| Title | : | Kopp Sisters on the March (Kopp Sisters, #5) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1328736520 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781328736529 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 355 |
| Publication | : | First published September 17, 2019 |
It’s the spring of 1917 and change is in the air. American women have done something remarkable: they’ve banded together to create military-style training camps for women who want to serve. These so-called National Service Schools prove irresistible to the Kopp sisters, who leave their farm in New Jersey to join up.
When an accident befalls the matron, Constance reluctantly agrees to oversee the camp—much to the alarm of the Kopps’ tent-mate, the real-life Beulah Binford, who is seeking refuge from her own scandalous past under the cover of a false identity. Will she be denied a second chance? And after notoriety, can a woman’s life ever be her own again?
In Kopp Sisters on the March, the women of Camp Chevy Chase face down the skepticism of the War Department, the double standards of a scornful public, and the very real perils of war. Once again, Amy Stewart has brilliantly brought a little-known moment in history to light with her fearless and funny Kopp sisters novels.
Kopp Sisters on the March (Kopp Sisters, #5) Reviews
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This fifth book in the Kopp Sisters series is a change in format from the previous four. Now that Constance Kopp is no longer a deputy Sheriff, following the elections that brought in a new Sheriff with no need of female deputies, the books are no longer based on actual newspaper articles and reports of Constance's activities. Instead Amy Stewart has written a lively, fictionalised account of what the sisters could have been doing based on events that were happening at that time and place in an America on the cusp of entering WWI.
It's the spring 0f 1917 and while Constance has spent the winter cooped up feeling sorry for herself, Norma has been busy getting her pigeons ready for service as couriers in the war in Europe. While America has been trying to stay neutral and out of the European war, many in the country feel that it's inevitable with Germany trying to blockade their merchant ships and entice Mexico to join with them in fighting a land war in America. The armed forces are woefully under-prepared and camps have been set up to train men in marching and shooting. Norma has decided to enrol all three sisters in a camp for women where they will learn basic first aid, cooking for convalescents and 'scientific bedmaking'. Of course she also plans to take her pigeons to show the army what they could do for them in Europe.
With real events and real people woven into the story, Amy Stewart has once again given us a fascinating insight into American history and the role women played in getting ready for war. Her careful research into the period has resulted in painting a picture of what was happening to everyday folk away from the committees and politicians. She has enlivened the novel even further by inserting a woman involved in an infamous murder case as one of the women attending the camps, giving us a window into the difficulties poor, uneducated women had to overcome to survive in this period. Constance is called upon to use her talents to help run the camp and by the time the camp is finished has some ideas of what she could do next. Can't wait to read the next episode!
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Houghton Mifflin for a digital ARC to read -
4.5★
“Some type of forward movement was exactly what Constance, at that moment, required. Norma had insisted that this camp in Maryland would put her back in her tracks, as if she were a derailed train that merely needed to be hauled upright and have its wheels greased.”
Yes, indeed. Former Deputy Sheriff Constance Kopp needs to either get back on track or get her skates on and find a job. Number Five in the Kopp Sisters series finds the three of them at home on the farm with the usual breadwinner pretty much sulking under the covers after a newly elected Sheriff dismissed her, saying he didn’t need any women, thank you very much.
Constance is a formidable woman, in stature and attitude, quick-witted, quick-footed, and capable of tackling a runaway crook to his knees. Plus, she was an excellent confidante of the women prisoners who would reveal their secrets to her. So now what?
She doesn’t want to work in an office or help Fleurette with her theatrical aspirations. And she most definitely wants nothing to do with Norma’s carrier pigeons and her plans to convince the army to use them in the war effort.
It’s New Jersey, April 1917, so the options for women are limited, but Norma has spotted an ad for a women’s training camp to prepare them for the coming war that everyone knows the US is about to join. All three sisters end up in the camp, sharing a large tent with several other women.
Fleurette is a young, flighty delight of a girl, barely 20.
“But it was obvious that no one had ever told Fleurette that she wasn’t worth a damn, and nothing had happened yet to allow her to come to that conclusion on her own. She sought out love and got it, just for being her ordinary self. “
One of the women they share with is Beulah Binsford, not much older than Fleurette but worldly wise and an infamous fallen woman. It’s really her story that’s featured in this book, and it’s an interesting one. Her mother was a lost soul. Jessie. She loved the fellas and they loved her.
“It was a sin to sleep in the afternoon. It was a sin to wear perfume. It was a sin to accept a gift from a man: an ivory comb, a stickpin with a glass ruby, a pretty silver snuff-box. Jessie Binford should’ve crumbled under the weight of her sins, but instead she was elevated by them, and left them on display for anyone to see.”
