Jane Singer

It was immediately apparent that the main goal of Lincoln's Secret Spy was to prove that William Alvin Lloyd was absolutely not a spy. Even the end notes point out the flaws of previous works that believed this to be the case. Also, Lincoln was a peripheral figure and yet it was his picture on the cover of the book which I felt amounted to a kind of click bait for hardcovers. In fact, the authors pointed out that there were no likenesses of Lloyd on record which is why his picture is not included in the pictorial insert (although Google seems to disagree on this point). If you're not a fan of minute details about train travel then I doubt you would be a big fan of this book. I applaud the authors attention to detail but I found it to be both tedious and difficult to follow because of its overuse. I know that it can be difficult to jazz up historical subjects, especially those about little known figures, but it was a bit over the top in some sections where they compared the story to a play and the reader as an audience member (or something because I honestly felt confused about their main goal with the flowery language). I saw it through to the end mainly because I kept hoping that there would be some big revelation about Lloyd that was contradictory to the rest of the book and supported the claim that he was a spy (there wasn't).… (mehr)

When I saw that this was a book about a Union spy, I expected it to be filled with suspense and action. However, the story lags for the first half--I would not have finished this novel if I hadn't wanted to see the spy action--and then runs too quickly in the second half. Even then, it ends all too soon without much spy action.

The beginning is about Maddie's dad joining the Union army and Maddie worrying about him while adjusting to life in her Confederate-sympathizing aunt's boarding house. In fact, Maddie doesn't officially meet the spies until midway into the book and even then it is mostly about her learning how to be a spy.

I wanted to see more of Maddie's life and training as a spy. The novel ends before more is revealed about the rebel spy that looks like Maddie and how Maddie deals with said spy being out to kill her. It is one of the most unique plot angles to the story, and it isn't developed! I was also disappointed that there isn't as much danger to Maddie and Jake's relationship as the synopsis suggested.

While I am disappointed about the lack of action as suggested by the synopsis, I did love the characters. Maddie is a fun character. She isn't just an independent-minded woman in a time when they were expected to be domestic caretakers. She is fun, witty, and has the power of photographic memory. I love her fellow spies, all of whom have unique traits, and Jake adds a sweet romantic element to the story, though their love seems to blossom out of the blue.

Historical fiction lovers will love the Civil War setting. If you're an avid YA reader, however, there isn't sufficient plot development, and the story ends before it feels like the story is over.… (mehr)

STARS
I love how brave Maddie and everyone who was risking their lives for their beliefs no matter what side of the war they were on. Maddie story kept me riveted did not put the book down till it was through.
At the ending are a bunch of study guide questions that help you to think more deeply. After that is a list of which characters are based on real people. Plus their is a list of books about different subjects of the civil war era.
Maddie was 15 at start of the war. Her mother had died just months before that and her father inlisted in the second New Hampshire Infantry Regiment as a private. Maddie was taken to Washington D.C. to stay with her Aunt at her boarding house.
Maddie could remember everything she saw she wanted to join and fight with her father but no one would let her. While she was out in the city she noticed one of her Aunt's boarders from the south was dressed as a preacher in disguise outside of a famous Rebel's house of Rose Greenhow.
Because she impressed Mr. Webster of her observations she recalled he introduced her to Mr. Pinkerton where she was tested and than trained as a spy.
I hope their are more adventures of Maddie to come in the future. I will gladly read them. It gives you glimpses of what life might be like at that time. Different family members choosing different sides of war to support. Slaves trying to get to freedom and slave traders willing to kill them. Even different cemetaries for black and white. How quilts hanging could tell a message or doll wearing different colors in a window.… (mehr)