Six Winter Days
The New Jersey countryside is in upheaval with the rebel forces, headed by the recently commissioned Washington, tangling with the British army in the last days of 1776. Two teenage brothers, sent by their mother to escape the war, are trying to reach Allentown. But they just can’t seem to make it, not while fending off British officers, patriot attacks, and defensive farmers. They’re forced to take back roads, but that only leads them into the heart of the battle.
What ensues is the Second Battle of Trenton, a bloody conflict that is seldom discussed. Montgomery gives us the battle in detail from both the patriot and British perspectives, and of course through the eyes of our teenagers – whose loyalty even they can’t seem to sort out. The novel has a blend of battle sequences, humor, family reconciliation, and budding romance. Montgomery clearly knows his history, and it’s enjoyable to spend time with the likes of the austere Washington and the booming Knox. The boys’ constant antics and naiveté made them a bit flat for me. I found myself drawn more to the other characters in the story, on both sides of the conflict. It’s a quick and easy read. Some of the brutal fighting scenes and a narrowly-avoided rape (though not graphic) are what nudge this out of mid-grade and into teen YA.