Jessie’s mother, Beulah’s Meemaw, is a broken and bitter old lady, and it’s no wonder why. Beulah’s story is interesting and colourful, and I can see why the author chose to use it, since there’s not much information about the Kopps during this period. I think the story she created around the Kopps works well.
Life in the camp is a shock to the posh city girls who have come for a lark, but the Kopps grew up on a farm. I enjoyed the way the author describes their new situation.
“The high and distant note of the bugle insinuated itself into Constance’s dreams. Before she could yawn and stretch herself awake, Norma jumped out of the cot next to her and shook her by the shoulder.
‘That’s reveille,’ Norma said. ‘Jump out of bed like a soldier or I’ll turn you out.’
When Constance and Norma were girls, they shared a bed, and even then Norma liked to thump her in the ribs when the sun came up. Norma couldn’t envision such a thing as a leisurely start to the day: she greeted the dawn with the sort of smack one gives to a newborn baby to start it breathing. Constance sat up obediently, as there was no percentage in resisting.”
The sisters never fall out of character. If anything, Fleurette becomes more theatrical and keen to entertain the troops. Norma is as stoic and wooden and unflinching as ever. On one occasion, she has to hold a man at gunpoint, and by golly, doesn’t she enjoy it?!
“It was, in every way, the role she was born to play: Norma was nothing if not indomitable in the presence of a foe.”
She may not have Constance’s size or presence but you wouldn’t want to cross her.
“Norma didn’t just hold grudges, she feathered a nest for them and kept them warm, like a broody hen.”
And then there’s Constance. She has been fractious, annoyed, and annoying for months. Dragged off to camp, she discovers she enjoys the regimentation and the rules. She has a naturally commanding air about her and is the automatic choice for Acting Camp Matron when the real one breaks her leg. I think she may have found her calling.
There are always some rogues in a camp, and it was especially fun seeing her on their side!
This is a nice addition to the Kopp Sister series. Although I missed more of their personal stories, I did enjoy Beulah’s. I especially appreciate the author’s extensive notes about the history and her research.
Thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the preview copy I have waited far too long to read and review! On to Number Six!
[I have reviewed the earlier books in the series. I recommend these be read in order, although each is a separate story.]
Girl Waits with Gun
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Lady Cop Makes Trouble
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessions
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Miss Kopp Just Won't Quit
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... -
Episode 5 in the Kopp sisters' fascinating life as told by author
Amy Stewart. The previous books have been closely related to real events as lived by these three fascinating women. Apparently they were very quiet in 1917 so in this book Stewart has imagined how they may have spent part of that year according to what was taking place in America at that time.
Poor Constance has lost her job after the appointment of a new Sheriff and has gone into retreat at the farm. Norma decides that all three of the them should go to a National Service School, a type of training camp for women to develop skills which could aid the war effort. Norma takes her pigeons, Fleurette makes plans to provide an entertainment for the camp, and Constance quickly finds herself in charge of the whole thing and happily able to use her skills in maintaining discipline and good organisation.
By the end it seems the three of them are all about to go off in different but hopefully fulfilling directions. I am already looking forward to the next book!
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. -
If you worried you had seen the last of Constance Kopp when she lost her position as Deputy Sheriff in book four, have no fear! Amy Stewart breathes new life into all three Kopp Sisters, providing all that her fans have loved in the prior books and more. Not quite as true to fact as the previous outings, Ms. Stewart admits she has no idea what the Kopps were actually doing in 1917. She still manages to spin a tale with supporting characters pulled right from the annals of history and provides a fictional plot that is both plausible and entertaining. This reader was fascinated with the results. Highly recommended. Put your copy on pre-order right now.
With sincere thanks to Edelweiss, Hougton Mifflin Harcourt, and Author, Amy Stewart, for the ARC of Kopp Stisters On The March to be published September 17, 2019 . -
Finding a way and not finding excuses......
Amy Stewart has masterfully given us the Kopp Sisters whose escapades have entertained us since the very first offering, Girl Waits with Gun. in this fifth book of the series, we find our gals sorting through their options in 1917 after Constance lost her position as Deputy Sheriff in Hackensack, New Jersey. Newly elected sheriff with a bad attitude shows Constance to the door. Weak in substance, this guy just doesn't want any competition from a woman with superior skills and intelligence.
