The Thread Collectors: A Novel

It’s 1863 and the Civil War is raging. Both Stella, a Black woman, and Lily, a Jewish woman, are heavily invested as both of their loves are fighting for the Union Army. These women become The Thread Collectors during a time when thread is scarce. Stella uses it to sew maps on repurposed cloth to help slaves to escape and join the Union Army, while Lily uses it to make quilts for the soldiers. Their spouses, William and Jacob become friends over their love and talent for music. They become separated when Jacob becomes injured, leading Lily to travel to New Orleans to find her husband and changing the lives of the four of them forever. ||This was a beautiful, but difficult read. It is still hard for me to fathom how people can do these kinds of things to each other, but the authors did a wonderful job showcasing the resilience and love of these two couples. They had to go through horrible things to find each other and fight for freedom. Lily and Stella were both exceptionally strong women and I can only hope that I would also possess the courage to stand up for what’s right.