The Secrets of Mary Bowser

The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen is based on the true story of Mary Bowser, a freed slave who turned spy for the Union during the Civil War. This novel is an inspiring story of a woman who risked everything to help change the course of history. 

The beginning of the book explores Mary's life as a young slave in Richmond, Virginia. In Richmond, she served the Van Lew family whose daughter Bet was the one who eventually freed Mary. At the age of twelve, Mary was sent to Philadelphia as a free person to receive an education. She built a life in Philadelphia, brewing friendships, a relationship, and learning about the person she wanted to be in life. When the Civil War started, Mary began working with the Underground Railroad, risking her life to try and help more people to freedom. She eventually returned to Richmond and posed as a slave in the house of Jefferson Davis where she was able to act as spy and find communication about the war. 

This book is a great piece of historical fiction. I love that it is written from the point of view of the African Americans and that there were no set characteristics for the characters. Not all of the slaves were automatically good people, just like not all of the slave owners were automatically bad people. Bet Van Lew is the prime example. She was an abolitionist who stood up for the slaves' rights and used her status to do what she could to help them.

I've recently taken a liking to historical fiction and this book only strengthened that. The story pulled me in from the beginning and I found it hard to put the book down after that. I look forward to reading another of Leveen's works, Juliet's Nurse.