THREE BROTHERS FROM VIRGINIA

A family saga set during the Civil War era from author Lazris.

The Cocklin brothers of Virginia—Matt, Luke, and Paul—share the same father, but Luke and Paul’s mother is a slave from their family’s farm, and in the eyes of many Virginians, that makes the pair slaves, too. However, the three brothers love one another, and on their thriving farm, they strive to treat one another as equals. Izzy, a friend from New York City, visits their farm often as he makes his rounds of the area selling secondhand clothing; he also brings news from the north when he visits, and in September 1860, that news is of impending war. The brothers wonder whether they should abandon the farm. Paul decides to flee north while Luke and Matt stay in Virginia. In order to protect themselves, Luke pretends to be an uneducated slave while Matt marries the daughter of a local doctor; however, Matt gives in to pressure from his father-in-law to join the Confederate army. Each brother will face many trials in the years to come during such major events as the Battle of Chancellorsville and the New York City draft riots. But will they ever be reunited as a family again? The novel’s drama is at its best when the characters face the contradictions of their situations; for instance, Matt, though he despises the institution of slavery, finds himself coming to treasure aspects of his time as a soldier. Such an epic tale is necessarily long, although the extensive dialogue unnecessarily adds to its length. The characters also sometimes blandly explain how much they care for one another, as when Paul thanks Izzy by saying, “You are our savior, every step of the way.” Nevertheless, the adventures of the brothers will keep readers curious about whether they will ever get back together or if forces beyond their control will keep them separated forever.

An intimate, if drawn-out, look at a cataclysmic time in American history.