Sunflower Sisters
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- Create Date：2021-04-20 12:32:13
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Martha Hall Kelly
- ISBN：1984845411
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Summary
Listening Length: 17 hours and 50 minutes
Martha Hall Kelly's million-copy best seller 'Lilac Girls' introduced listeners to Caroline Ferriday， an American philanthropist who helped young girls released from Ravensbruck concentration camp。 Now， in 'SUNFLOWER SISTERS'， Kelly tells the story of her ancestor Georgeanna Woolsey， a Union nurse who joins the war effort during the Civil War， and how her calling leads her to cross paths with Jemma， a young enslaved girl who is sold off and conscripted into the army， and Ann-May Wilson， a southern plantation mistress whose husband enlists。
Gerorgeanna "Georgey" Woolsey isn't meant for the world of lavish parties and the demure attitudes of women of her stature。 So when war ignites the nation， Georgey follows her passion for nursing during a time when doctors considered women on the battlefront a bother。 In proving hem wrong， she and her sister Eliza venture from New York o Washington， DC， to Gettysburg and witness the unparalleled horrors of slavery as they become involved in the war effort。
In the South， Jemma is enslaved on the Peeler Plantation in Maryland， where she lives with her mother and father。 Her sister， Patience， is enslaved on the plantation next door， and both live in fear of LeBaron， an abusive overseer who tracks their every move。 When Jemma is sold by the cruel plantation mistress Anne-May at the same time the Union army comes through， she sees a chance to finally escape - but only by abandoning the family she loves。
Anne-May is left behind to run Peeler Plantation when her husband joins the Union army and her cherished brother enlists with the Confederates。 In charge of the household， she uses the opportunity to follow her own ambitions and is drawn into a secret Southern network of spies， finally exposing herself to the fate she deserves。
Inspired by true accounts， 'SUNFLOWER SISTERS' provides a vivid， detailed look at the Civil War experience， from the barbaric and inhumane plantations， to a war-torn New York City， to the horrors of the battlefield。 It's a sweeping story of women caught in a country on the brink of collapse， in a society grappling with nationalism and unthinkable racial cruelty， a story still so relevant today。
Martha Hall Kelly's million-copy best seller 'Lilac Girls' introduced listeners to Caroline Ferriday， an American philanthropist who helped young girls released from Ravensbruck concentration camp。 Now， in 'SUNFLOWER SISTERS'， Kelly tells the story of her ancestor Georgeanna Woolsey， a Union nurse who joins the war effort during the Civil War， and how her calling leads her to cross paths with Jemma， a young enslaved girl who is sold off and conscripted into the army， and Ann-May Wilson， a southern plantation mistress whose husband enlists。
Gerorgeanna "Georgey" Woolsey isn't meant for the world of lavish parties and the demure attitudes of women of her stature。 So when war ignites the nation， Georgey follows her passion for nursing during a time when doctors considered women on the battlefront a bother。 In proving hem wrong， she and her sister Eliza venture from New York o Washington， DC， to Gettysburg and witness the unparalleled horrors of slavery as they become involved in the war effort。
In the South， Jemma is enslaved on the Peeler Plantation in Maryland， where she lives with her mother and father。 Her sister， Patience， is enslaved on the plantation next door， and both live in fear of LeBaron， an abusive overseer who tracks their every move。 When Jemma is sold by the cruel plantation mistress Anne-May at the same time the Union army comes through， she sees a chance to finally escape - but only by abandoning the family she loves。
Anne-May is left behind to run Peeler Plantation when her husband joins the Union army and her cherished brother enlists with the Confederates。 In charge of the household， she uses the opportunity to follow her own ambitions and is drawn into a secret Southern network of spies， finally exposing herself to the fate she deserves。
Inspired by true accounts， 'SUNFLOWER SISTERS' provides a vivid， detailed look at the Civil War experience， from the barbaric and inhumane plantations， to a war-torn New York City， to the horrors of the battlefield。 It's a sweeping story of women caught in a country on the brink of collapse， in a society grappling with nationalism and unthinkable racial cruelty， a story still so relevant today。
Reviews
Meghann
，
It really is everything you want in a historical fiction novel。 Beautifully written， well researched， and compelling。
Kimberley A
，
Beautifully written。 Heartwarming， heartbreaking， full of love and sadness。 Such a tragic yet beautiful story。
Kathy
，
4。5
Jean Cable
，
Wonderful book
Rose Hriz
，
"Sunflower Sisters" is the story of the Woolsey family。 The Woolsey family is a real family who lived during the Civil War。 The story is told by three women。 Georgy， who grew up in a life of privilege， Jemma， who is a slave and Anne-May who is the slave owner。 The story is fiction by created from letters and information of the real people。It is a great historical story and I enjoyed the book very much。 I would highly recommend this book。Thank you to #goodreads， @MarthaHallKelly， and @BallentineB "Sunflower Sisters" is the story of the Woolsey family。 The Woolsey family is a real family who lived during the Civil War。 The story is told by three women。 Georgy， who grew up in a life of privilege， Jemma， who is a slave and Anne-May who is the slave owner。 The story is fiction by created from letters and information of the real people。It is a great historical story and I enjoyed the book very much。 I would highly recommend this book。Thank you to #goodreads， @MarthaHallKelly， and @BallentineBooks for a copy of this book。 。。。more
