Plot Summary

Enemy Women

Paulette Jiles
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Enemy Women

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2002

Book Brief

Paulette Jiles

Enemy Women

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2002
Book Details
Pages

416

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Missouri • 1860s

Theme
Publication Year

2002

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Lexile Level

890L

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Super Short Summary

Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles follows Adair Colley, a young woman from Missouri during the Civil War, whose family home is destroyed by Union soldiers. After her father is taken and her brother escapes, Adair and her sisters embark on a journey to reunite their family, only for Adair to be falsely accused of spying and imprisoned. With the help of Union Major William Neumann, who falls in love with her, Adair escapes and searches for her sisters, eventually reclaiming her family's horses and finding her way back home. Includes themes of war, imprisonment, and trauma.

Mysterious

Gritty

Melancholic

Dark

Adventurous

Reviews & Readership

4.0

10,773 ratings

67%

Loved it

24%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Critics commend Paulette Jiles' Enemy Women for its evocative writing and historical accuracy, vividly depicting the Civil War era through the eyes of its resilient female protagonist. However, some readers note uneven pacing and a sometimes disjointed narrative. Overall, it’s praised for strong character development and atmospheric storytelling despite minor flaws.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Enemy Women?

Ideal for readers who love historical fiction with strong female protagonists, Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles will captivate fans of Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier and Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. With its vivid Civil War backdrop and compelling narrative, this novel offers a mesmerizing blend of romance, resilience, and survival.

4.0

10,773 ratings

67%

Loved it

24%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

Fun Facts

Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles is set during the American Civil War and features elements inspired by real historical events, drawing on Jiles's extensive research on the period.

Paulette Jiles is not only a novelist but also a poet, which is evident in the lyrical and evocative writing style found throughout Enemy Women.

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The novel was selected as a finalist for the 2002 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, highlighting its critical acclaim.

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Book Details
Pages

416

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Missouri • 1860s

Theme
Publication Year

2002

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Lexile Level

890L

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