I’ll give the author the nod for her historical research. From small details like hair cages and macaroni dress habits to the large epics events, Battle of Monmouth and Valley Forge, Lucia has shown some serious research chops as she brings her chosen historical period to life. This novel is the definition of bio-fiction, not straying from the historical record very far at all.

I find myself a bit at odds saying this, but the author sometimes incorporates too much historical details and information. There are some scenes that seriously bog down the overall narrative and just seem extraneous. The scenes with the smallpox inoculations in Valley Forge and the macaroni scene in New York are prime examples that come to mind. They don’t help the overall story at all and just seem to be included to incorporate those historical tidbits.

The character of Kate is very well done. The reader gets so caught up into her story that when the end of the novel comes around (OMFG, that ending!!! ;_:), I was left gasping and reaching for the nearest tissue box. Kate is a down to earth woman who is trying her best to navigate the treacherous path between Patriot and Loyalist without her world blowing up in her face, with varying degrees of success. I loved the fact that she didn't immediately define herself as either; even at the end, she wasn't an ardent anything. She was just Kate trying to keep her heart and soul intact.

The other characters and aspects of the book are a mixed blessing. The author incorporates many of the actual historical figures of the day; so history came alive again there. Yet, I felt like the author was incorporating far too many of the characters, both real and fictional. There were constant shifts between POVs and time-frames that the reader gets lost in this very choppy narrative.

The ending also screamed for more resolution. A bit about how the other people in Kate’s life dealt with the ending would have been lovely. Instead, the sudden jolt of the ending leaves you gasping and wondering how the other characters are dealing with the events portrayed. Even a few paragraphs or a short 2-3 page epilogue would have been nice…

This book was a mixed bag. Historical research and world building was top notch; the main character of Kate was three-dimensional and drew the reader into her journey all the way to the jaw-dropping ending. Yet, the novel has some serious flaws that keep it from scoring any higher than a 3 stars. Extraneous characters and scenes clog up the narrative and storytelling. The final ending is jaw-dropping in a not-good-way, with absolutely no final resolution for the other people in Kate’s life. That final one actually ticked me off a bit and so soured the book overall. I think I’d recommend this novel for the historical stuff, but there are better novels out there. ( )

Shadow Patriots by Lucia St Clair Robson is a novel set during the American Revolution. Kate Danby is a Quaker and although they are against war and most choose not to take sides, Kate sees her brother, Seth run off and join Washington’s army at Valley Forge. Throughput that difficult winter she often visits her brother in his quarters bringing food and clothing for his squad. She finds herself drawn deeper and deeper into the conflict and eventually she cannot deny her patriotism and joins her brother in spying on the British.

Loosely based on a the life of an unknown female spy known only today as 355, the author fills her story with historical details that are well researched and authentic. The story unfolds in an episodic manner and conveys a great deal of information on the Revolution from July 1776 to the early spring of 1781. You get a real feel for the hardships that so many had to deal with.

Lucia St Clair Robson is a author that I can rely on for good historical fiction, and although this book wasn’t my favorite, she still delivered a good story that held my interest and was informative. ( )

Fabulous. I guess because I recognized so many of the towns on LI mentioned in the book and knowing our Revolutionary War history--I just loved the story. I didn't realize how important a women's role was during this time period--makes a girl proud! ( )

Lucia St Clair Robson has written an excellent novel of the American Revolution, Shadow Patriots. It's filled with wonderful, well-researched history, some love stories and intrigue. Shadow Patriots is about the spy network set up by George Washington. The insight she shows about the interaction between the two combatant groups is eye-opening. For example, I had not thought about the fact that the people of the revolution and the British lived together in the towns and cities. Ms. Robson also describes the circumstances for both sides in vivid detail.

““The general and I will be billeting here should we find the house suitable.” Andre looked over Kate’s shoulder, taking in the walls laid in yellow milk paint, the plaster ceiling with its frescoes of fruit and flowers, the large paintings of landscapes in heavy guilt frames, the broad marble stairs. “I venture to say the general will find the accommodations quite to his liking.”
He winked at her. Kate feared that between Captain Andre’s charm and General Grey’s menace she would swoon and fill the spot that Lizzie had warmed on the floor.”

The novel deals with the politics and clashes between the two warring groups. The depiction of the way they had to live, the conditions in the jails and the food and clothing that they had to contend with is so well done that you will be glad you were not there, but you will be transported to the time and place in your mind’s eye. Siblings, Kate and Seth Darby are caught up in the fight for independence in spite of their Quaker upbringing. They become “intelligencers” or spies for the Americans, but both have conflicting loyalties to specific individuals from both sides. The interesting side story is the use of a woman as a spy in a time when women were not expected to understand the intricacies of war. The intrigue and danger were real and Ms. Robson tells it in all its pathos. Kate and Seth meet and marry their respective spouses during the conflict and intrigue. The romances are a strategy used to tell the story of a fascinating part of the American Revolution.
Lucia St. Clair Robson was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida. She has been a Peace Corps Volunteer in Venezuela, a teacher in New York City, and a librarian in Annapolis, Maryland. She has also lived in Japan, South Carolina, and Arizona. She now resides near Annapolis, Maryland.
She is the author of Ride the Wind, which made the New York Times best sellers list. It also won the Western Writers of America's Golden Spur Award for Best Historical Novel of the year and was included in the top 100 westerns of the 20th century. Several of her other historical novels have won top awards. ( )

Excellent book. I totally did not see the ending coming! Must read historical fiction for Long Islanders. ( )