Candi
，
So， so good！！！！ Thought for sure it would take me way longer to read than it did。 And as with the other books in the series be sure to read the author notes at the end！
smalltownbookmom
，
An epic and enthralling conclusion to Martha Hall Kelly’s Lilac girls series， based on the real lives of three generations of Woolsey women。 In Sunflower sisters， we get a first hand look at women’s Civil war experience: from Georgeanna “Georgey，” a Union nurse from a prominent Northern family who served at Gettysburg， to Anne-May， a Maryland plantation owner’s wife struggling to survive the economic turmoil in the South and to Jemma， a slave woman who escapes to the north but is forced to leave An epic and enthralling conclusion to Martha Hall Kelly’s Lilac girls series， based on the real lives of three generations of Woolsey women。 In Sunflower sisters， we get a first hand look at women’s Civil war experience: from Georgeanna “Georgey，” a Union nurse from a prominent Northern family who served at Gettysburg， to Anne-May， a Maryland plantation owner’s wife struggling to survive the economic turmoil in the South and to Jemma， a slave woman who escapes to the north but is forced to leave her family behind。 Full of great historical detail， especially what life during the war was like for the women left at home in the North and the South， the horrors of the battlefields and the injustices endured by those enslaved。 I loved the Woolsey women - Georgey is one of seven sisters， all of whom were social activists。 Georgey herself wanted to establish a formal nursing school for women， modelled after the work of Elizabeth Blackwell （the first woman Doctor）。 Great on audio - a full cast production with the supremely talented Cassandra Campbell and Saskia Maarleveld。 HIGHLY recommend！ 。。。more
BreeAnn （She Just Loves Books）
，
What a beautiful story that sweeps you up into the lives and times of the characters。 This was an emotionally charged story that had me furiously flipping the pages and listening to the audio！ I couldn't get enough of this one！！ Martha Hall Kelly has created characters that you fall in love with， want to be friends with， or want to slap upside the head。 It's amazing how she brings these people to life， and I just want more and more of her writing！！If you enjoy historical fiction set during the 1 What a beautiful story that sweeps you up into the lives and times of the characters。 This was an emotionally charged story that had me furiously flipping the pages and listening to the audio！ I couldn't get enough of this one！！ Martha Hall Kelly has created characters that you fall in love with， want to be friends with， or want to slap upside the head。 It's amazing how she brings these people to life， and I just want more and more of her writing！！If you enjoy historical fiction set during the 1800's I highly recommend this one！I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free。 I am leaving my review voluntarily。 。。。more
Joni
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The chronicle of the Woolsey sisters continue， as they struggle with the Civil war， slavery and rampant racism。 Well developed characters， setting and writing style makes this a wonder to read and ponder。 The author writes about the cruelties of slavery and the effect on the psyche with pathos and humanity。
Beth
，
Ms Kelly's third book and did NOT disappoint in any way。 It's a new perspective （to me， anyway） to have the narrative from different characters throughout the books - this is also the manner of writing in Lost Roses and Lilac Girls。 It's great to 'see things' from the different perspectives - after all， isn't that what life really is？？ Jemma's bonnets fascinate me - I'll have to re-read an article that Ms Kelly posted on her Facebook page about bonnets of the era！ LOVED this book。 What's next， M Ms Kelly's third book and did NOT disappoint in any way。 It's a new perspective （to me， anyway） to have the narrative from different characters throughout the books - this is also the manner of writing in Lost Roses and Lilac Girls。 It's great to 'see things' from the different perspectives - after all， isn't that what life really is？？ Jemma's bonnets fascinate me - I'll have to re-read an article that Ms Kelly posted on her Facebook page about bonnets of the era！ LOVED this book。 What's next， Martha Hall Kelly？？？ 。。。more
Barbara
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A very overly long book。 Found it very hard to read about the treatment of the slaves。 Overall a good book on the civil war era。
Janet
