My Bonny Light Horseman

by L.A. Meyer
Hennepin County Library paperback 436 pages
genre: YA historical adventure

I love these Bloody Jack books! In this one, she goes from happily running marble and molasses on the East Coast / Caribbean to being prisoner, spy, and messenger. I loved how she shaped up the French farm boys to be a fighting unit.

I added a post-it note on one page. I'm not sure why this resonated so strongly, but it was interesting to see how her hatred for Bonaparte as Britain's enemy turned to respect when she was in the midst of the French army.

"As I look down my ranks, I see that my own is not the only wet eye here. I know that they love him, no question, and I know why. He has raised up worthy soldiers from the ranks and made them generals. He has set up schools for all children, rich or poor, all across his land - I have found that all of my men, well, at least the young ones born after the Revolution, can read and write. He has built roads and visited factories and shaken hands with common workers."

If this is true about Bonaparte, it raises interesting questions about him as a leader. What did he do that was so bad? What did he do that was good? I think most leaders leave a mixed legacy . . .

I cried at the scene in the army medical tent, but don't want to leave spoilers here. This was a delightful book, and I'm ready to get the next one!