Let Me Fly

Georgia #2

by Sabra Waldfogel

Former slave Rachel Mannheim and former slave owner Adelaide Kaltenbach fought a war to be sisters. Now that the Civil War is over, a new fight is just beginning.

Adelaide, married to a Georgia cotton planter, never dreamed that she would side with the Union or the Freedmen’s Bureau. In Cass County, just after the Civil War, she’s done both. Her school for the county’s black children has earned her the warm appreciation of Captain Lewis Hart, Union war hero and Bureau agent, and the animosity of her neighbors and former friends.

Her half-sister Rachel, no longer Adelaide’s slave, used to dream of being free. Free to marry. Free to make a living. Free to educate her daughter Eliza. But after emancipation, freedom remains elusive—and risky. When Rachel buys a hundred acres of cotton land, with the help of the Bureau’s dashing black lawyer, Daniel Pereira, she becomes the target of the newly-formed Ku Klux Klan.

As they struggle to rebuild their lives, can each sister find the courage to face violence and hatred—and follow her heart to a new kind of freedom?

Genres: Historical Fiction, War

438 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2018

About the author

Sabra Waldfogel grew up far from the South in Minneapolis. She studied history at Harvard University and received her Ph.D. in American History from the University of Minnesota and since then, has been fascinated by the drama of slavery and freedom in the decades before and after the Civil War.

Her short story “Yemaya” appeared in the Winter 2013 Fiction Issue of Sixfold. Her first novel, Sister of Mine, published by Lake Union, was named the 2017 winner of the Audiobook Publisher's Association Audie Award for fiction. In her free time, not tired of history, she collects antiques and helps her husband sell them.

Reviews

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series. I haven't read the first but with the author's descriptions I don't feel as if I've missed out on anything. I can easily pick up on what happened by reading this one. Interesting historical that kept me turning pages quickly.
Pub Date 01 Oct 2018
Thank you to Sabra Waldfogel I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opnions expressed are my own.

[Maya B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surely there has to be another book after this one...trying to gather my thoughts


UPDATE

I really appreciated how this author has rich history in this story. I must admit in this book I did not have a real attachment to the characters like I did in book 1. Based on how the story ended, clearly there has to be another book. I look forward to reading the next book in this series

[Claire (Silver Linings and Pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌿Review🌿(no spoilers)
.
“This was more than freedom money...It was money to soar on. It was money that would let her fly away.”
.
Synopsis
The description of this novel enticed me, and it was certainly a very interesting story. The American Civil War has ended, and Adelaide, who is married to a Georgian cotton planter is facing animosity from neighbours and former friends. She has sided with the Union and the Freedmen’s bureau in running a school for the county’s black children. She has also won the admiration of the Frreedman’s Bureau agent, Captain Hart.
Meanwhile, her half-sister Rachel (also her former slave) is living with Adelaide’s husband with whom she has a child (are you keeping up with me?!). Rachel buys a cotton farm with the assistance of the Bureau’s charismatic black lawyer and she realises the fragility of her emancipation, as she faces threats from the Ku Klux Klan.
.
Opinion
It was unusual and fascinating to read a story picking up in the aftermath of the Civil War, and I learnt much about the role of The Freedmen’s Bureau, and the American Missionary Association. Hostility and threat of violence were rife, and whilst the the former slaves had been emancipated, this novel highlighted how their struggles had only just begun. I liked how the author explored the individual rights that they now had; such as the right to marry, to own property and voting rights for men. It also dealt well with society’s expectations for white women and black Women respectively. However, I would have liked Adelaide’s experience of being a Jewish lady to have been developed further. I also thought the pace was slow in the middle to the extent I was struggling, but thankfully it picked up . In the climax I felt that some elements were too neatly and quickly tied up, but the very ending was satisfying.
This was an interesting novel with powerful and worthy themes, and I would recommend it to readers of historical fiction.
Rating 🌟3.75
Grateful thanks to @netgalley for sending this novel to review.
.
#historicalfiction #goodreads #bookishfeature #bookreviewblog #nireader #travelbybook #culturetripbooks #unitedbookstagram #bookloversunite #womenauthors

[F. Glenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a post-Civil War novel and sequel to Sister of Mine. Again, I commend the author on the amount of detailed research she must have done in the writing of this novel. This book is rich in historical detail, however, the main characters carried over from Sister of Mine and even some of the new characters lacked depth. Their individual plights did not move me as much as I was moved in Sister of Mine. The first three hundred pages are uneventful and somewhat predictable. By the time the story reached its pinnacle, it quickly wraps up and abruptly ends.

