First published 2025
Anders volunteers as a Union Army flag-twirler to escape his abusive mother, but desperation drives him to defect twice before he claims to be an octoroon and joins a Black regiment at Gettysburg. His new unit greets his story with complete disbelief, but they accept him anyway. Anders finds himself caught between questionable officers and a double-dealing arms merchant while forming genuine bonds with his fellow soldiers. The regiment deploys to suppress draft riots in New York City, then travels west to fight Native Americans in Nevada. Through these missions, Anders begins seeing the war through his comrades' eyes rather than his own. Between battles, the troops become obsessed with performing a one-act play. Anders discovers an unexpected romantic connection while navigating the absurdities of military life. His fellow soldiers become the family he never had, teaching him what America might actually be worth defending.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-civil-war, historical-fiction, military-fiction, coming-of-age, found-family
Vibes: bittersweet, character-driven, emotional, introspective, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, fish-out-of-water, found-family, found-family-bonds, self-discovery
Setting: Gettysburg, New York City, Nevada, Union Army
Period: American Civil War era, 19th century
336 pages · Paperback · Holt Paperbacks
Content warnings: abuse, racism, violence, war