Norma, second in command in this lively sister trio, has developed a mobile pigeon cart aimed at carrying military messages as the country balances on the brink of war. She's enrolled the sisters in the National Service School which was organized to mobilize women for wartime service. Youngest in the lineup, Fleurette, would be perfect with her sewing and fashion background for creating uniforms. No one wishes the alternative of staying back on the family farm.
Upon arriving at Camp Chevy Chase in Maryland, our gals are caught up in the mix of a drop-off-and-deliver chaos as parents wave goodbye to their daughters. With over 200 women volunteers waiting for orders, the camp turns into a tent setup with awkward hands but determined attitudes. We'll meet a bevy of women from varying backgrounds and spouting lippy remarks. Nothing like baptism by fire.
The Camp Matron, Geneva Nash, takes quite the tumble and breaks her leg. In a heartbeat, Constance finds herself at the head of the pack without warning or preparation. But Amy Stewart always guarantees a quirky adventure with the Kopp Sisters. There's never a situation that Constance can't handle. This time, she'll have her hands full with a number of high-flying women with off the wall complications. These women have been used to thinking that orders were just suggestions......until they meet Constance.
Amy Stewart has engaged in some deep research for this one. She walks in characters from real life situations of the time and butters them with a bit of fictional tang. Two prior characters will find themselves on stage from a previous book. And we'll even have an unexpected murder dragged in on the heels of one of these lovely ladies. As things begin to wind down in the ending, the Kopp Sisters will be mulling over which doorway to pass through for the future. Whatever their choice, I know we'll all be booking a ticket to that destination ASAP. So get on it, Amy Stewart.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and to the talented Amy Stewart for the opportunity. -
3.75 stars
This is book #5 in the Kopp Sisters series. I enjoy this series because it is solidly based on the real lives of the Kopp sisters. Even in this book the author gave 7 pages to the historical facts - chapter by chapter - of the non fictional portion of the book.
However I did not care for this book as well as I have the past four in the series. I believe it may have been because so much of the book was dedicated to a new character - also a true to life character - but not a major character in the previous books. To me it appeared that too much time and story line was spent on this new character which took away from the Kopp sisters.
I believe that the story ended on a good note and left plenty of story line for another book - hopefully more dedicated to the Kopp sisters. This is a fun read with a lot of humor and entertainment, but still well grounded in the historical facts of the time and the lives of the sisters. -
Kopp Sisters On The March is the fifth book in the Kopp Sisters series by NYT best-selling American author, Amy Stewart. After a very public dismissal from her deputy’s position in Hackensack, and a depressing winter, in early 1917 Constance Kopp finds herself, with her sisters, Norma and Fleurette, and some two hundred other young women, at Camp Chevy Chase in Maryland. They are attending the National Service School, all her sister Norma’s doing.
She quickly deduces that it’s more theatre than proper training, and is frustrated by the emphasis on knitting, cooking for convalescents and scientific bed-making. When the camp’s matron breaks a leg, Constance’s organisational nature takes hold, and her interim in-charge status soon extends to the duration of the program. One slight wrinkle is that Constance doesn't agree entirely with the established program, and is quickly tempted to add some more practical, useful activities.
The sisters share their tent with two others, one of whom is not there to alleviate boredom, to socialise or to help the country’s war effort. Beulah Binford, going by the name of Roxanna Collins, is hoping to escape her notoriety by travelling to France with the other women at the end of her training. But various events at the camp bring back memories to haunt Beulah.
Norma is apparently willing to forgo her access to the daily newspapers for the opportunity to bring her messenger pigeons to the Army’s notice. Ever the performer, Fleurette has already, much to Norma’s consternation, organised a show for the young women featuring May Ward. It turns out, however, that Norma’s instinctive reservations about May Ward’s husband, Vaudeville manager Freeman Bernstein, are right on the money. She exhibits admirable control while holding a revolver pointed right at him.
Stewart’s Historical Notes are interesting and informative, revealing that Constance Kopp and her sisters were real people, much as described, as are quite a few of the other characters. Many of the events that form the plot also occurred, if not always when stated. Stewart takes the known historical facts and fleshes them out into a marvellous tale.
While this time in history is still notable for the utter dependence and powerlessness of women, with men increasingly occupied by war, women are stepping up to show what they can do. Miss Kopp is still clever, resourceful and persistent; she’s also capable and caring.