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Rated 4。6I really enjoyed this book。 Knowing that it was written using the actual Civil War letters between the Woolsey family made it even more special。 The touching story of Jemma， an owned slave， not only reveals how harsh the treatment by owners and their staff was but also how a strong， freed Jemma blossomed when given the chance。 The nursing tales by Georgeanna， her sisters and their mother was of course especially interesting to the nurse in me。 Imagining the trials not only of the War bu Rated 4。6I really enjoyed this book。 Knowing that it was written using the actual Civil War letters between the Woolsey family made it even more special。 The touching story of Jemma， an owned slave， not only reveals how harsh the treatment by owners and their staff was but also how a strong， freed Jemma blossomed when given the chance。 The nursing tales by Georgeanna， her sisters and their mother was of course especially interesting to the nurse in me。 Imagining the trials not only of the War but the treatment by male doctors and nurses brought back memories of my introduction to nursing when females had to stand when doctors entered the area。 I thought my introduction was ridiculous but the difficult surroundings for these nurses was just horrific。 Nevertheless， the Woolsey women were such staunch leaders and helped the nurses， orphans and colored people advance in any way they could and ways dream of today。 Where do we start？ Hats off to the entire Ferriday family line of very extraordinary women through three generations。 A true model for women of today to help one another to improve our time here。 The story of her Caroline Ferriday's ancestor Georgeanna Woolsey， a Union nurse who joins the war effort during the Civil War， and how her calling leads her to cross paths with Jemma， a young enslaved girl who is sold off and conscripted into the army， and Ann-May Wilson， a southern plantation mistress whose husband enlists。Georgeanne "Georgey" Woolsey isn't meant for the world of lavish parties and demure attitudes of women of her stature。 So when the war ignites the nation， Georgey follows her passion for nursing during a time when doctors considered women a bother on the battlefront。 In proving them wrong， she and her sister Eliza venture from New York to Washington， D。C。， to Gettysburg and witness the unparalleled horrors of slavery as they become involved in the war effort。In the South， Jemma is enslaved on the Peeler Plantation in Maryland， where she lives with her mother and father。 Her sister， Patience， is enslaved on the plantation next door and both live in fear of LeBaron， an abusive overseer who tracks their every move。 When Jemma is sold by the cruel plantation mistress Anne-May at the same time the Union army comes through， she sees a chance to finally escape--but only by abandoning the family she loves。Anne-May is left behind to run Peeler Planation when her husband joins the Union Army and her cherished brother enlists with the Confederates。 In charge of the household， she uses the opportunity to follow her own ambitions and is drawn into a secret Southern network of spies， finally exposing herself to the fate she deserves。Inspired by true accounts， Sunflower Sisters provides a vivid， detailed look at the Civil War experience， from the barbaric and inhumane plantations， to a war-torn New York City to the horrors of the battlefield。 It's a sweeping story of women caught in a country on the brink of collapse， in a society grappling with nationalism and unthinkable racial cruelty， a story still so relevant today。 。。。more
Joanne Williams
，
What a pleasure to read another well told， well researched book by Martha Hall Kelly。 The characters are amazing
Amy
，
Good， but it falls into the cliches of “rich white women helping slaves; cruel， spoiled slave mistress; sexist doctors and make nurses， etc。 The descriptions of the torture of the slaves was quite unpleasant， and I skipped done of that part。 I’m glad I read it， but I would have like it to be a bit more original in scope。
Jennifer
，
This is probably my favourite of the three books in the series。 Although at the same time， it's the one that was the hardest to read because of Jemma's story which is brutal。 I'm sure it is a realistic picture of what life as a slave was like and possibly even less harsh than it would have been for many， but they are definitely hard to read scenes where I just wanted to jump in and save everyone。 The Georgey story was the one that I found the slowest for me to get into。 Maybe it's because there This is probably my favourite of the three books in the series。 Although at the same time， it's the one that was the hardest to read because of Jemma's story which is brutal。 I'm sure it is a realistic picture of what life as a slave was like and possibly even less harsh than it would have been for many， but they are definitely hard to read scenes where I just wanted to jump in and save everyone。 The Georgey story was the one that I found the slowest for me to get into。 Maybe it's because there were so many names。 Maybe it's also because I found it really hard to relate to the family and their obsessive need to do good， which makes me question whether I'm just a bad person by not being so willing to give up everything for a cause。 It wasn't until Gettysburg that I felt that Georgey's story really captured my attention。 Anna-May and Jemma had me from the start。 。。。more
Helen
，
I am a fan of Martha Hall Kelly and I enjoyed her prior novels， Lilac Girls and Lost Roses。 When I saw that her newest novel， Sunflower Sisters， was available through Netgalley， I did not hesitate to request an advanced reader’s copy。 I was delighted to have my request granted。sunflower Sisters is the final saga that focuses on the strong Wolsey women throughout generations。 this is historical fiction but it is based on this actual family line as well as true events in our American history。 You I am a fan of Martha Hall Kelly and I enjoyed her prior novels， Lilac Girls and Lost Roses。 When I saw that her newest novel， Sunflower Sisters， was available through Netgalley， I did not hesitate to request an advanced reader’s copy。 I was delighted to have my request granted。sunflower Sisters is the final saga that focuses on the strong Wolsey women throughout generations。 