving a much more realistic plot, toning down the romance and focus on the war and suffering to give the reader an accurate feeling of the time, and to rewrite the ending to be much more clearer. These changes would give the book more of a realistic feel and closer to the actual war.

Highly Recommend

Enemy Women is an engaging and exciting historical fiction novel. Jiles leaves the reader on the edge of their seat with a heart wrenching tale of a young girl's quest to find her family and return to her true love. The tone of the novel is one of great suspense that leaves the reader clinging to the pages wondering what the characters may encounter next. In reading this novel, you can expect to encounter emotions that range from heart clinching terror to unconditional love. Enemy women is written from a standpoint that allows the reader to gain insight into the emotions and insight of two of the main characters as they embark along their separate, yet intertwined journey. Enemy Women is written in a third person point of view, which allows the readers to see into the minds of the characters and sympathize with the emotions that they feel. The novel is intended for both adults and young adults, as the characters in the book are in this age group and are more relatable to that intended audience. In the novel, Jiles tells the story of a young woman named Adair Colley, who lived in Missouri during the period of the Civil War. Her home is invaded by Union militia men, her father is beaten and taken away, and her home is set on fire after it has been ransacked of all of the items that had been deemed valuable. After setting out on her journey to save her father, Adair is accused of cutting telegraph lines, aiding rebel troops, and spying for the confederacy. She is then put on a train that takes her to a women's prison in St. Louis, where she meets a diverse assortment of characters, and even falls in love with the man in charge of defending her case, Major William Neumann. After they are separated, Jiles tells the story of these two young lovers trying to survive this trying time in American History and make their way into each other's arms once again. Throughout the novel, Jiles continues to implement the theme that women had immense courage during this time, and a fervent desire to help in the war efforts and try to make things right. I enjoyed this novel because it gave reader's two very different perspectives into life during the Civil War; One of a young woman trying to survive and reunite with her family, and one of a young soldier fighting for what he believed in and surviving to make it home to his true love. I also enjoyed that Jiles included historical documents at the beginning of each chapter, as it allows readers to see that the novel is historically accurate, and gives factual stories that readers can compare Adair and Neumann's lives to. Jiles did an excellent job in writing her book, keeping it historically accurate and adding diversity between the male and female perspectives. My only critique for this novel would have been a more elaborate ending. The last scene from the book is somewhat unclear, and it leaves the reader wondering whether or not Adair and Neumann did come together in the end. Though it addresses that Marquis Colley is in fact dead, it also does not address whether Adair is ever reunited with her brother or sisters in the end. Other than that, the novel was fantastic, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a historical and thrilling read.

An Interesting View of the Civil War

Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles is a fantastic book of historical fiction. Jiles masterfully crafts a tale of adventure, suspense, and even romance in this unique Civil War novel. In essence, Jiles's suspenseful tone creates an atmosphere of intense emotion: a journey with unexpected twists and turns, leaving the reader with an ever-present feeling of uncertainty at the next page's events. One can expect to be thrust into a chaotic mood changing from mystery, to fear, and to love throughout this book of a struggling young woman attempting to reunite her family after being torn apart by the violence of war.
Enemy Women is written from a unique standpoint. Jile's combines the stories of her two main characters, Adiar Colley and Major William Neumann, into one. Jiles writes from the third person point of view, giving readers crucial insight into the minds and hearts of each character.
Jiles tells the story of Adair Colley, a Missouri girl in a family of five, as she tries to survive throughout the Civil War. After setting out to rescue her father from a crucial beating and arrest by Union soldiers, Adair is falsely turned into authorities for being a "spy", aiding guerilla soldiers, and cutting telegraph lines. She is shipped to a prison in St. Louis where she meets and falls in love with Major Neumann, the man in charge of her case. From this point forward, Jiles tells the tale of these two individuals seeking to find each other and Adair's family again after being split apart by the Civil War.
This novel is intended for young adults and adults alike; Jiles combines conflicts of teens' and adults' lives alike. In general, I enjoyed this novel for its different viewpoints of the war. Jiles told two stories in one, leaving no room for boredom and giving knowledge of how the Civil War impacted the lives of different people. Specifically, I enjoyed how she included historical documents to mirror events taking place in the book. Jiles added historical validity to her novel by including factual events for the reader to compare to the fictional story. Jiles did a great job of getting her theme across; women were forced to adapt to a new lifestyle during the Civil War, elevating their status in society forever. I agree that women possessed remarkable strength and courage to care for their families in this war; the story of Adair backed with primary sources proves this. The only negative thing about this novel was Jiles's unique grammatical style. She refused to use quotation marks to indicate characters speaking. Without this flaw, the book would have been much more comprehensible. That is all that should be changed about this great book!

