Review: Review:  The Last Waltz
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 24, 2013
The Last Waltz by Murray Pura is the second story in a collection called "Cry of Freedom," which explores the passion, romance, tragedy and triumph of the year 1863 in a war that changed America forever. Written by several different authors, one story will be released every two weeks from April through November.Publisher's descriptionCharity Davis has not seen her husband Mitchell since he enlisted in the Confederate army in 1861. But war comes to northwestern Georgia in September 1863 at a place called Chickamauga Creek and her husband's regiment has to march past the farm on its way to the battlefield. A bullet wound from a sniper brings Mitchell to his own farmhouse to seek help and to recover. Unexpectedly, Charity and Mitchell have the gift of a day together, a day when the war is far away, when the sun is golden, and when they are like bride and bridegroom again on the farm they first came to twenty years before.My ThoughtsFirst let me say that I didn't expect to like The Last Waltz, but it wasn't long before I was caught up in this bittersweet love story set against the backdrop of the Civil War. It quickly engaged my emotions, almost against my will.In his lyrical, poetic style, Murray beautifully captures the essence of lovers separated by war, longing for each other, followed by their sweet reunion.  At times, I felt as though I were an intruder as the curtain was pulled back to reveal their joy at being together again. There is an ethereal, otherworldly feel to this story as we see them go horseback riding, gather firewood, go for a moonlight swim . . . and dance their "last waltz" all night.Another emotion I experienced was that of anger, because I hate the needless destruction and death caused by war. Murray draws inspiration from the Old Testament story of how, when at the point of death, King Hezekiah was granted additional years to live. In a particularly descriptive scene,  Mitchell tells Charity of his injury from a sniper's bullet. "No one thought I'd recover. I remember surgeons and lamps and a tent and the smell of blood and a pile of amputated arms and legs in the corner . . . Eventually they carried me outside to die. I so badly wanted to see you one last time. I prayed to the Lord to give me a day, just one more day with you."I live in Georgia, so I'd have to say that for someone not from the south, Murray did a good job at creating a southern feel and sense of place. I'm very interested in following the "Cry for Freedom" series as it explores different people and aspects of the war.I received The Last Waltz from BookFun.org in exchange for my honest review.