this is historical fiction but it is based on this actual family line as well as true events in our American history。 You do not need to have read the two prior novels to fully appreciate this book。The book’s setting is during the civil war。 There are alternating chapters from three women。Georgy is the strong descendant from the Woolsey clan who is a true abolitionist。 she is a skilled nurse who attends to the soldiers during the war。 Jemma is a slave girl who is intelligent and determined to free herself and her family from her cruel plantation owners。 the last women is Anne-May， who is a privileged southern bell who owns a plantation and is a cruel and devious lady who “owns” Jemma as a slave。This story is captivating just like the previous two books and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about this period in history。 。。。more
Bibi
，
Having read the two prior books， I hastened to pick up Sunflower Sisters identified as the third and final in Hall-Kelly's trilogy。 The books are not interconnected and can be read independently; the only connection is that each book highlight one family member in the Bellamy-Ferriday clan。 Sunflower Sisters features in a peripheral way， Caroline， the youngest of the Woolsey sisters while Lilac Girls feature Caroline Ferriday， granddaughter of the elder Caroline; and Lost Roses features Eliza Fe Having read the two prior books， I hastened to pick up Sunflower Sisters identified as the third and final in Hall-Kelly's trilogy。 The books are not interconnected and can be read independently; the only connection is that each book highlight one family member in the Bellamy-Ferriday clan。 Sunflower Sisters features in a peripheral way， Caroline， the youngest of the Woolsey sisters while Lilac Girls feature Caroline Ferriday， granddaughter of the elder Caroline; and Lost Roses features Eliza Ferriday， the elder Caroline's daughter。 In effect， the trilogy is about a mother （America's Civil War Era）， her daughter （WWI）， and a granddaughter （WWII）。This book is labelled fictional yet it draws heavily on facts including actual letters fully replicated in the book。 The author's note and sources identified are equally fascinating and it is thrilling to read about these strong， resourceful， and dedicated women who fought societal mores to advance the role of women and to help the underprivileged。 All of the Woolsey's children - the six girls （Abby， Jane， Georgeanna， Mary， Eliza， Harriet and Caroline） and only son， Charley are discussed in the author's notes。I visited the Bellamy-Ferriday Home & Garden in Bethlehem， Connecticut; a trip inspired， of course， by Hall-Kelly's first book， Lilac Girls。 In hindsight， I would have lingered to see the cemetery and Bird Tavern， once a stop on the Underground Railroad。Sunflower Sisters is written around the Civil War era in America。 it is told through the perspectives of three women - Georgeanna Woolsey aka “Georgey”， Anne-May Wilson-Watkins， mistress of a tobacco plantation in Maryland， and by Jemma， a young slave girl on the tobacco plantation。Jemma's story is not new; it details the horror and brutality of slavery so well documented over the years。 Jemma and her family are promised freedom by their owner who died and so did the freedom papers when the new mistress， Anne-May is installed。 Jemma's twin sister， Patience is sold to a nearby Indigo plantation called Ambrosia。 Jemma's mother， Sable and her father are considered valued because they are hard-working and critical to the tobacco plantation。 Jemma's determination and journey to be free and united with her family sums up her part in the book。Anne-May is a vain and naive plantation mistress who marries her husband， Fergus for his wealth and status and nothing else。 She becomes entangled with a married merchant who supplies her with snuff to which she becomes addicted。 Lazy and foolish， Anne-May is also cruel and does not hesitate to use her whip at the least infraction， real or perceived。 A social climber， she unwittingly becomes part of a scheme passing on information from Union sources to those on the Confederate side and also implicating Jemma who is instructed to copy the information; Jemma being a slave who could actually read and write。Georgey is one of the Woolsey's girls who are all committed to civil liberties and the abolitionists' cause。 Not content to sit and home and knit socks， she forges a way to work as a nurse and is a tireless soul to secure donations to help soldiers in battle。 It is interesting to read how female nurses of that time are scoffed at。 Georgey's goal is to operate a teaching school for female nurses to earn a certification to allow them some credibility。 I enjoy reading about the strong bonds among the siblings and their mother and their strength and determination to knock down challenges for a better world。 It is also tough to read about a time when people fought against each other sometimes even in one's own family。 For example， Anne-May's husband off to fight for the Union while her brother joins forces with the Confederates。 Diseases like malaria， typhoid fevers， and scarcity of medical supplies and equipment （quinine， hospital beds， etc。） create a maelstrom of hardships from amputations without anesthesia to people being left to die。 Inspired by real people， it is relatively long book and yet another expose of a dark time in America' s history。 。。。more
Diane Whitworth
，
