Official Review: Hiding Ezra by Rita Sims Quillen

barb429 · Post by **barb429** » 31 Jul 2016, 18:52

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Hiding Ezra" by Rita Sims Quillen.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Storytelling is an important part of Appalachian culture. Those of us raised in the mountains grew up hearing the same tales over and over from our parents, grandparents and extended family. For many of us that verbal history is very much a part of how we define ourselves. Rita Sims Quillen was able to bring her story Hiding Ezra to life with a combination of that verbal history and a journal that her husband’s grandfather kept of his experiences during World War I. This book mixes fact with fiction to create a beautiful tale about family commitment, love and how a community comes together to take care of its own.

When Ezra Teague is drafted by the U.S. Army during World War I, he goes to boot camp anticipating that he will be leaving for war. He is soon called back home, however, when his mother falls ill. On her deathbed his mother makes Ezra promise to stay there to take care of his ailing father and his sister Eva. He know that there will be consequences, but he makes the promise. Ezra believes that over time the military will forget about him and plans to stay hidden for a short time. The military, however, proves to be very determined to make examples of those who have gone AWOL.

When Lieutenant Nettles volunteers to go in search of Ezra, he thinks that it will be an easy task. He has goals to move upward in the army and make a name of himself, and he intends to use bringing Ezra back to camp as a way to do this. What he does not take into consideration is that although all members of the community may not support Ezra’s choice, they also will protect their own. The community also does not like outsiders coming to their town to ask questions. Nettles discovers that finding Ezra is a much more difficult task than he had imagined.

Hiding Ezra is told from varying points of view. The story is often told through excerpts from Ezra’s journal, but also incorporates the viewpoints of Lieutenant Nettles, Eva and Alma, the woman Ezra loves. By alternating the points of view, the author really allows us to see how all parties are coping with Ezra’s decision. We also get to see what is going on in the community while Ezra is in hiding. Rita Sims Quillen brings all of these characters to life, and we grow to care about them and worry about what their fates will be.

I found this book very easy to read. Often when books are written with a dialect, one can become lost in the language. This is not the case with Hiding Ezra. At no point is the dialect overwhelming. When the characters speak, I could hear their accents. When reading her story, I could hear the characters, I could see them and at times I could smell the very soil that she described. Maybe it is because I am from the region, but her writing style resonated with me.

I give Hiding Ezra 4 out of 4 stars. I think that anyone who enjoys reading about Appalachia, as well as those who enjoy Historical Fiction set in the early 20th Century, will enjoy this book. It is not only a very entertaining read, but it also gave me a different perspective on what people may have been experiencing during World War I.

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Hiding Ezra
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CSM-writer · Post by **CSM-writer** » 04 Aug 2016, 08:15

This was very well written. I may be adding this to my bookshelf. I love a good historical fiction story.

Amh73090 · Post by **Amh73090** » 11 Aug 2016, 16:53

I found this very interesting. Thank you for sharing.

kimmyschemy06 · Post by **kimmyschemy06** » 12 Aug 2016, 22:52

Sounds like a very interesting book with endearing and memorable characters. I like stories about honor, duty and loyalty and this book seems to cover all three. Great job on the review. Congratulations to Rita Sims Quillen on such an obviously well written book.

jcppublisher · Post by **jcppublisher** » 14 Aug 2016, 14:04

It is wonderful to read about Appalachian and the theme is well presented. The author, Rita Quillent tells a good story!

Amh73090 · Post by **Amh73090** » 14 Aug 2016, 19:40

I am usually picky about my books reading only certain types, however your review may have just changed that. I don't know anything about the culture behind it but it sounds like a great book. Good job on your review.