A Hundred Crickets Singing Book Review
About the Book
In wars eighty years apart, two young women living on the same Appalachian estate determine to aid soldiers dear to them and fight for justice, no matter the cost.
1944. When a violent storm rips through the Belvidere attic in No Creek, North Carolina, exposing a hidden room and trunk long forgotten, secrets dating back to the Civil War are revealed. Celia Percy, whose family lives and works in the home, suspects the truth could transform the future for her friend Marshall, now fighting overseas, whose ancestors were once enslaved by the Belvidere family. When Marshall’s Army friend, Joe, returns to No Creek with shocking news for Marshall’s family, Celia determines to right a long-standing wrong, whether or not the town is ready for it.
1861. After her mother’s death, Minnie Belvidere works desperately to keep her household running and her family together as North Carolina secedes. Her beloved older brother clings to his Union loyalties, despite grave danger, while her hotheaded younger brother entangles himself and the family’s finances within the Confederacy. As the country and her own home are torn in two, Minnie risks her life and her future in a desperate fight to gain liberty and land for those her parents intended to free, before it’s too late.
With depictions of a small Southern town “reminiscent of writings by Lisa Wingate” (Booklist on Night Bird Calling), Cathy Gohlke delivers a gripping, emotive story about friendship, prejudice, and the enduring promise of justice.
My Thoughts
I just finished this book, and I hardly know where to begin in sharing my thoughts. What a powerful story – full of heartache, but with equal measures of healing and promise.
First, before reading A Hundred Crickets Singing, let me recommend that you start with the story immediately preceding this – Night Bird Calling. It helps to flesh out all the characters from the little town of No Creek, North Carolina. Celia, Marshall, Lilliana and more take center stage in the middle of World War 2, and they go on a journey back to the Civil War that none of them expected to take.
The hard parts of this story are not glossed over. There is incredible loss in both timelines because the reality is, war changes people as they take sides. Anyone on the opposing side is the enemy, and “truth” and “which side God is on” means different things to different people. But amidst all that heartache and division, healing is taking place in the lives of these characters as they work to repair decades of secrecy and attempt to make things right. It is no easy story to read, but it’s worth every second. Once these characters take hold of your heart, you can’t help but root for their success and happiness.
If you love layered, redemptive historical stories, I highly recommend A Hundred Crickets Singing.
5 Stars
**Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review. This is my honest opinion.