I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars。 Such an ending to the saga of Caroline Ferriday and her Woolsey ancestry。 The research of Martha Hall Kelly， largely through letters of the Woolsey women， is so thorough and I am so glad that I had a chance to meet the author at the Bellamy-Feriday house in Bethlehem， CT， where she told us of starting work on this book and pointed out the stone wall in the back of the house and told us to look for mention of it in the book！ 5 plus stars！！
Gail
，
If you read Lilac Girls and Lost Roses， and were waiting for this one， you will not be disappointed。 Kelly’s research into this real family and other historical issues is amazing and thorough。 This one goes back to Civil War andSlavery days。 I do have to admit my favorite is still Lost Roses， probably due to my fascination with that time period。 It was good to read about this era for a change。。。。
Marti
，
Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly is considered to be part of a series called the Lilac Girls。 However， I have not read the prior books and found this book can be read as a stand alone。 Martha Hall Kelly has written a book about strong women during the Civil War。 Georgy Woolsey （Georgeanna） was determined to help the war effort。 She was an abolitionist and certain in her ideals about what is fair for women。 She was determined to become a nurse and was accepted to nursing school run by Dr El Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly is considered to be part of a series called the Lilac Girls。 However， I have not read the prior books and found this book can be read as a stand alone。 Martha Hall Kelly has written a book about strong women during the Civil War。 Georgy Woolsey （Georgeanna） was determined to help the war effort。 She was an abolitionist and certain in her ideals about what is fair for women。 She was determined to become a nurse and was accepted to nursing school run by Dr Elizabeth Blackwell。 She and her sister and later her mother all worked as nurses during the Civil War。 Men （both nurses and doctors） despised them and worked to make their life harder。 However， Georgy persevered and fought to still nurse。 The horrors of the Civil War and the lack of understanding about germs and medicine stood out to me！ It is while Georgy was near the Battle of Gettysburg， she came across Jemma。 A young slave who had been conscripted by the Union Army。 Jemma was a drummer and was wounded。 Georgy and her mother both worked to help Jemma get well and find a new life。 However， Jemma could not forget her life on the Peeler Plantation and her family。 Ann-May Wilson was Jemma’s owner and needed to find her！ Jemma had written down key information for Ann-May - information that helped the South attack the Union Forces。 I found myself fascinated by so many parts of the story - the horror of slavery， the passion of the Woolsey Family to help people， and the war and its overarching presence through the whole book。 Martha Hall Kelly is a writer who can spin a story with descriptions that captivate and horrify you。 Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly was a really good read。 。。。more
Leza Palguta
，
4。5 stars rounded up。 This book reminded me a little bit of The Kitchen House， which is in my top five favorite books of all time。 Stories of the Civil War fascinate me， and I love how this author gives three different viewpoints。 The characters were very real and although not all likable， the story is captivating and horribly sad at the same time。
Joleen
，
The final installment in the Lilac Girls series， we learn about Georgy Woolsey， a US Army nurse during the Civil War。Georgy’s path crosses with Jemma， a slave girl in Maryland。 From Jemma we learn about the brutalities of slavery， and her life on a plantation。We’re also introduced to Anne-May， the owner of Jemma and the plantation she’s on。 She’s cruel and real， and she certainly makes mistakes along the way。This was an amazing ending to the Lilac Girls saga。 I really loved this story， and I esp The final installment in the Lilac Girls series， we learn about Georgy Woolsey， a US Army nurse during the Civil War。Georgy’s path crosses with Jemma， a slave girl in Maryland。 From Jemma we learn about the brutalities of slavery， and her life on a plantation。We’re also introduced to Anne-May， the owner of Jemma and the plantation she’s on。 She’s cruel and real， and she certainly makes mistakes along the way。This was an amazing ending to the Lilac Girls saga。 I really loved this story， and I especially appreciated the Author’s Note at the end。 。。。more
Amanda
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 3。5 stars。 I’m not sure how I feel about this one。。。I wanted to love it， but it just fell short for me。 I loved Jemma and Georgy’s POV and especially enjoyed when the two characters were together。 I really enjoyed the Gettysburg battle scenes and Georgy working with her mother。 I loved Georgy being a champion for women and the fact that she published a book and opened her nursing school。 I enjoyed Georgy and Frank’s relationship and how that all played out。 And I loved the extended cast of chara 3。5 stars。 I’m not sure how I feel about this one。。。I wanted to love it， but it just fell short for me。 I loved Jemma and Georgy’s POV and especially enjoyed when the two characters were together。 I really enjoyed the Gettysburg battle scenes and Georgy working with her mother。 I loved Georgy being a champion for women and the fact that she published a book and opened her nursing school。 I enjoyed Georgy and Frank’s relationship and how that all played out。 And I loved the extended cast of characters。 I enjoyed the author’s note at the end and how much time， research， and love the author put into this story。What I wish we got more of was Jemma’s family， especially their journey on the Underground Railroad。 Anne-May was truly nauseating to me， as well as LeBaron， Jubal， Bethada and her aunt。 But I expected to have characters I didn’t like with a Martha Hall Kelly book。 The flow of the plot was also very choppy for me。 Overall， it was well-written， but just missing something。 Lilac Girls blew me away and I wanted this one to do the same。 。。。more
