This is a fictional rendering of actual people of Macon, Georgia, during the 1860's. Sidney Lanier, the poet and musician plays special prominence in the story. I felt that the writing was juvenile at times, but I imagine that the author was employing the social mores of that era. The story exposed the heartaches of early deaths and troubled times. The house Ann Clark Tracy and her husband William Butler Johnston, the main characters, may be toured in Macon, Georgia. ( )

History tells us that in 1849 William Butler Johnston, an elder railroad baron/banker, married Anne Tracy in Macon GA. SUNRISE brings their romance to life. The author has taken the journals and letters of this family and woven a tale of their lifelong love affair which started on their European Grand Tour honeymoon, endured the death of numerous children, family and friends, and survived the suffering of deprivation during the Civil War. Johnston adored his Miss Annie so much that he built her "fairy castle" - the historical Johnston-Felton-Hay Mansion that still stands in Macon.
The characters that the author has created in book reflect not just the times but the spirit of the people. The characters were actually living breathing people who Ms Cook has given personality and feelings through extensive research. This book read rather quickly, due to the fact that there were no long sweeping passages that you would expect from this type of story. There are a few times when it starts to drag, but soon recovers and is well worth the time taken to read.
It's no Gone With the Wind, but since I enjoyed the historical information that was wound into the story so much, I rank it in good/great read category. ( )

Sunrise is the first book in a historical fiction trilogy. This first installment focuses on Anne and William Johnston from Macon, Georgia, starting in 1849 and moving through the Civil War and Reconstruction. Unlike many Southerners during this time, Johnston made his fortune in through the railroads and banking. He also played a significant role in the Confederate Treasury Department during the Civil War. Anne was a Cinderella character of sorts. Anne's mother died when she was young, her father when she was 19. And while her stepmother, also her aunt, wasn't cruel, Anne still felt on the outside of things. When William Johnston asked her to marry him, she wasn't in love with him, but she agreed nonetheless. The two managed to find a great love for each other, and this book centers around their lives, their families and their close friends.

The characters that populate this book are fascinating people, but what I found while reading was that I wanted more. I wanted more dialogue and I definitely wanted more detail. There is very little dialogue in the novel and I believe what is there was drawn from actual letters. I think this book would have been sensational if Cook would have taken what actually existed and developed it according to her imagination and what she knew about the actual people. So much of who a character is grows from their interactions and conversations with those around them, especially when relationships are as important as they are in the lives of these people.

There were many times when I would start to grow excited about something that was going on. I would be waiting for more detail to come along and then the plot would jump ahead a couple months or a year or so. I would continually think, "but I want to know more!" The lack of detail and dialogue prevented the characters from having much dimension. And they had so much potential. I believe that because I never desired to just give up on the book. I still wanted to find out what happened with everyone.

So, overall, it was a quick read, but it definitely left me wanting more from the book. I found a lot of what was there to be superficial, and I think that's because it just seems to magically happen. Very little of the development leading up to actions is present making it harder to believe it's genuine. ( )

Set in Macon, Georgia, before, during, and after the Civil War, this book recounts something of the history of William Butler Johnston and his wife, Anne Tracy Johnston.

I felt the book got off to a rather slow start, dealing briefly with William's and Anne's courtship and then moving to their honeymoon. It didn't seem like here was a great deal of depth to this part of the story; the narration seemed to be trying to be exciting but succeeded in merely being breathy and fluffy.

I liked the book better when it recounted the Johnston's return home, their efforts to build their dream house, and even the onset of the Civil War. Mr. Johnston served as Loan Commissioner in the Confederate government and was responsible for trying to raise funds and keep the Confederacy afloat financially. As a former Civil War history major, I would have like to read more about this aspect of their life, but the book focused mostly on Anne and her reactions to the Yankees.

After the Civil War era, the book returned to flitting from subject to subject. The post-War years from 1865 to 1887 are covered in a mere 60 pages, and much of this space is devoted to the activities of poet Sidney Lanier; while informative about his life, it did not really add to the story of Anne and William and I felt it was somewhat distracting.

Overall, this is an okay book for light reading and to give some slight insight into the life of a prominent Macon family. ( )

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. It is a look into a prominent Georgia family just before and during the Civil War. I found it interesting to read about the communities and streets that are still a part of Georgia. The novel is innocent, but it maintains an emotional impact throughout. I look forward to the sequel. ( )