While this is the fifth book in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. However, readers are likely to want to seek out the earlier books, and fans of Miss Kopp will not be disappointed: there is still plenty of humour in their dialogue. Let’s hope that Amy Stewart has more of the Sisters Kopp up her sleeve. Excellent historical fiction
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harourt and Scribe Publications. -
Told in Stewart’s nimble, witty prose, this fifth in the popular series is based largely on fact and offers a paean to patriotism and the role women have played in war, even a century ago. Devoted fans will be pleased with the tantalising hint Stewart provides about what lies ahead for Constance. STARRED REVIEW
Booklist
Constance Kopp takes on the military establishment in Kopp Sisters on the March, the fifth in Amy Stewart’s entertaining series about three fiercely feminist sisters who refuse to believe that men are meant to rule the world.
Washington Post
Loosely inspired by an actual crime fighter ... the brisk Kopp Sisters on the March, with Constance and her sisters — crabby Norma and dreamy Fleurette — enrolling in one of the National Service Schools that prepared women for what World War I would require of them, on the home front or overseas.
Star-Tribune
A thrilling mix of history and feminism, this new ‘Kopp’ story contains the same captivating storytelling as the first one, with plenty of nuggets for series fans. STARRED REVIEW
Library Journal
Set in the spring of 1917, Stewart’s enjoyable fifth Kopp Sisters novel finds the three Kopp sisters ready to do their bit as the U.S. prepares to enter WWI ... Convincing characters behave in ways true to their era. Stewart does a wonderful job of illuminating a fascinating period in American history.
Publishers Weekly
A feisty, fact-based series ... After losing her dream job as Bergen County deputy sheriff, Constance Kopp regroups at a Maryland Army camp for women on the eve of World War I ... Plenty of loose ends are dangled for future volumes as Constance and Beulah both make peace with their pasts and plans to move forward.
Kirkus Reviews
A pleasing tale with a touch of excitement.
Clive Hodges, Good Reading -
Long live the Kopp sisters! This brilliant series continues strong, as fearless Constance Kopp and her sisters Norma and Fleurette leave behind their New Jersey farm to attend a women's training camp. The US is on the verge of joining the war in Europe. Young women, mostly of privileged families, sign up to attend a National Service School to learn military bed-making, bandage-rolling, and some basics about marching in formation and understanding signalling.
For most of these women, it's not particularly serious. Most will go back home to mommy and daddy afterward -- but for some, it's a stepping stone to sailing for France, where they hope to join the war effort in whatever way they can. And for one woman in Kopp Sisters on the March, the camp and France represent an escape from her intolerable, scandal-ridden life.
When the Kopp sisters arrive at camp, it's the year after Constance has lost her job as a sheriff's deputy, after the election of a new sheriff who has no interest in or tolerance for women in law enforcement. Constance is adrift and rather hopeless, until she ends up being put in charge of the camp after the camp matron is injured. Under Constance's direction, the camp takes on a more disciplined and focused feel, and she even introduces secret hand-to-hand combat and shooting lessons for the small group of women who are determined to be taken seriously and prepare themselves for the war.
The narrative is split between Constance and her sisters and the historical figure Beulah Binford. As the author explains in her notes, there's no record of the real-life Beulah attending such a camp, but it seems like a great fit for her to place her in this story. Beulah was the "other woman" in a highly publicized murder case, and while she was never charged with a crime, she was dragged through the papers and became one of the most notorious women of the time, forcing her to live under assumed identities and live in hiding. I didn't realize until I got to the end of the book and read the notes that Beulah was a real person -- this made her parts of the story all the more fascinating and tragic, seeing how an uneducated, resourceless woman could end up having her life so thoroughly ruined.
It's a bit jarring to have the action in a Kopp sisters book move away from law enforcement and local police work to a military setting, but it tracks with the timeline of the real Kopp sisters, and seems like a natural choice for them in the context of the US's war preparations. As always, Constance is a strong character who doesn't back down and who is determined to improve the lives of the women around her. I'm less fond of her sisters -- Fleurette is flighty as always, and Norma and her pigeon-obsession are a bit much to take -- but their family dynamics are always fun.
As with the previous four books, I listened to the audiobook version, becuase the narrator is so gifted when it comes to portraying the sisters and the various other characters. As I mentioned in my reviews of the other audiobooks, she makes each character come alive, and as a listener, I really got the essence of each character's personality through Chrsitina Moore's presentation.
The author's notes at the end of the book are essential reading (as they are in all of the Kopp Sisters books). Amy Stewart provides the historical context, explains her research, and makes clear which parts of her story are from the record and which are her invention. It's fascinating to see how she so skillfully weaves together fact and fiction, and really remarkable to learn just how much of these women's lives actually happened.
