Book Review: This Old World by Steve Wiegenstein

This Old World: A Novel of Utopian Dreams and Civil War by Steve Wiegenstein
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publisher: Blank Slate Press
Release Date: September 1, 2014

Publisher’s Description:

After the war, James Turner and the other men of Daybreak return home to find that war has changed their Utopian community forever. Charlotte Turner, Marie Mercadier and the other women they left behind survived raiders and bushwhackers, raised up children, and survived on little more than dogged determination. Now that the men are back-those who fought for the North and those who fought for the South-the community must somehow put the past behind them. But some carry scars too deep to heal, and others carry hate they have no intention of letting go.

This Old World is the second book in the Slant of Light series and starts after the Civil War has ended. With almost all their men having been at war, Daybreak is hanging on by a thread. Raided time after time by bushwhackers and soldiers on both sides, the people of Daybreak are weary and hungry. Yet they have no choice but to persevere. Then the men come back. But they are hardly Daybreak’s saviors. The war has changed them too. Even James Turner, founder of Daybreak, has been scarred and lost his motivation to lead. Luckily, his wife Charlotte hasn’t lost her dogged determination in the face of challenge.

Most all of the characters who survived Slant of Light return in This Old World and some new ones are added. Lysander Smith’s mother shows up to provide a bit of respite from the serious tone of the book. Dathan is a man of few words with a quiet strength about him. He may have been my favorite character this time around.

Wiegenstein is excellent at giving each character a unique voice. And some of his characters in this book are definitely flawed. I wanted jump in the book and give a few of them a good talking to! Charlotte has come into her own as the leader of Daybreak, making tough decisions while keeping what’s left of the community going. Her strength is a marvel.

The time immediately following the Civil War was a dark, confusing time in American history and that is fantastically clear in This Old World. It’s darker and more tragic than Slant of Light but still just as captivating.

This Old World is a wonderful example that real gems of literature are published by small independent publishers. Don’t let the fact that a book is published by an indie dissuade you from reading it. Especially this one!

Book 1: Slant of Light

(I received this book courtesy of the author.)