4-4.25⭐️ A debut historical/ literary coming of age fiction that has attracted interest with various awards set in the Civil war following the life of fifteen year old Ellis Cady. Her family has scattered due to the war. Ellis is left alone so travels East with her beloved horse Billie looking for remaining family dressed as a boy for safety. She finds an unlikely group of rescuers to travel with through a war torn country where war refuses to fade. A slow burn that is beautifully written, very character driven giving a detailed description of nature, time and place. You really feel immersed in the era and story. The writing style reminds me of Where the Crawdads sing, with this book the connection is very much with horses, although there are some natural world references. Part of the story is told in the form of unsent letters that Ellis writes to her family members which gives a way for Ellis to share her feelings. I think that audiobook format worked best for me because of the slower pace. I felt in comparison to the rest of the book that the epilogue rushed the conclusion, although I can see that the journey was the emphasis for the story. There’s enough to give the reader closure, but several aspects are only hinted at, which might not be enough for some. In conclusion I really enjoyed the gentle coming of age Civil war story finding Ellis very likeable, I was invested in the outcome of her journey. It’s a period that I haven’t read about before.