And as I've said in each review I've written for the books in this series:
If you haven't had the pleasure of reading the Kopp Sisters books yet, start with
Girl Waits With Gun, and then keep going! -
This is the best Kopp Sisters book in my opinion and I have enjoyed them all. The characters keep developing and growing which is amazing as it's based on real life people. The author says this has the most fiction in it and perhaps that really helped. Imagination is more entertaining than real life.
When the book opens in 1917, Constance is still sulking after being fired as a deputy by the new sheriff. Norma is anxious to get her beloved pigeons in the war effort so she signs them and her sisters up for a National Service Schools camp where the organizers are trying to prove to the military that women have a place in the service of their country.
At the camp of 200 women, the three sisters fit in right away. Norma runs pigeon training classes and Fleurette sews uniforms. Because of an unfortunate accident Constance becomes leader of the camp, a role she thrives in. In no time at all, she has whipped the girls into a discipline and routine that would make a general smile. They meet my favorite character, Beulah Binford. Beulah has been involved in the scandal of the century and her face has been plastered across every newspaper in the country. As you get to know her story you really feel sorry for her and end up rooting for her to have a second chance in life. Beulah is a real life person.
As always, Stewart has done meticulous research and the times are really brought to life. It's hard to believe that just 100 years ago women had basically no rights and no real role to play other than wife and mother. It's such a lovely reminder to think of the women who opened doors for the rest of us. The Kopp sisters are such unique people and are really are the last women you would think would be in the forefront of opening doors for other women but there they are. Constance is in the woods teaching women how to shoot guns and do body take downs. Norma is single minding designing and implementing her pigeon program. Fleurette is pursuing her entertainment career secure in the knowledge that she is a worthy person.
They are wonderful role models and inspiring to read about. They are funny and good. In a world where I read too many characters I don't like it is so refreshing to read about likable people that I enjoy spending time with. I can't wait to discover what happens next.
Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of the book in exchange for a fair review. I think it's important to know that Stewart operates an independent bookstore in a smallish town. I think this is wonderful and we should support the independent bookstore owners. -
4.5 stars
My favorite in the series, this takes the story in a necessary new direction. It manages to gradually unfurl the plot and character of the focus of the mystery interwoven with the take of the three sisters in a training camp for women on the eve of WWI, all without diluting my interest or attention.
The story lines of the three sisters come together well here, while Constance, the former “lady cop” struggles with her identity and future, subtly takes top billing.
This left me particularly hungry for the next installment. -
I love all the books in this series. They keep getting better.
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The Kopp sisters join a National Service School that is apparently going to train women how to serve in World War I should the US join. Among the other participants is the infamous Beulah Binford who has joined under an assumed name. Norma has railroaded the Kopp sisters into it after Constance has spent the last six months depressed following the end of the fourth book (no point in saying anything else in case you haven't read any of these based-on-real-life novels), and has brought her pigeons along with her. Beulah is once again trying to escape her past.
All of the Kopp Sisters novels are based on real life with fiction thrown in--there are excellent pieces in the back of each novel to tell you what is real and what is made up. In this instance, it's Beulah Binford's background that is almost all true; no one really knows what the Kopp sisters were up to at this point in 1917. Yes, there is crime, but who the criminal is and whether or not Constance has any part in that can only be learned if you read the book or find spoilers. Personally, I think it's more fun to read the book and find out for yourself. -
3.5 stars
It's the spring of 1917 and the United States is preparing for war.
It has been a rough six months for Constance Kopp since we last saw her in book four, Miss Kopp Just Won't Quit.
Now, Constance and her sisters Norma and Fleurette are joining the war effort by attending Camp Chevy Chase, a National Service School that acts as a training camp for women. While the women in attendance will rise at dawn to perform the same exercises, drills, and marches as soldiers, they'll spend the day "learning the skills most suited for women who wish to be intelligently useful in times of national stress."
Basically, there's a lot of first aid/nursing, cooking, sewing, and scientific bedmaking (oh yeah, that was apparently an actual thing) going on in camp --- and no self defense skills or combat training with actual guns.
When the the camp matron breaks her leg in an accident, Constance agrees to step in and oversee the camp until Miss Miner (who offered her a job in book four) can find a replacement. However, Miss Miner has bigger fish to fry in D.C. and isn't trying to hard since she knows the women are in the capable hands of someone who can appreciate her goal:
"My aim is to plant the idea in the minds of the generals and the congressmen and the president that women are capable of military service. Right now there aren't very many women who would join the Army, regardless. But herhaps we're putting the ideas in women's minds, too." *
Meanwhile, the Kopp sisters have no idea that their tent mate is the notorious Beulah Binford, a woman running from a scandalous past under the false name Roxie Collins. In alternating chapters we learn Beulah's life story and the scandal that turned the public against her.
