Cloudsplitter

Rating:
Summary: Zealots
Review: This book is challenging because of its length. I enjoyed this tale about John Brown and his family. It illuminated a period of history about which I was only meagerly aware. Although the story is unevenly distributed with the Kansas raids and the actual Harpers Ferry incident flashing by, it does appear to be a fictionalized account based on a plethora of research. Banks does a good job a balancing the story between the fictional life account of son Owen and the facts of John Brown's life. What I found most interesting was that Brown was intensely religious. His war with the government permitting slavery was based on deeply held religious convictions. The contradiction between his actions and the religious beliefs is fascinating. As one reviewer noted, the crux of the tale is, "Do the ends justify the means?" Brown felt they did and paid the ultimate price for his zealotry. Probably Banks' most successful accomplishment is his ability to convincingly take us to 19th century and capture the everyday life and challenges of the Brown family. Large families, hard farm work, deadly illnesses, and financial worries all make us relate to the family characters. I found this a rewarding reading experience, but certainly a challenge. Enjoy!