Review

This historical fiction novel is a great story. Although the majority of the novel is rather solemn and dreary the omniscient, omnipresent point of view always allowed for the reader to understand the plot and what Adair and Major Neumann, the main characters, were going through at almost all times. I feel that the intended audience for this novel would be at least high school and above due to some of the complexity of the details that anyone younger would simple read over, let alone the immense vocabulary strewn throughout the book. In general I liked this book due to the subject of the Civil War being a subject of interest of mine. Also the facts that it is very well written and made me forget, at moments, that it was only a story, like all good novels should. The main theme of the story, being that the inner fortitude of a woman is much stronger than society portrays, has a great amount of validity to it. I agree with that premise because society still tends to lean toward the helpless, dependant women that are often true, but when it is necessary to get down to it women can usually get the job done one way or another.
I specifically disliked the real historical clips at the beginning of the chapters because it disrupted the flow of the reading. To be honest I pretty much skimmed through those so I could get back to the main story. Paulette Giles did a great job of actually writing this novel. As I said before the writing flows great and make the reader forget that it is a mainly fictional piece and not actually a war story. Clarifying the ending more would have given readers much more closure to the end of a great story. Although she clarified that she actually ended up with the Major clearing that dilemma up in the book would have been the perfect climax for a great story.

An Impelling book that shows the Civil War in a new light

Enemy women is a historical novel that offers a new twist to a story about the Civil War. It has a hopeful yet depressing tone to it as you come to find all of the problems that Adair runs into. The book is written so that you are seeing things through Adair's eyes, which allows the reader to be fully immersed in the book.
The main characters in the book are Adair Colley and Major William Neumann, who fall in love but are forced to be separated because of Major Neumann's duty to the war. In my opinion, the intended audience is late teen and older because it has sexual references intended only for a mature audience. I enjoyed the book, mainly because it is told from a woman's perspective and shows how the war broke up families and reviled a more dark side of the Civil War. I also agree with the main theme of what the author was trying to get across, and that is that women went through just as much as men did during the Civil War. They not only were threatened by people trying to kill them, they also had to take care of their children and siblings.
The author did a fantastic job when writing the book. I loved how she put real documents and quotes in each chapter. By adding these documents and quotes she allowed the reader to understand the common day life of a person living during the Civil War. My only problem with this book was that the author did not use quotations when writing. Without the quotations, it was difficult to understand who was talking. Other than that I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who would like to see a different side to one of the most famous wars in American history.

A entertaning War Novel

Enemy Women is an insightful novel that explains historical references while also giving an interesting story. This is a historical-fiction book due to the accurate historic events with the fictional story. The book is set in Missouri during the period of the civil war, and the book is about Adair Colley's experience through it. The other main character that is introduced later in the book is William Neumann. Neumann is introduced after Adair is convicted of three crimes and Nueman is in charge of her case. Then as they see each other more they begin to like each other. This book is more intended for people that enjoy the civil war and how the people lived through it. There is also a love story tied in with this novel between Nueman and Adair. So this book would be perfect for someone that enjoys the civil war and a little story of romance.
After finishing the book I had a mutual feeling as to if I liked or disliked the book. I generally did not like the book because at points in the book it was hard to understand and hard to get really into it. I say this because I am not a big fan of love stories, but it did have some interesting events that took place. For example, it explained a few battles that occurred that were fairly bloody, and it also has some incidents of violence. I do agree with the main theme of the story though. It showed plenty of real life incidents that would have occurred at this time period. One thing that I completely disliked about the book was that in some parts, I could not tell if Adair was talking or thinking to herself. A thing that I enjoyed was the primary sources at the beginning of each chapter. They gave great insight and historic facts. The author did do a very great job with the writing of this novel other than the problem I had with determining if Adair was thinking to herself or actually speaking. That is one thing that she could improve on so at points it would not be confusing or hard to understand. She did do a very well job on giving historic facts and she did a great job at describing certain events. Out of five stars I would rate this book a three, but other than the little things I mentioned I would recommend this book to some of my friends that enjoy historic events.