Gr8Reader
，
Although it was 3 women's stories told at the same time， it was not confusing as each chapter was titled by the name of the character whose thread of the story was being told。 A great historical fiction read。 I learned about events during the time of the Civil War that I did not know about， including women nurses。 Well written。 Although it was 3 women's stories told at the same time， it was not confusing as each chapter was titled by the name of the character whose thread of the story was being told。 A great historical fiction read。 I learned about events during the time of the Civil War that I did not know about， including women nurses。 Well written。 。。。more
thewanderingjew
，
Sunflower Sisters: A Novel （Woolsey-Ferriday）， Martha Hall Kelly， author and narrator; Saskia Maarleveld， Shayna Small， Jenna Lamia， Cassandra Campbell， narratorsAlthough this book is the third in a series， it stands alone， as well。 It is an authentic presentation of the history and tragedy of slavery in America， in a novel form。 Sometimes historic fiction that follows facts so accurately， especially with wo a difficult subject， is easier to handle than non-fiction。 However， because of the absol Sunflower Sisters: A Novel （Woolsey-Ferriday）， Martha Hall Kelly， author and narrator; Saskia Maarleveld， Shayna Small， Jenna Lamia， Cassandra Campbell， narratorsAlthough this book is the third in a series， it stands alone， as well。 It is an authentic presentation of the history and tragedy of slavery in America， in a novel form。 Sometimes historic fiction that follows facts so accurately， especially with wo a difficult subject， is easier to handle than non-fiction。 However， because of the absolutely awful brutality， with no way to prevent it， I found myself hesitant and afraid to turn to the next page。 So much of the behavior of slave owners was totally barbaric and hard to face。 When I thought that I was only reading about it， while these slaves were living through it， I shuddered and wished that， that period of history had never occurred。The author has woven this ignominious time into a story that is largely about Jemma， a slave， her owner Anne-May， and Georgeanna， a very wealthy aristocrat。 The story contains not only the horror of the times， but also as the author portrays their lives that were filled with so much pain and emptiness， she also infuses the story about slavery with their family unity and love， with their deep friendships and loyalty to each other， and shows their fortitude as they never gave up hope for freedom， even with devastating odds against it。 As evil as some slave owners were， there were also abolitionists who were kind and courageous， who aided the slaves in their escape and in designing their future。 The Woolseys were one such family that believed in a “Union” free of slaves。Some of the slave owners treated their slaves worse than animals and Jemma’s owner was one of them。 They overworked them， tortured them， underfed and undereducated them， all the while they complained about how hard life was for them。 In reality， they were reaping the benefits of economic profit from the slave labor， and the only thing many worked hard at was overseeing and mistreating the slaves。 Even the clothing and shelter provided for them was inadequate。 Although history has taught much of this to some of us， many have not had the benefit of learning about the abuses of slavery， and so they remain largely ignorant and even unsympathetic about its dreadfulness。 There is only one word one can use to describe someone who owns a human， who believes in slavery， and that is contemptible。This author managed to capture， not only the history of slavery， but also the blatant racism that existed then， and the racism that remained even after the Civil War ended and still exists in some places today。 Horrid people， remain horrid， generally， and they spring from horrid ancestors。 You have to be taught to hate。The Woolseys were a real family of intelligent， caring and kind women。 After the death of their father， their mother soldiered on and raised 7 daughters and 1 son very well， with wholesome values， all by herself。 After Mrs。 Woolsey and one daughter encountered a slave who was being auctioned off with her children， children who were separated and sold to different owners， a baby torn from her arms， they were devastated and completely engaged in the cause of the abolition of slavery from that day forward。 They gave that woman their family card and invited her to their home should she ever be set free。 As the Civil War raged， several of the daughters were nurses， the son fought on the side of the Yankees， and all of the siblings and their mother did whatever they could for the war effort。 They were devoted to the North and the end of slaveryAlthough Jemma escaped to New York ， she was legally still a slave， owned by Anne-May， a horrible， abusive and selfish woman。 Anne-May was a Confederate through and through。 Jemma found the Woolsey family， and they took her in and helped her。 She felt so lucky。 Her life had been previously filled with hardship， suffering and loss。 No matter what she experienced or witnessed， there was no time for her despair。 Grieving was a luxury that was not allowed。 