My Brother Sam is Dead

Oftentimes we glorify the Revolutionary War, the glorious fight that freed America from British rule, the conflict that made heroes out of George Washington, John Adams, and Paul Revere. The fight for America's freedom, we call it. But amid the glory, we forget how brutal the war really was. It tore families apart, killed thousands of men, and changed an entire country. We forget that while George Washington was fighting his way up and down the eastern seaboard, there were regular people trying to live their lives, everyday civilians who wanted nothing to do with the fighting. Ordinary people caught up in the crossfire of two armies. My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier tells the story of one ordinary family divided and torn apart, of one little boy in the middle of a great big war.

Tim had always looked up to his big brother Sam. Sam was everything Tim wanted to be: smart, brave, confidant, and bold enough to stand up to Father. Their father was the most frightening man in Redding, but Sam was never afraid to stand nose to nose with him, especially now that war has broken out. Father was a Tory and Sam was a Patriot, and each was determined to have his way. Tim didn't know what side of the Revolution he was on, and try as he might, he couldn't pick one side or the other; he was certain he'd know when he got older, but what happens when you're forced to grow up sooner then you thought?

I did not particularly like this book; while the writing was good and there were a few interesting twists, the title is a huge deal breaker. Spoiler Warning...Sam dies! The title says it and gives away what could have been a huge shock to the reader. But even the way the authors handled the death was unsatisfying. Through the whole book, I knew Sam was going to die so it came as no surprise when he did, but - another Spoiler Warning - he doesn't die till the very last sentence of the very last chapter, even then he's killed for cattle stealing, which he was framed for, and not fighting in the Revolution. The whole thing was very maddening and should serve as a lesson to all writers on how not to deliver a plot twist. I did appreciate the rest of the book though; as I said, I liked the flow, and the story itself offers an interesting look at the lives of common people during the Revolutionary War. While the book itself is geared towards younger children, mainly middle schoolers and tweens, I enjoyed it in high school, and I don't think anyone is too old to read it.


*****
RJ