[Cristie Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written historical fiction that kept me engrossed from page one! I found myself wanting to learn more about the time period after finishing this book, so I spent time online doing research. I found that the author's description of that period was perfectly captured. Highly recommend!

[D.K. Ricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read!

Enjoyed the story of the two sisters that were not ashamed of their differences. Their paths were different but together they supported each other, fought, and loved each other.

[Robyn Echols · Rating 5 out of 5]

Window into Reconstruction

This story, which follows Sister of Mine, deals with the dangers and challenges of both blacks and some whites in post-Civil War rural Georgia. Excellent characters and interesting plot. A great read.

[Tonya Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

What happened??

The first keep me turnin,g pages, but this one was just boring to me. I passed a bunch of pages because I was over it!!

[Karla-Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this straight after the first boook in the series, Sister of Mine, I spent the first half of Let me Fly completely baffled about Rachel's change of attitude towards Henry. Her bitterness and understanding of the reality of life after slavery (that she would still face discrimination, and that societal attitudes wouldn't change immediately) is understandable and the author does a great job in bringing her anger about her ambitions being difficult to realise alive. However, I really hoped that Rachel would use her love for Henry as a driving force for change, or at least not care what society thought of them. Instead, her sending him away because he was unable to marry her seems arbitrary and a reason for her to develop another plot line that the author wanted for her instead. Rachel seems very frustrated throughout much of this book, trying an assortment of different things to create her happiness and only feeling content on the final page (and even then it's not quite clear what she decided). The author does a marvelous in creating Rachel. She just feels very human and complicated like anyone would.

I've read a lot of novels about the slave trade but few about the lives of slaves in the aftermath of its abolition. This novel offers a fresh perspective anout the first civil reconstruction for black people in America and she clearly has a lot of knowledge about slavery in the US and life after.

Strangely, Let me Fly would have been a much more enjoyable read about the aftermath of the American Civil War if I didn't read the first book, Sister of Mine. The change of the central characters' actions, particularly Rachel, was frustrating and I guess I just had a vision in mind of where I thought the narrative would go, but instead the story gets burdened with the other characters navigating through life post slavery, which I found a little drawn out at times. Rachel and Adelaide become too many different things to different people in order to presumably educate the reader about the struggles people faced post slavery. For example Rachel attempts to be a landowner, business owner, political assistant...As a result, I started to feel bogged down by political events at the halfway stage of the book and lost interest in Rachel's attempts to persuade black men to vote. From the halfway stage of the story, it starts to read more like a history lesson and loses the balance of melodrama which I like to be mixed in with historical events.

Given the way certain characters behaved in Sister of Mine, a number of things in this book just didn't make sense. Henry was always presented as kind hearted and selfless, yet was nowhere to be seen when his wife, lover and children were being targeted by the Klu Klux Klan. If Rachel forced Henry away because he couldn't marry her and Adelaide fell in love with someone else, wouldn't a speedy divorce settle that? Adelaide's and Rachel's love lives seemed unnecessarily drawn out. The ending does provide closure to this, although I did have to read it a few times as it isn't initially clear what Rachel actually decides to do.