Even healing from the wounds of a whipping did not qualify for a rest。 Jemma had to obey orders and her owner was barbaric and cruel， selfish and self-serving。 Even when she was free， she sometimes felt abused， but now she could rebel and voice her frustration to others。 She felt over protected and wanted to make her own decisions rather than let everyone else choose her path forward。 Jemma was living proof of the terrible way that slaves were treated。 Her body bore the scars。 The owners treated their animals far better than their slaves。 They worried about a poor bird but would torture a slave and could disregard their moaning。Anyone who believes that it is okay to own， mistreat and torture another human being， is evil。 The slaves were not allowed to be tired or to complain， but the spoiled owners complained of being exhausted to the very slaves they were working to death。 As stories circulated of a better world out there， some slaves made plans to escape。 There were rumors about safe havens， places where they could go and be protected。 The slave owners furiously tried to prevent their escapes， employing overseers to watch the roads for them， especially as the tide of the Civil War seemed to turn and begin to favor the North。 They humiliated， brutally tortured and ultimately murdered many of those who tried to escape and were caught and returned。As the story of slavery dances across one side of the page and the story of the Woolsey women dances across the other， the reader will become more aware of this terrible blight on America’s history。 The fortitude of so many slaves who courageously tried to escape， knowing the swamp and the owner’s henchmen awaited them and would follow and bring them back to despicable forms of punishment will surprise the reader。 This book is steeped in so much truth and yet is presented in fiction form。 Using letters and documents that attested to the barbarism of slavery， and referring to many real people and incidents， citing the experiences of these slaves and the efforts of the abolitionists has helped to create a very authentic novel which will open the eyes of many a reader， even as they reader will wish to close those eyes because of a story that is both horrible and true。 How could anyone endure what these slaves suffered and still manage to carry on？ Some appreciation for that part of our history seems to have often been overlooked by our educators。 Our country had progressed to the point where racism was being erased and was not an overarching issue。 People were learning to get along。 However， the Presidency of Barack Obama， which should have been a unifying moment in history， instead was exacerbated by politicians who recognized that hate sells better and so created division which would win votes。The sunflower in the title was used as a warning to running slaves。 Both Jemma， the slave， and Georgey a Woolsey sister， showed tremendous courage and patience。 Both had trouble facing some of the issues in their lives which were holding them back。 They help each other。 They show each other where danger lurks and rescue each other from danger， when possible。 The Woolsey sisters and their mother provided safe havens for the runaway slaves and for those that were free but were in danger of simply being snatched and sold or returned， losing their freedom again。 Many unscrupulous “bounty hunters” cared little for the human beings they dragged back to captivity， instead they cared more for the money they made。This is an excellent book about the impact of slavery， of the toll taken by the Civil War on the country， and of the racism that existed then， and is perhaps being resurrected today by divisive politics。 This story will both touch and break your heart。 As awful as slavery was， however， the slave owners were far more despicable。 Many of the characters were completely hateful。 This book is a very worthwhile read。 。。。more
Kristin
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What a beautiful ending to an amazing trilogy。 Being the last book of the "Lilac Girls" Trilogy， I have to say this one was probably my favorite。 I am so used to reading historical fiction based on WWII or in Europe， but this was such a beautiful story told during the Civil War from the POV of Caroline Ferriday's ancestor Georgiana， or Georgey， Jemma- a slave in Maryland on a tobacco farm， and her owner Anne May。 Martha Hall Kelly really does such an amazing job with her characters and I loved m What a beautiful ending to an amazing trilogy。 Being the last book of the "Lilac Girls" Trilogy， I have to say this one was probably my favorite。 I am so used to reading historical fiction based on WWII or in Europe， but this was such a beautiful story told during the Civil War from the POV of Caroline Ferriday's ancestor Georgiana， or Georgey， Jemma- a slave in Maryland on a tobacco farm， and her owner Anne May。 Martha Hall Kelly really does such an amazing job with her characters and I loved most and really hated others， which was a perfect combination。 Georgey Woolsey is part of the family of very strong women， with 6 sisters and a little brother who do everything they can to help with the war and to help everyone， including the slaves they encounter。 Georgey is a very strong willed woman and wants to be a nurse and open a women's training hospital， which is highly looked down upon during these times。 But she is not giving up and will do anything she can。 Her family is just as passionate about helping in anyway they can and I love it。 Jemma is owned by Anne May on a tobacco plantation with her family。 She goes through so much， getting beaten， watching horrible things happen to the ones she loves， while also dealing with pain herself。 