Kopp Sisters on the March is a much slower pace than the first four books in the series and it also focuses more closely on Beulah's story than it does on Constance. Once again, I applaud Amy Stewart for piecing together a brilliant cozy read loosely based on real people and events from a handful of newspaper articles. The historical notes are always fun to read so definitely don't skip those at the end.
I would've loved more spotlight on Constance but the ending gives us an idea of what to expect from her next and I forsee the action picking back up and major changes in book six!
Huge thanks to HMH for sending me an ARC to review! Kopp Sisters on the March is scheduled for release on September 17, 2019.
*Quote included is from an advanced reader's copy and is subject to change upon final publication.
For more reviews, visit
www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com -
Thanks to the publisher, Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt for allowing me to be a member of The Kopp Sisters Literary Society and for sending me a fun package with this book. This is number 5 in the series and I think it is one of the best yet. The three Kopp sisters are headed to an all female army camp to help prepare women to help the men who may be heading to war in Europe. It is Spring 1917 and the US has not officially entered the war, although men have gone to the front to support France and England. Each of the Kopp sisters finds a niche in the camp, teaching and working and Constance winds up running the camp, which utilizes her skill set of being in charge of a large group of women and keeping order. A woman who shares their tent may not be telling the truth about who she is and once again Freeman Bernstein, vaudeville promoter and his wife May Ward appear in the Kopp Sisters lives after Fleurette books them to perform for the Women's camp. Satisfying, this book makes me want to continue reading about the Kopp Sisters' lives. While Amy Stewart acknowledges that this is the most fictionalized account of them thus far, they remain believable and interesting in her good hands.
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[I received this ARC as part of the Kopp Sisters Literary Society]
This was a departure from the style of the last four books—following the three sisters as they (as described at the end of Miss Kopp Just Won’t Quit) head off to a camp for women to learn skills appropriate to support the European war efforts in WWI. In addition to our intrepid trio, an additional (historical) character is introduced and we learn her story through a series of flashbacks interwoven with the experiences in the camp. I enjoyed the novelty and the episodes of camp life along with turn-of-the-century Richmond, Virginia. I’m so impressed with Amy Stewart’s ability to take a morsel from a newspaper story and snowball it into a full character/story that keeps me turning pages until past my bedtime!
The only trouble with reading an Advance Reader Copy is that now I have to wait even longer until the story continues! Guess it’s time to start from the beginning! -
I've enjoyed the books in this series so far. And I enjoyed this latest one, but not as much. The story was mostly about the real-life Beulah Binford, a woman infamous for a badly ending involvement with a married man. Most of this book covered the sisters being at a (faux) military training camp for women as WWI was raising its head, and there really were such camps. However, this book was much too fictitious for me. I appreciate that Amy Stewart clarifies at the end of the book what is true and what is not. She also gives information about where to find non-fiction accounts. So while I still love the quirky Kopp sisters and this series, this book let me down a bit.
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Great historical novel that contains lots of fascinating accurate details of life in the U.S. in the 1910s, with the emphasis on women's lives. This fifth in the series doesn't have a mystery but the story is gripping. It also sets the stage for a thrilling sixth episode that promises to be full of action.
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This was probably my favorite Kopp sisters novel so far. Since Constance is no longer a lady deputy, she disappears from the news. Amy Stewart is not daunted: she places the sisters into a National Service School, which was a real thing at the time, preparing women for World War I duties such as military style cooking, nursing, telegraph codes.
Much of the story is devoted to Beulah Binford, a woman whose name has become synonymous with “sinful” at the time, owing her being involved in a salacious crime story that kept the entire country riveted for a while. Stewart thoroughly researched her story and constructed her point of view to shed light to the plight of destitute girls of the time who ended up on the street, and to those whose ruined reputation made it impossible to live a normal life. She draws attention to how when a girl “got into trouble”, it was always her fault; and how often men’s terrible deeds were blamed on women. The parallels of Beulah story - as they made her out to be the cause of all evil, without ever hearing her side - to Constance’s, where she is blamed for things just because she is a woman, occur to Constance in the novel.