I think Sister of Mine is a stronger story but I enjoyed following these characters as they rebuild their lives after slavery.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let Me Fly is by Sabra Waldfogel. This is the sequel to Sister of Mine. The book takes place in Georgia from 1865-1868, after the Civil War is over. Reconstruction is getting ready to begin, Confederate soldiers must swear allegiance to the United States to be able to go about their business, many homes have been destroyed as well as businesses and even families, and many, many men on both sides are never returning home. Life as it once was is no more, although there are many who wish that it was. Slaves are now free; but most have no idea what freedom means nor have the skills to survive without someone to help them. Some Free Blacks stay with their former masters to care for them as they always did. Others leave to find loved ones who had been sold away or leave to see what is better on the other side. White and Black women do what they need to do to survive and to care for their children. The world they knew is in chaos and some way, they must maneuver their way through the morass to find their new path.
Adelaide Kaltenbach stayed on the plantation she and Henry had created. With Charlie and Rachel Mannheim, she had managed to keep her land and even to prosper. Now, she had to take the reins back and control her own life. Charlie and Rachel both had purchased one hundred acres of land and started their own small places. Charlie had gotten his from Adelaide’s husband Henry and Rachel had gotten hers from Adelaide and her Father, Mordecai Mannheim. Both were determined to make them produce and stay afloat.
Adelaide got caught up in teaching children to read and write. It didn’t matter if they were white or black, she opened the school to all children and Miss Frankie came from the North to help and to make it official. Not everyone in the area liked the idea of teaching ex-slaves to read and write.
Henry Kaltenbach had gone to Atlanta leaving the plantation to his estranged wife and had gone without his mistress, Rachel. Leaving as he did, he also left his children Matt and Eliza. He was still in love with Rachel and he never forgot about his children. He had gone back to the mercantile business where he felt he belonged.
Rachel stayed on the plantation but moved to the original house after being freed. She felt bound to the place. She saw no future in going to Atlanta with Henry since they would not be able to marry unless Henry and Adelaide got a divorce which was unthinkable at the time. She ran Adelaide’s plantation and then branched out to create her own place.
Things might have gone along smoothly with no problems except for the emergence of the KKK in Georgia. Can they fight the KKK and win? Both Rachel and Adelaide felt protective for the other ex-slaves on the plantation because they had stayed instead of leaving. Could they protect them from the KKK? Would they ever get justice?
The book was very good and kept me reading. Again, tissues were definitely needed. If there were grammatical or spelling mistakes in the book, I didn’t catch them as I was too engrossed in the story to catch them.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adelaide married to a Georgia cotton planter never dreamed that she would side with the union or the freedmen's bureau. In Cass County just after the civil war she's done both. Her school for the county's black children her earned her the warm appreciation of Captain Lewis Hart union war hero and bureau agent and the animosity of her neighbors and former friends. Her half-sister Rachel no longer Adelaide's slave used to dream of being free. Free to marry, free to make a living, free to educate her daughter Eliza. But after emancipation, freedom remains elusive and risky. When Rachel buys 100 acres of cotton land, with the help of the bureau's dashing black lawyer Daniel Pereira she becomes the target of the newly formed Ku Klux Klan. As they struggle to rebuild their lives can each sister find the courage to face violence and hatred and follow her heart to a new kind of freedom? A very good book and helping me understand what really happened after the civil war.

[Kay Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book, I thought it was a beautifully told story. The author certainly knows how to tell a story that packs a punch. The lead characters, Rachel and Adelaide, are so well written that you can't help but get involved in their story. The author is able to give the characters such depth that they seem to come off the page at you. It is a story that certainly deserves to be told.
I think this book is even better than the first, "Sister Mine". The story has moved on but the sisters continue to battle the horrors of racism. The sisters have to deal with others attitudes and the horrors of the Ku Klux Klan. The way the story ends is very fitting. I will miss Rachel and Ade.

[Carol Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply Splendid

This sequel to "Sister of Mine," The author's first novel, is equally as good. I like learning history through stories, and these two novels taught me more about Reconstruction then any history book could. As in the first book, the plot is exquisitely researched, and the characters come alive as well. An excellent second novel. It gripped me throughout, as did "Sister of Mine." A keeper.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let Me Fly by Sabra Waldfogel is the second book in the series. The book is a beautifully written historical fiction that kept me engrossed. The story takes place during the aftermath of slavery. The story is about the struggles that slaves faces due to the wrongdoing of the Cotton Plantation owners. The author did an excellent job of researching the individual rights of the emancipated slaves. The books discussed social expectations; such as, the women's role. A very interesting read. 

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am late to reading Let Me Fly. I did not realize that it was the second book of the series. I can tell that Sarah Waldfogel did a lot of historical research into the Freedman’s Bureau.. I liked that the author showed the struggles of two strong women. Adelaide is married to a southern cotton planter and Her sister, Rachel , was a slave on her father’s plantation. This is a story of two strong women who fight for justice to beat the odds. I strongly recommend this book.

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freedom is never free!