Finally she gets the chance to get free and gets mistaken as a boy and "taken" up in the army， to fight for the Union。 This is where she meets Georgey and her mother， and they help her get on her feet and become even stronger than she was before。 Ann May is the WORST！！ She is the inheritor of the Peeler plantation and treats her slaves HORRIBLY！！ She also is just snobby and the worst kind of character， who you definitely won't have any problem hating。 She becomes invested with a man who is not her husband， selling secrets to the enemy against the Union。 She made the mistake of having Jemma write it all down for her （since she can't write） and panics when Jemma is gone and she can't find this book。 She goes through all the hoops to get Jemma back and hide her secrets， even if they will hurt everyone in her path。 This book was beautifully written and I loved all the different POV and how they all intertwine eventually。 This is was slightly different than the other two books in the series as there was not a dual timeline going on here。 I loved all the relationships in this book， being romantic or friendships。 It was sooo good！！ It definitely is a long one， but so worth it。 The narrators were great。。really bringing to life the characters and making you really feel them with you。 What made it even more beautiful， it that it is based off a true story-- these beautiful strong Woolsey Sisters really did exist and were extraordinary women。 I would definitely recommend reading this book， along with Lilac Girls and Lost Roses。 Thank you to Netgalley， Martha Hall Kelly and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC copy of Sunflower Sisters。 。。。more
Shari Blakey
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I enjoyed listening to this new Martha Hall Kelly book， as I have to her others。 They are interesting reads although a bit drawn out in places。 I have read a number of other Civil War/slavery books and this one was similar to the rest so interesting， but not anything new。 I will never be able to understand how human beings can treat other human beings in the way slaves were treated in the U。S。， but I do fully realize that many other people in the U。S。 and around the world are treated cruelly as I enjoyed listening to this new Martha Hall Kelly book， as I have to her others。 They are interesting reads although a bit drawn out in places。 I have read a number of other Civil War/slavery books and this one was similar to the rest so interesting， but not anything new。 I will never be able to understand how human beings can treat other human beings in the way slaves were treated in the U。S。， but I do fully realize that many other people in the U。S。 and around the world are treated cruelly as well。 。。。more
Reeca Elliott
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This novel is narrated by three different woman， Jemma， Georgey， and Anne-May。 I fell for Jemma， hook， line and sinker！ Her plight in life will make you cringe and pull at your heart strings。 Georgey is a strong， determined woman and she is out to get what she wants。 And finally， Anne-May。 If there is hate in your heart…it should be directed at this woman！There is so much encompassed in this tale。 The strength and resilience to overcome the tragedies of life is one of the main ones。 The prejudic This novel is narrated by three different woman， Jemma， Georgey， and Anne-May。 I fell for Jemma， hook， line and sinker！ Her plight in life will make you cringe and pull at your heart strings。 Georgey is a strong， determined woman and she is out to get what she wants。 And finally， Anne-May。 If there is hate in your heart…it should be directed at this woman！There is so much encompassed in this tale。 The strength and resilience to overcome the tragedies of life is one of the main ones。 The prejudices， which not only the slaves endured， but the many woman helping on the front lines of the civil war is another。The only issues I had with this novel and they are minor…I felt the story was a little long and wordy。 Plus， this is not my favorite time period and the cruelty is a little much。 However， it was true to the time period and no one can make you get all up in your feelings like Martha Hall Kelly！Need a good civil war read…THIS IS IT！I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review。 。。。more
Melissa Johns
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I'm blown away！ Pride and Prejudice meets the American Civil War。 I felt for all of the characters， even the villain！ So good and well written。 I'm blown away！ Pride and Prejudice meets the American Civil War。 I felt for all of the characters， even the villain！ So good and well written。 。。。more
Liz W
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I enjoyed the Author's Note as much as the book。 I like historical fiction that makes me want to know more about the characters and this book did not disappoint。 The historical people in this book as well as those of fiction came to life and brought a wonderful story to the forefront。 I enjoyed the Author's Note as much as the book。 I like historical fiction that makes me want to know more about the characters and this book did not disappoint。 The historical people in this book as well as those of fiction came to life and brought a wonderful story to the forefront。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Sunflower Sisters
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Sunflower Sisters&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Sunflower Sisters&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0