Check it out

Enemy Women, by Paulette Jiles, would be classified as a historical fiction which was set in Missouri during the Civil War. The book is written with a passionate and realistic tone shown through the everyday struggles of the main characters. The book told through the narrator is told through third person point of view, but the characters all spoke in first person. Being a historical fiction it has many moods, but openness, love, and hatred which all play a key role on how one see's the book through one's eyes. These moods are truly shown through the two main characters in the novel, Adair Colley and Major William Neumann. Adair is a young seventeen year old girl, who is separated from her family and ends up getting arrested and sent to St. Louis, Missouri. The book shows the agonizing journey she had to take to get back home to her loved ones. Along this journey she meets General William Newman in St. Louis as she is in prison. He gives her, her own cell and many presents, around now the book turns a different direction and the spotlight is shared with Newman. Both of their stories are told through alternating chapters. The intended audiences of Enemy Women are people who love historical events and people who are interested in the stories of someone else's life through history. The thing that was most interesting to me was that Jiles was able make this novel feel as if it was a biography of someone who really experienced the hardships through the Civil War. I also, liked the thrill feel of the story shown through the journeys of Adair and Newman. The main purpose that Jiles wrote Enemy Women was to entertain the reader with the stories of civilians and soldiers during the American Civil War. Overall this novel was very well written and I enjoyed picking this book up and reading it, which is something I usually would never say or do. The ending though really made me want to throw it against the wall. After reading it the first time I thought it was all a memory Adair was having. After rereading it though I saw that it was really true and it was inevitable that Adair and Newman be together. The way this book could be improved is to use quotes so the reader can more easily see what and who is talking. Overall I would recommend this book to anyone and let them pick the ending.

Enemy Women- A Must Read

The book "Enemy Women" by Paulette Jiles is a great historical fiction book. The book is set during the Civil War. The protagonist is 18 year old Adair Colley, a refugee during the Civil War. Her father was arrested by the union militia. Soon, she ends up in a women's prison because she is accused of being a spy. In the prison she meets an officer, Will Neumann who is in charge of her case and they find themselves falling for each other despite the difficult situation. Later, Adair escapes the prison and sets off to find her father. The book features two points of view, Adair's and Will Neumann's.
This is a good book for those who love history, students, or anyone who just wants a good read. The author Paulette Jiles does a great job of expressing the emotion of Adair Colley and the longing of Will Neumann to see her again. The author added actual historical documents and real quotes from the people who actually experienced the war. This is another creative twist that really helps you get a sense of how people felt during the rough times of the war. Some, at first, might night be interested in the book because of the history aspect of it, but the author did such a good job of adding the love story twist to the story that it makes it more interesting and without thinking about it, you'll have a new insight on the civil war. The only thing I did not like about the book was that there were no quotation marks. In my opinion, the theme of this book is not love or war but it is about how Adair broke the traditional role of women in that era. Her judgments and actions were unique and I think maybe that is the main reason I enjoyed reading this book.

Recommended - Great Book

Enemy Women is a profound novel that provides accurate historical references along with an entertaining story. This tale would fall in the historical fiction category because of its historical facts but fictional story. The novel is a young woman named Adair Colley's account of the Civil War. It is set in the state of Missouri during the time of the war which was a pretty violent place to be. The serious tone of this book puts emphasis on what Adair is feeling throughout her experiences in the book. In one of her experiences she is charged with cutting telegraph lines. Major William Neumann, another main character in this story, is put in charge of Adair's case and Neumann starts to like her.
I would say this book is appropriate for teens to young adults. It explains a few bloody battles and has some mild violence in it. I think this was an interesting book to read but it was a little tough to get into at times. Mainly because of the style of writing was at some points tough to read and comprehend. The book did have a great story and was very historically accurate and even included battles that are well known like the battle of Mobile. I agree with the purpose for writing this story and admire the way that it was told. The book provided a good story along with teaching you a few things along the way. Paulette Jiles did a splendid job with this book and on a scale from one to ten, I would rate it at a seven. The only thing that I would suggest be different would be that she describe events and encounters a little more clearly than they were, but otherwise, I would suggest this book to anyone who is seeking a story full of adventure along with a great historical references.

