Rose Mather: A tale

"Rose Mather: A Tale" by Mary Jane Holmes is a historical novel written in the late 19th century. The story is set during the tumultuous backdrop of the American Civil War, capturing the lives and emotions of characters affected by the conflict. It introduces Rose Mather, a wealthy and somewhat naïve young woman, and explores her relationships with others in her community, including her husband, William Mather, as well as Annie Graham, a woman whose husband has enlisted to serve in the war. At the start of the novel, the community in Rockland is buzzing with the announcement of the Civil War's outset following the fall of Fort Sumter. People gather for the first war meeting at a local church, stirring a mixture of patriotic fervor and personal anguish among families as they grapple with the reality of sending their loved ones off to battle. Rose is depicted as vacillating between a sense of privilege and ignorance regarding the war’s seriousness, whereas characters like Widow Simms and Annie Graham represent deeper emotional struggles tied to familial duty and sacrifice. The initial chapters set the stage for a narrative that promises to delve into themes of love, bravery, and the harsh realities of war, emphasizing the contrasting perspectives of those who are called to serve and those who must stay behind. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Mary Jane Holmes was an American author who published 39 novels, as well as short stories. Her first novel sold 250,000 copies; and she had total sales of 2 million books in her lifetime, second only to Harriet Beecher Stowe. Her books included: "Tempest and Sunshine" (1854), "English Orphans" (1855), "Homestead on the Hillside" (1855), "Lena Rivers" (1856), "Meadow Brook" (1857), "Dora Deane" (1858), "Cousin Maude" (1860), "Marian Gray" 186^, "Hugh Worthington" (1864), "Cameron Vide" (1867). "Rose Mather" (1868), "Ethelyn’s Mistake" (1869), "Edna Browning" (1872), "Mildred" (1877), "Forest House" (1879), "Daisy Thornton," "Queenie Hetherton" (1883), "Christmas Stories" (1884), "Bessie's Fortune" (1885). "Gretchen" (1887), "Marguerite" (1891).