I am very pleased that even though Constance’s trail has gone cold, Stewart was able to run with another story about women of this era that is just as historically correct, interesting and well written. I will continue reading them as long as she writes them! -
Although the fifth book in the series, I did not read previous installments. I suspect I missed useful backstory which would lead to a great appreciation for this book. The Kopp Sisters--Constance, Norma, and Fleurette--attend a National Service School prior to the United States' entry into World War I. Everyone expects the United States to enter the war, and many women want to contribute to the cause. Norma wishes to train pigeons. Constance, recently fired from her deputy sheriff position by the new sheriff who sees no use for women in law enforcement, does not want to be the camp's matron although she ends up in that role. Notorious Beulah Binford shows up at the camp under the presumed name of Rosanna "Rosie" Collins. In the author's afterward, she admits fictionalizing more narrative in this book than previous ones because she knew less about the sisters' activity during the time. While the setting and championing of women's abilities will draw fans, the story's weakness leaves readers unsatisfied. Perhaps the story's weakness came from trying to place real people in places they never were just to provide contact with another character, but the plot seemed to move nowhere. Still I enjoyed learning a little about the National Service Camps, although the author embellished them a bit.
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This book was fine, but it just didn't feel like a Kopp Sisters book. I've binged a couple of them this week, and each has fed into the next in a really natural way. This one is no different. It made perfect sense after the unfortunate events that happened to Constance in the previous book. And to be honest, I loved the idea of seeing Constance, and yes, even Norma and Fleurette, take charge of a ladies' Army camp.
That's where the book went in a different direction, though. Most of the book actually seemed more concerned with Beulah Binford, her history, and what she was going to do about her future. And Beulah really does have an interesting story! But for most of the book, it didn't seem to tie naturally into what was happening in the camp. It wasn't until Stewart brought it all together at the very end that I really liked the blending of the two tales. Until then, it felt very much like I was reading two separate books at the same time, and part of me kind of wished they had been two separate books. I would have enjoyed both of them greatly, Stewart making history a lot of fun through her fiction!
Because the author did blend the stories so well at the end, and each of the stories was fascinating on their own, I upped my rating from 2.5 to 3 stars. I really hope that this series continues because I can't wait to see what the Kopps do next, and I think Stewart could do some really interesting exploration of the role of women in WWI!
Thanks to Goodreads for the giveaway that gave me this book! -
The Kopp sisters are back at it. I wasn't sure what was going to happen to Constance, Norma and Fleurette after Constance lost her job, along with Sheriff Heath, at the end of the last book. Who is Constance without her ground-breaking role as lady deputy? She's lost and adrift, but the Kopp girls, all three, attend a military-adjacent training camp for women in 1917 during the US's ramp-up to its participation in World War I.
The main subplot is around another historical figure, Beulah Binford, going by the name of Roxanna Collins, tries to blend in with the other ladies in camp with hopes of leaving her prior public scandals in the dust if she can travel to France with the volunteers. We slowly learn about Roxy/Beulah's past and why she's on the run while the ladies adjust to life at the National Service School held in Chevy Chase, MD.
They're sent to the camp to learn about rolling bandages and making soup for the men, but when the camp matron is injured, leadership naturally falls to Constance, and then things get interesting.
This story is less historically based on the Kopp sisters than prior stories in the series, but Beulah Binford was a real person and the events were occuring, such as the National Service School. It was a fun romp through history with my favorite group of sister. -
Oh, this was just wonderful! I was a little worried about whether this book would live up to my expectations, since Sheriff Heath had been voted out of office and Constance had lost her job. I wondered whether the sisters’ stint at a military-style training camp would be anywhere near as interesting as what I’d enjoyed of their lives in the past. I needn’t have worried. Amy Stewart has come through with a most engaging and satisfying story. One of my favorites in the series. She’s a wonderful writer and a master at blending fact and fiction to create a compelling story and unforgettable characters full of charm and wit. These are among my all-time favorite novels. (As soon as I read the first one, in digital format, I bought the hardcover and have preordered every one since.)
I can think of very few other authors of whose novels I’ve read five or more, at least not since my teen years. (Margaret Atwood is one, and Stephanie Barron another. And short story collections by Alice Munro. I can’t think of anyone else!)
Given the end of Kopp Sisters on the March, I’m guessing that a sixth Constance Kopp book in the works, and I hope we won’t have to wait too long! -
Really a 3.5. I rounded up despite a couple of issues with the book because I love Amy Stewart's writing and she really knows how to pull a reader into the story.
"Kopp Sisters on the March" marks the second time Ms. Stewart has used another POV aside from Constance. And, as before, I think this hurts the story. I understand the reasoning, so the reader can get a better understanding of Beulah. But, and here is my second issue, doing so pushes Constance into the background. Which is a problem since I mainly read this series because I like Constance.