A Brilliant War Novel!

Enemy Women, by Paulette Jiles, is a suspenseful, entertaining and romance filled historical fiction novel. This book was set during the Civil War; mainly focused in Missouri. Throughout the story, Jiles portrayed a passionate, courageous, and suspenseful tone. The story was told in third person; however, the characters spoke in first person. Due to the fact that this novel can fit so many genres, there are numerous tones. The novel reveals love, hate, and anxiety throughout it. The main characters are Adair Colley and Major William Neumann. Adair is a seventeen year old girl, living with her family in Missouri during the Civil War. The Colley Farm was set ablaze by Union Militia and the family was torn apart. Adair is captured and arrested and sent to a women's prison in St. Louis. There, she meets a Union Major, William Neumann. Major Neumann is to be her interrogator; however the two fall in love and he helps Adair escape. The book is primarily based on Adair's struggles and travels throughout the dangerous territory of the war; weakened and alone. Paulette Jiles's intended audiences are those who enjoy history, romance novels and are interested about civilian life during a war. The thing I enjoyed most about this novel, was the fact that Jile's made me believe I was reading a non-fiction book, even though the story was fiction. I loved all of the emotion Jiles manipulated into the novel. The main purpose of this novel is to entertain and inform readers about civilian life during the Civil War. Paulette Jiles clearly did a marvelous job enlightening her readers and successfully conveying the purpose of her novel. I enjoyed everything about this novel, except for Paulette Jile's style of writing. I absolutely despised the fact that she never used quotation marks. The lack of grammatically correct punctuation had me lost in her writing from time to time. I would forget who was speaking and everything seemed to run together. Despite her lack of quotation marks, Paulette Jiles produced a well written novel. She truly conveyed what a life during the Civil War was like; both civilian and solider point of views. I loved how she portrayed Adair to be a little girl at the beginning, but as the story went on, Adair came to be a brave, courageous and mature woman. I also enjoyed the romance aspect of the novel, between Major Neumann and Adair. However, the only thing I did not enjoy about this book, was the ending. The ending needs to be improved, because it left the reader with too much information left unsaid. At the end of the book, I wanted to know if she found her sisters and lived happily ever after with William Neumann; however, I was left with all of those questions unanswered. All in all, I would recommend this book. Read it!

Highly Recommended. Amazing book.

Enemy Women was written by Paulette Jiles in 2002. If you are into romance, adventure, and quite possibly suspenseful books, then this is the book for you. This book shows that women are not weak and they can accomplish anything they put their minds to. This book is written in third-person point of view, which intensifies the message because the narrator can get into the minds of all of the characters and show what they are thinking. Adair Colley was a young woman during the years of the Civil War. She lived in Missouri, and was arrested for being a rebel spy. In the St. Louis prison she was sent to, she met a man named Major William Neumann. Over the weeks they start to fall in love. When Will is transferred to Mobile to fight, he helps Adair escape so she can find her family. While in the Battle of Mobile, Will suffers major injuries, and is worried that Adair will not want him anymore. I recommend this book for teens and adults of all ages. This book has a powerful message about love and strength. When I first started reading this book, I was not sure that I was going to enjoy it, but then I started getting into it. This book was intriguing in the way that it tells of the story of Adair Colley and William Neumann. It gets in depth of the way that their relationship blossoms and grows while she is in prison. I really enjoyed the excerpts of real documents from the Civil War. It was interesting to read what was going on during that time. My favorite part was when Adair is in prison and Will is starting to show his feelings. I love that I could see the relationship starting. The thing I did not like was that Adair's family was torn apart. I believe that Jiles did an amazing job writing this book. It kept me interested the whole time, and she used historic facts in her writing. Jiles is an amazing author who knows how to keep her audience at the right ratio, between thoroughly enjoying the book and waiting in suspense for what happens next. The only thing I wished would have been changed was that she used quotations around the dialogue of her speakers. I believe this would have been easier to understand it is now.

