Notzon’s take on the futility and inevitability of war is refreshing, as he gives readers a hard-hitting perspective of what it means to put one’s life on the line. “To acknowledge the humanity of those you must kill paralyzes the will,” he writes. Only the Dead proves as engaging at capturing the everyday and the drift of mind of its cast as it is when depicting monumental—sometimes harrowing—historical events involving the likes of Sam Houston and Santa Anna. Use of terms like “savage” and “barbaric” to describe indigenous people may give some readers pause, though Notzon’s project is to capture how his 19th-century cast perceives their world.
Only The Dead will inspire in readers a productive reckoning with the devastating effects of western expansion on the people and the land. Notzon poignantly writes, “This land is littered with the graves of those it conquered”—a striking reminder about the peril and hardship faced by those who, insearch of better futures, dared to migrate to unknown lands that would swallow them. This is a thoughtful, persuasively detailed story of people longing for a place they can call home, both colonizers and colonized, Spaniards, Creoles, Indians, and Mexicans and Texans.
Takeaway: A gripping novel about 19th century Mexican and Texan families, caught up in relentless war.
Great for fans of: Jeff Long’s Empire of Bones, Stephen Harrigan’s The Gates of the Alamo.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
What a powerful and realistic story in Only The Dead (Know the End of War) by Jan Notzon. This is the second book of this author that I have read, and I have just become a fan. I want to read more from Notzon. The characters were historically correct, and very real, and full of depth. This is a time and place that many might not really know about, and this book, though it was a story, it taught me a lot. I love it when I can read something I am enjoying and also learn from it. It's a two for one for me. Anyway, this story brings the reader back to the early 19th century, when Texas and Mexico both had republics, and seems to be fighting for a separation, as well as survival. Not just of their lives, but their own culture, and against a system that could make or break the expansion of the United States, such that it was. It was both a heart breaking, and emotionally charged story, with perspectives on all sides of the power, and the entrance of a brutal war. This book deserves a second read! (and maybe more). It is a very well-written plot, and I enjoyed it. It’s one of those embraceable stories. It’s definitely un-put-downable! I read the book as slow as I could, and then I went back to my notes, and the page I marked, spoke to me, so here is something that I feel shows one of the layers of the story. "Of course, we did it in our own self-interests, but in doing so, we've created wealth that has been invested and spawned other concerns that likewise have provided employment and hope to so many - even those who perennially excluded from such opportunities. And now, because of the accident of our birth, and simple envy, the country will destroy such promise ..." Masterfully written! Only The Dead (Know the End of War) is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more books by this author.
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