Book Review: Brothers

The second book in the Juniata Iron Trilogy is out. Author Judith Redline Coopey has picked up the next generation of her family saga with BROTHERS.  Ellie and Adam MacPhail's family has grown up in the shadow of the Etna Furnace and are now ready to play out their own parts in the ongoing history of the early iron industry in Pennsylvania.

Talking about the middle book in a trilogy is very difficult. It would be cruel to spoil the first book, The Furnace, for anyone who has not read it. There are some major events in the first book that carry over to the second story. (and I personally hate spoilers.)

Ellie and Adam's children do grow up and have children of their own. The brothers, Laird, John, Robert, and grandson Will become the center of the story and each becomes very real to the reader. Laird is set on becoming part of the world of books and on teaching, instead he knows that he is the only brother who has a head for business and so he puts away his dreams and steps up to run the iron plantation. John is an idealistic person who prefers his solitude until he picks up the cause of the underground railroad. Robert takes after his natural father. He is handsome, charming and not able to make personal commitments. Illegitimate Will is not sure of who he is, part MacPhail and part Trethaway, Ellie's archenemies.

The story is told through different voices, giving the reader a chance to see the same incident from, sometimes, contrasting views. As a result we learn more about each character. Ms Coopey is an author who moves her stories through character, so it is important that the reader connect with each one. I did!

It was like meeting an old friend to see Miss Ellie as she aged. I was happy that though she did mellow a bit, she kept her feisty nature. One of the stand out scenes in the book is her holding her own with the Rebel soldiers during the war. By the time tragedy hits Laird and John, as life has a tendency to do, we are so engrossed with these two men that it feels as if we are watching friends grieve. We even find sorrow at Robert's fate.

Young Will completely captured my heart. His father Robert ignores his existence and his mother is so full of hatred that I was so pleased each time kindness and affection was shown to him. His relationship with John made John that much more human.

There is so much to BROTHERS. A whole generation grows up; loved ones are lost; babies are born
 and a way of life disappears. We see how war changes people and how love may be the most important thing in our life. A Judy Coopey book does not gloss over the uglies of life, but she does give us people that we can root for and make us feel that we are all part of the human condition, no matter the time or place.

Now I personally am not too patiently waiting for the third and final book in The Juniata Iron Trilogy. I really want to see the rest of Will's story.