A Smooth Read!

Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles is, essentially, the epitome of historical, romantic fiction. Although, there is certainly plenty of action and drama to please just about anyone. The book itself is written in a light-hearted way for the Civil War genre as Jiles does not spend most of her time describing the gore she places around her main characters. Also, the entire book is written in third-person and it shifts between the two main characters, Adair Colley and Major Neumann. There are multiple moods one experiences throughout the story because it basically takes the reader on an erratic, emotional roller coaster from blossoming love to fiery fury. The main character from the start is a young women living in a border state named Adair Colley who becomes totally separated from her family. The remainder of the novel follows her as she faces countless hardships in order to return home and reunite with her loved ones. However, some time into the book, a dual point-of-view emerges and another character, Major William Neumann, a Union solider, also shares the spotlight with Adair. Their different stories are told simultaneously through alternating chapters. Enemy Woman is intended for those who enjoy historical events and a thrilling story. There are references within the book that one, not necessarily inclined to history, would have to look up in order to fully understand. So, the reader will learn quite a bit! Personally, I'm not one to read any kind of fictional book. However, the story itself is compelling enough to reel people in and keep them dedicated to reading until the very end. I was truly intrigued by the unique obstacles faced by both Adair and Neumann and liked the book as a whole since it rarely felt like work to read. Jiles' purpose for writing was to entertain the reader, but to also inform along the way, with a story set during the horrific American Civil War. Through Enemy Women, the reader can get a grasp on what life may have been like for not only a woman on her own but also a soldier set into battle, and I really appreciated that opportunity. Alas, the one thing that really drove me to the point of tearing out hair was the utter lack of quotations within this book. For the first several chapters, it felt like I was playing "Where's Waldo?" in order to pick out the dialogue. It took some getting used to. Overall, Jiles succeeded in creating a piece that was not only historically accurate but incredibly entertaining to read. It was a delight to watch the characters grow and develop as time went on. Plus, the bits of primary sources placed at the beginning of each chapter were really informative. Now, if only there were a version with quotations to help clear up any confusion the reader may run into. Then, this book would be near perfect.

One of the best historical fiction books ever written.

Enemy Women, by Paulette Jiles, is a historical fiction novel set during the Civil War era. The book is written with romantic and humanistic tones that reflect on the main characters' struggles. The narrator writes in third person omnipresent point of view, and the characters are in first person point of view. Throughout the novel moods such as apathy, sincerity, hate, and more jump into the eyes and souls of the reader creating emotional appeal which, if I may say, is a fantastic form of writing.
As for characters, Jiles gives a wide variety of them. However, the main characters are Adair Colley and Major William Neumann. Adair, a local seventeen year old of Iron Mountain Missouri, has her house ransacked and her father kidnapped by Union militia during the start of the book. Throughout the following first few scenes she is pursuing her father and is then imprisoned where she falls in love with Major Neumann. Following their first encounter the book continues on to tell their two separate stories of love, war, and reunion. Jiles' intended audience is primarily people who enjoy love stories, historians, and teachers who wish for students to see the civilian perspective of the Civil War.
I will admit I absolutely despised the first few chapters of this book because Adair was behaving like a newborn baby; crying and wining over every little thing. Then there was the whole fact that the reader must try to figure out who is saying what because Jiles writes without using quotation marks. However, I did like the book starting from the imprisonment of Adair and onwards. Overall I loved the book. It was well written, there was surprising character development that left me speechless, and the constant problems the two main characters encounters kept me on the edge of my seat. This is an amazingly well written book. Jiles was illustrating was to entertain readers and educate them on the possible accounts of civilians during the Civil War, and I would have done the same thing. Yes, books about war make men tremble with excitement, weep with joy, and shout with pride, but it is important to remember the ones who supported soldiers during war and what they suffered. Had Jiles written this book as a war story it would have been just another war book, but I agree with her writing style and purpose.
Paulette Jiles wrote this novel no differently than Leonardo Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa; it is beautiful in every possible way. She used more descriptions than I can name, wrote with more passion than the deepest love story, and brought true historical data and emotion into this book. If this book could be improved in any way I think it could only be turned into a trilogy or series.