I love the way Ms. Stewart weaves an entire story around characters who were also real people that most people nowadays don't know much about. I also felt sorry for Beulah throughout. Imagine how much more awful her life would have been if social media were around during the early 20th Century. Yikes! -
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the 5th book in the Kopp sisters series. I have enjoyed each of these books and this one was equally wonderful. While the subject matter and story is different from the previous 3 books, this is definitely an interesting topic and the historical aspect is important. Well written and very enjoyable book. -
Another enjoyable episode in the life of the Kopp sisters. This time, the three of them have left the farm and are now at a National Service camp, preparing for the possibility of going to France to support the troops once America joins World War I. Constance ends up running the camp and gets involved in training a small group of women in things Washington hadn't anticipated for women to prepare them for the possibility of being in or near battle. Norma brings her pigeons in the hope of convincing Washington to start a messenger pigeon program for the war. Fleurette continues sewing and befriends Roxie Collins, who turns out not to be who she seems. We learn her story as well as what goes on with the sisters. If you liked the first four Kopp sisters books, you'll like this one too.
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Thanks to author Amy Stewart for sending me an ARC with a fun package as a member of the Kopp Sisters Literary Society. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved this brilliant book! It's #5 in the series and the best one yet! Plus you can read this as a stand-alone, but be warned - if this is your first Kopp Sisters book, after reading this one you'll want to read all the others, too. (In order).
The clever and well-written story begins in the spring of 1917 just before war is declared. The Kopp sisters (Constance, Norma and Fleurette) join a military-style training camp for women near Richmond, VA and Stewart combines fact with her imagination to create an entertaining novel whose theme is reinvention. I don't want to say more since part of the pleasure of this book is discovering for yourself the plot twists, the character development, themes of family, strong women, and the humor sprinkled throughout this memorable novel. -
A book about the Kopp sisters is always a great read (received as an eARC from Edelweiss) and this latest installment is no different. Constance Kopp, former woman deputy has had a bad 6 months after losing her position when a new sheriff was elected in Hackensack, NJ. Now, her sister Norma has signed up herself as well as Constance and younger sister Fleurette to attend a camp in MD to learn skills that will assist the government when the U.S. enters what we know as WWI.
Unlike the previous 4 books, there is also another story line involving Beulah Binford, an actual historical character as well. Beulah has been running away from a bad life in Richmond, VA for over 5 years and decides to go to this camp in hopes that what she learns there will give her a break to change her life. Of course she doesn't use her real name, she's spent the last few years changing names and jobs/protectors on a regular basis.
It wouldn't be a Kopp sisters book without Constance taking charge in some way and in this book she ends up running the camp when the original director is injured. Based on enough history to be fascinating the author always helpfully ends these novels with what is history and what is fiction. I hope the Kopp sister continue to march through my reading life regularly. -
Netgalley provided me with an advanced reading electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Constance Kopp was a history maker when she became the first female Deputy Sheriff, and throughout the five installments of her story, she pushes the limits of roles of women. In this fifth story, her sisters join her as they all embark upon service in the Great War.
Kopp Sisters on the March is my favorite so far in this series. In previous novels, Constance is the primary focus followed by the lead in whatever plot she is solving or supporting. But in this one, the other sisters' characters are development a bit more. The military camp setting also provides interesting plot challenges as readers see how young and grown women from different backgrounds find their places in changing societal expectations.
And always, there is intrigue, conflict, and humor, because how could there be anything else when 3 sisters are involved. -
I really liked this, and I’m curious what others will think since a good chunk of this book is devoted to Beulah Binford rather than the Kopp sisters. I actually found her chapters to be the most interesting and was curious to learn more about her past. Stewart did a fantastic job of structuring the story in a way that made me eager to know how Beulah became a bit of a swindler, and what she was going to do to get out of it.
The Kopp sisters take up residence in Camp Chevy Chase, a training camp for women who want to serve in the war. There they get to learn about making beds, rolling bandages, and various other tasks that aren’t as fun as practicing with firearms out in the forest where they suspect they won’t be found. Not a lot happens at the camp, but Constance gets an opportunity to show her strengths keeping everyone in order, and Norma is still trying to convince everyone pigeons will give the US a tactical advantage. If Fleurette is your favorite character, she takes a bit of a backseat here, but becomes a friend to Beulah and organizes a show with her old pals, Freeman Bernstein and May Ward. What she doesn’t realize is that Beulah has crossed paths with Bernstein before, and things come to a head when their paths cross once again.
While this wasn’t the action-packed novel I was hoping for, I understand that Stewart had no clue what the Kopp sisters were up to at this time, and I love that she used so many primary sources to construct an adventure that certainly seems plausible.
Thanks so much to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the ARC!
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