Today We Go Home
A Novel
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4.1 • 7 Ratings
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- $2.99
Publisher Description
"Today We Go Home shines an illuminating light on history and the female soldiers who have served this country from the Civil War to Afghanistan today. Kelli Estes passionately brings the past to life, interweaving the story of two women from different centuries whose journey towards hope is timeless."—GWENDOLYN WOMACK, USA Today bestselling author of The Fortune Teller and The Time Collector
In this evocative work of historical fiction, USA Today bestselling author Kelli Estes pairs two military women who—in the Civil War and Afghanistan—share determination, honor, and a call to serve the United States, no matter the cost.
Seattle, Washington: Larkin Bennett has always known her place, whether it's surrounded by her loving family in the lush greenery of the Pacific Northwest or conducting a dusty patrol in Afghanistan. But all of that changed the day tragedy struck her unit and took away everything she held dear.
Soon after the disaster, Larkin discovers an unexpected treasure—the diary of Emily Wilson, a young woman who disguised herself as a man to fight for the Union in the Civil War. As Larkin struggles to heal, she finds herself drawn deeply into Emily's life and the secrets she kept.
Indiana, 1861: The only thing more dangerous to Emily Wilson than a rebel soldier is the risk of her own comrades in the Union Army discovering her secret. But, as the war marches on and takes its terrible toll, Emily begins to question everything she thought she was willing to risk her life for.
Historical fiction fans of Marie Benedict, Beatriz Williams, and Kate Quinn will be inspired by this story of two women in militaries, separated by centuries, but united in hope and dignity.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Estes (The Girl Who Wrote in Silk) delivers a decent dual-narrative novel about the women who've served in America's armed forces, both those who did so in disguise historically and those who serve today. Captain Larkin Bennet has returned to her grandmother's house in Woodinville, Wash., after receiving a medical discharge following tours in the military police in Afghanistan, which ended with an explosion that killed her best friend, Capt. Sarah Faber. Sarah has left her effects to Larkin, including a diary of her ancestor, Emily Wilson, who disguised herself in order to serve alongside her brother, Ben, in the Civil War. Larkin suffers from PTSD, resents the way women in the armed services are treated by male members of the military and civilians, and has feelings of guilt over Sarah's death. In alternating chapters, Emily tells her own story, one that helps Larkin move forward in the present. Estes is sometimes heavy-handed in pointing out the parallels between Larkin's and Emily's stories and is a little clumsy in inserting informational passages. Still, the book does convey some of the extreme challenges facing women in the military. The result is a purposeful and competent tribute to American women in uniform.
