Sarah Bishop by Scott O'Dell

Sarah’s family struggles to live among a village of patriots. Sarah was born in Midhurst, West Sussex, England. Her family came to settle in the colonies on Long Island shortly before the Revolutionary War erupted.

Sarah’s father was a Tory, a strong supporter of King George. But, her older brother was a Patriot; he told her that he does not believe in being taxed by a king who lives thousand of miles away. Sarah was neither. She was just a fifteen year old girl, struggling between these two opposing beliefs.

Sarah’s brother, Chad leaves their little farm nestled in the hills, with the clover fields and apple orchards, to fight against King George in the American Revolutionary War. The war makes Sarah a homeless orphan.

One day, about a month after her brother left home, a thunderclap rolled through the howling sky. Sarah could hear horses approaching the cottage. There was a rap on the door. “Who is it?” Sarah’s father called. It was a group of Patriots called the Skinners, who rode through the village and burnt down the houses of people who weren’t patriots. The men questioned Sarah’s father, and suddenly a Skinner thrust a torch into a nearby hay bale and the cottage burst into flames. After her home was destroyed and her father killed, Sarah left for New York City seeking her brother, only to be arrested for a crime that she didn’t commit. Sarah escapes the British Army, and flees into the unknown

The war will end. Peace will come. But will peace ever find Sarah Bishop?

Sarah Bishop is a great example of how horrible it was to live through the Revolutionary War, but the plot is slow, and this book takes some patience to get through.

3 Stars
 
Sahana