Set during the American Civil War, "An Extraordinary Union" follows the story of Elle Burns, a former slave turned Union spy, who goes undercover in the household of a Confederate Senator. There, she meets Malcolm McCall, a soldier who is also a Union spy. As they navigate their dangerous mission, their relationship develops amidst the tension and conflict of the war. The book explores themes of espionage, interracial relationships, and the complexities of identity during a tumultuous period in American history. The writing style blends romance and historical fiction, showcasing the struggles and triumphs of the characters as they navigate their roles in a divided nation.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include depictions of slavery, racism, violence, and the emotional impact of these themes, making it essential for sensitive readers to approach with caution.
Has Romance?
The romance in An Extraordinary Union is a central focus, with significant development and tension between the two main characters.
From The Publisher:
As the Civil War rages between the states, a courageous pair of spies plunge fearlessly into a maelstrom of ignorance, deceit, and danger, combining their unique skills to alter the course of history and break the chains of the past . . .
Elle Burns is a former slave with a passion for justice and an eidetic memory. Trading in her life of freedom in Massachusetts, she returns to the indignity of slavery in the South-to spy for the Union Army.
Malcolm McCall is a detective for Pinkerton's Secret Service. Subterfuge is his calling, but he's facing his deadliest mission yet-risking his life to infiltrate a Rebel enclave in Virginia.
Two undercover agents who share a common cause-and an undeniable attraction-Malcolm and Elle join forces when they discover a plot that could turn the tide of the war in the Confederacy's favor. Caught in a tightening web of wartime intrigue, and fighting a fiery and forbidden love, Malcolm and Elle must make their boldest move to preserve the Union at any cost-even if it means losing each other . . . more
Ratings (4)
Loved It (4) |
Reader Stats (11):
Read It (4) | |
Want To Read (3) | |
Not Interested (4) |
2 comment(s)
Elle Burns is a former slave that got back into slavery, posing as a mute woman to spy for the Union Army in the civil war era. There she meets a white man Malcom McCall who is a detective, also a spy. It's a forbidden romance and the tension is high in this book. Not only are they from two completely different worlds but also their relationship is very forbidden. Facing hardship because of that but also being spies makes this a bit suspensfull yet romantic read.
There are a bunch of things I loved about this book, and one thing that really didn't work for me -- which I think is more about my personal trope dislikes than the book as such.
The book concerns Ellen ("Elle"), a free Black woman posing as a slave to spy on the Confederacy for the Union and Malcom, a white northerner posing as a Confederate army officer, also for purposes of espionage.
Things I loved:
It really grapples with class and the evils of slavery -- that it can be complicated, and even when it's complicated, it's evil. Some slaves had the ability to earn small amounts of money for themselves, for instance. Still an evil institution. The real bitter anger Elle feels towards her masters when she's posing as a slave was something I've not seen written much (which is mostly because I have not been reading the right books). And the way she could strategically appear servile or helpless or pathetic when it served her ends seems like an accurate reflection of the thins people in those situations would do to manage their lives as best they could.
Elle is very clear about the ways she can't be equal to Malcolm in their current situation and is absolutely ready to shine a light on his privilege and criticize his behavior when it's appropriate. She's also very clear that lots of abolitionists still carry all kinds of anti-Black prejudice and a white savior mentality. The details of her thoughts and arguments were laid out clearly and in some places made me think about things I hadn't examined before. Malcolm is generally willing to stop and think about the merit of her claims even when his first reaction is to get his hackles up, so good for him.
The characters have backstories that make sense of their actions in the war and also their choices in how they respond to their mutual attraction.
The big spying plot and its grand culmination were very exciting.
Things I didn't love:
A minor nit: Elle reads and draws wisdom from The Art of War...which wasn't translated into English until the early 20th century. Ooops.
And the big one: their dynamic is very much one of being attracted, getting a little physical, then putting the brakes on, explaining why doing anything isn't compatible with their mission or workable given the state of race relations...only to be kissing again ten pages further on. This whole "I don't want to want you, let's smooch, no, stop, I hate wanting you..." thing is a dynamic I really don't enjoy.
So I guess for me this was a fantastic historical novel and not such a great romance -- but for people who like those tropes it might work really well on both fronts.
What can you read after
An Extraordinary Union?
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