One of the best books I've about the slaves and the struggles they faced. Freedom is understood by all, yet living it is a whole different story. Where do you start? Which battle do you choose to fight? Can you live with the decision? How will your decisions effect your children? What if you choose wrong? Where to begin and how can you do it without money?

[Roslyn R. Yilpet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart wrecking, but reality!

I truly enjoyed both books, Sister of Mine and Let Me fly. They are well written and soul stirring. Being a black American living in the 21st century and realizing that very little has changed. The white man still refuse to see black people as equal! Only in heaven will real justice reign, which is sooooo sad! Good research. Thanks for sharing your gift with us.

[Rhonda Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cost of Freedom

Reconstruction in the South. Who knew?
This book explores the seemingly strange relationships between former slaves and their masters/mistresses, explaining the loyalty between white and black siblings who, under other circumstances would be be hidden. But it asks the important and often overlooked question: free to be or do what? I really enjoyed this book

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Triumph over Travesty

The main characters Rachel and Adelaide were Amazing Women for that time in history, though they had many trials as Women the fact that they were Sister Championed it all the way to the end of the book. I have 4 Sisters and many times through reading their relationship made me think of My Sisters because when all was said and done regardless of and in spite of the bond of Sisterhood got them through. CMP

[Emily Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This suffers a bit from second book syndrome. While there is plenty of action, several key characters from the first novel are flat and dry in the second, under the assumption that the reader knows them well. The love triangle did not make a lot of sense to me, and the ending of the novel pinned up a bit too easily to seem realistic. However, this was an interesting piece of historical fiction about the aftermath of the Civil War in the south and how people recovered from that societally.

[ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book

The book was very well researched and written. I did not know how bad it was in the south for blacks during the reconstruction period. The characters were incredibly interesting. The only issue I have was the last chapter. It was a time jump and rushed to conclude the story. I would recommend it to anyone interested in historical fiction especially the Civil War and its aftermath.
I look forward to reading more books written by Sabra Waldfogel.

[Barbara Michaels · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, not great

This was a difficult read. It started out well but got a bit slogged down in the middle. The ending left me hanging. I liked the historical nature of this book. I enjoy Civil War novels, especially from the point of view of the slaves and the abolitionists. This was not one of my favorites of this genre.

[Renee Darden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Let Me Fly. There were a lot of historical events that took place. The book dealt with the Reconstruction Era and how the KKK were coming into existence. Also the book mentioned about how African Americans males were registering to vote although there were many obstacles they had to bare.

[Teresa Crancer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful story of the struggles in Georgia post Civil War

The story is predominantly about Rachel, a freed slave, but also about her half-sister, Adelaide, a free painter's wife. It focuses on the difficulties they faced in the changing south. This is an educational story, and one of human struggle.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author does not sugar coat the story of Reconstruction in Georgia after the Civil War. What a story this is! You should definitely read Sister of Mine before reading this book which is the sequel. This book really opened my eyes about the plight of the slaves after the war. A timely read in today's climate. Very highly recommended.

[Jim Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

I highly recommend a reader begin and read all the author’s books in chronological order as it adds familiarity and a continuity of the characters.

I love historic novels because I hope to glean an accurate history as well as the pleasure I get from reading.

I also appreciate the historic recap at the end.

[Jean Braden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read.

A must read! This book will break your heart and help you understand the South from a personal viewpoint far beyond your history classes. The facts are woven into a beautiful heartbreaking story of
love and life during the civil war that will leave you with a better understanding of yourself.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sober lesson in the destructive nature of hatred

What price freedom? That question rings loudly throughout this book. Our nation has struggled mightily to rid itself of its ugly racist ideologies, but hate is not vanquished easily. This novel brings to life the fear and intimidation strategies that emerged post civil war and continued for 100 years.

[Amylynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

differnt

I love the sisters. I love all the characters the klanz men were horrible but its to be expected. I don't know how I feel about the ending. Who did she choose? Why didn't she marry the lawyer? What did she do with all her money? She had millions.. I'm not sure how I felt about this book.. But I finished it

[robert clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful and tragic

I really enjoyed this story even though it made me sad to be aware again of the horrible way black people had to struggle for freedom that I was blessed with from birtb!!!! We need this ongoing tragedy before us all . May we never forget what people who are not white have had to endure!!!