Simon the Fiddler

Title: Simon the Fiddler

Author: Paulette Jiles

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers

Year of Release: 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction, Military History, Civil War, Adventure Fiction, Western

Release Date: 20^th April 2020

Rating: 🌟🌟

Synopsis

In March 1865, the long and bitter War between the States is winding down. Till now, twenty-three-year-old Simon Boudlin has evaded military duty thanks to his slight stature, youthful appearance, and utter lack of compunction about bending the truth. But following a barroom brawl in Victoria, Texas, Simon finds himself conscripted, however belatedly, into the Confederate Army. Luckily his talent with a fiddle gets him a comparatively easy position in a regimental band.

Weeks later, on the eve of the Confederate surrender, Simon and his bandmates are called to play for officers and their families from both sides of the conflict. There the quick-thinking, audacious fiddler can’t help but notice the lovely Doris Mary Dillon, an indentured girl from Ireland, who is governess to a Union colonel’s daughter.

After the surrender, Simon and Doris go their separate ways. He will travel around Texas seeking fame and fortune as a musician. She must accompany the colonel’s family to finish her three years of service. But Simon cannot forget the fair Irish maiden, and vows that someday he will find her again.

Incandescent in its beauty, told in Paulette Jiles’s trademark spare yet lilting style, Simon the Fiddler is a captivating, bittersweet tale of the chances a devoted man will take, and the lengths he will go to fulfil his heart’s yearning. 

Review

 March 1865 At long last the Civil War is coming to an end. One young man by the name of Simon Boudlin was lucky enough to avoid military duty, thanks to his no shame attitude when it comes to bending the truth, however Simon soon finds that his luck when it comes to avoiding duty has suddenly come to an end, when one night in Victoria, Texas there is a barroom brawl landing Simon drafted into the Confederate Army. 19 year old Simon Boudlin is gifted with a fiddle, this makes his placement somewhat easy the young man finds himself in a regimental band.

A few weeks pass and the Confederate surrender is only a day away Simon and his fellow band-members are called upon to play for officers and their families for both sides of this conflict. Whilst celebrations are in full swing Simon notices the alluring Doris Mary Dillion who Simon soon discovers is an enslaved young girl all the way from Ireland, as it happens Doris Mary  Dillion is the Governess to a Union Colonel’s Daughter.

After the surrender Simon and Doris go their separate ways, Simon travels around Texas seeking fame and fortune with his Fiddle by his side. Doris must continue to accompany the Colonel’s and his family this will allow Doris to complete her three years of service. Whilst on his journey to fame and fortune and the ability to have food and shelter whilst  in the hopes of becoming  a successful musician, Simon is unable to forget Doris Mary Dillion and so makes a pledge to find her.  

In the beginning I found myself eager to discover where this story would take me early on I was able to follow along with the events and happenings with ease, however as the story progressed into the middle and ending chapters I found myself having to return to previous chapters or pages just to familiarise with the goings on once more.

I felt that whilst this book was  wonderfully descriptive when it comes to the time period and location, however for this reader Simon the Fiddler at times  lacked the ability  to distinguish the difference in characters, which made it hard for me to connect with the characters and the situations they found themselves in.

“He knew that he did not play music so much as walk into it, as if into a palace of great riches, with rooms opening into other rooms, which opened into still other rooms, and in these rooms were courtyards and fountains with passageways to yet more mysterious spaces of melody,”

If you’re interested in a slow paced story anytime soon and appreciate a descriptive read then take time to consider Simon the fiddler.