A Book Worth Reading

Enemy Women by Paulette Giles could be classified as an action, romance, and history book. There is action between Adair's journey and Major Neumann's battle experiences; romance between Adair and Neumann; and the basis of it being around Missouri during the American Civil War. The point of view is third-person from beginning to end. Also, since there are different genres in the book, there are also different moods. However, the general mood of the whole book is quite eerie. The American Civil War was not something one would be jolly about. Although, the little spark between Adair and Major Neumann did give off a more positive mood to the story. The main characters, that have been previously mentioned, are Adair Colley and Major William Neumann. The majority of the book is about Adair Colley, a young girl who has been separated from her family, and her experiences during the American Civil war, but after a while, sections start becoming focused around Major William Neumann, a Union soldier. The intended audience of Enemy Women is those who are interested in history. Even though this book was an easy read and easy to understand, there were quite a few parts that was necessary for the reader to have a background on the American Civil War. In general, yes, I did enjoy the book. The main reason I enjoyed this book was because it was not a drag. Enemy Women was an easy read and there were very few boring parts of the story. The main purpose of Enemy Women was to entertain readers with a story based around the American Civil War. I do agree with this purpose because not only does it tell of an interesting story, people actually get another view of the Civil War from a civilian and a soldier's point of view. Even though I enjoyed the plot and characters, I did not like the way Paulette Giles wrote her dialog. The fact that there were not any quotation marks made it slightly harder to determine who was speaking at that moment. In short, Giles did a good job with telling an interesting story, but not in writing with traditional punctuation. This book could have been improved with the addition of simple quotations and, oddly enough, a longer ending. These changes would help ensure for a better understanding of the speaker and a more informative ending.

The Struggle and Almost Conquer of Enemy Women

Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles is nothing short of a thrilling rollercoaster built on twists and turns that give you a rush of energy, yet leave you with a slight feeling of confusion after it ends. This historical fiction novel is the story of Adair Colley and Major Will Neuman as they struggle to cope with the blood around them during the American Civil War. Their struggles not only captivate readers who are fans of historical fiction, but also readers who just enjoy a good book. The story is told from the perspective of an outsider looking in on the lives of these two extraordinary characters. The purpose of this book was not only to entertain, but also to educate people on the struggles people faced daily, specifically in the Border States, during the Civil War. The paragraph and sentence structure could cause confusion for a reader, but it also lead to more in depth reading to understand the plot. The author opened every chapter with historical references, obviously what she based her research on. These references provided a more definite background for the situation of the character. Speaking on a personal level, I disliked how no quotation marks were used except in the excerpts. This often led to confusion and headaches, as I tried to decipher what was dialect and what was a description. However, I did like how Jiles intertwined the lives of Adair and Major Neumann, yet allowed them to be sole, individual characters with their own stories. Jiles did a fair job of portraying the struggle faced during these times of the war, yet I do wish that she developed the ending a bit more so that it would not leave as much confusion for the reader. I find that by simply using punctuation she could allow her reader to focus more on the story and less on the actual dialect of the characters.The best part of the book was how she developed Adair both as a woman and a person. As a student, I can see what Jiles was trying to get across to her reader. With a few minor tweaks and changes, others might be more likely to see it too.

Not a great story-

I didn't think this was a very good book. It was hard to get into and harder to stick with it. I usually love historical fiction but not this one. This story is set back in the 1800's. A woman and her family get thrown out of their home during war. Adair and her sisters get separated from their father. Adair gets thrown into jail. It was a very slow story and and I didn't read most of the letters at the beginning of each chapter. I didn't find this book enjoyable. I wouldn't suggest it.

The Civil War from Southern Women's Perspective

An unusual angle to the Civil War, from the perspective of southern women. Most southerners did not have slaves, and southern women did not sit around fanning themselves while saying, "Oh, my!" Jiles gives both North and South some sympathetic qualities as well as despicable ones.

I have a difficult time reading material where animals are injured/killed, but those (few) sections help give life and a sense of reality to the book.