The Analysis of the Historical Fiction “The Devil Take Tomorrow” by Gretchen Jeannette

The Devil Take Tomorrow by Gretchen Jeannette is a historical fiction set in the American Revolutionary War era. Anyone interested in history, espionage, and romance would enjoy this fast-paced novel. I for one love it when a book delivers on an action-packed storyline and is educational at the same time. This book did not disappoint me because it brims with historical facts and I could not put it down. Romance is part of the story, but never overshadows the rest of the themes. In fact, the budding relationship between the characters highlights their motivations and beliefs even more.

Desperation and love for one’s own country bleed through pages that lead you down a twisted path of deception and freedom. Jeannette gives not only a great story but one that shows how war shapes the lives of those caught up in it.The narrative starts off with an anonymous letter sent to General George Washington, warning him of a British spy, named Parker, being in his camp. Parker was assigned to assassinate the General. To gain more intelligence on who the spy is, the Continental Army sends their own spy, Ethan Montgomery, to infiltrate the British ranks. Ethan integrates himself in with the British and leads a dual life.

Staying at an estate owned by Robert Sinclair, who is a merchant and loyalist to the crown, Ethan gets to know Maddie Graves. Maddie sides with the Americans and does not hide her animosity for the king. Since her father is in jail for treason, Maddie and her aunt must rely on Robert’s generosity in housing them. Ethan and Maddie share a mutual attraction even though Maddie perceives him as the enemy. Time is ticking away though. Soon the command will come for Parker to finish his mission. Can Ethan figure out the mystery of Parker, or get caught as a spy himself?There were many aspects of this book I loved. Besides the history, the espionage and the mystery of Parker made the novel entertaining to read. You know George Washington does not get executed, so Parker somehow gets found out.

Even though the outcome is known, how it is achieved and what sacrifices it takes to get it, make the story suspenseful. The best part for me, by far, was the portrayal of how leading a double life effects someone. Ethan finds out that not all British are evil and even makes friends with some. The knowledge that his deception could harm his new comrades brings him inner turmoil. The author illustrates that there is a price for being a spy, not only physically but also mentally.The main characters’ personalities made me conflicted. I couldn’t decide if I loved or hated them. Ethan exuded confidence and his dry sense of humor made the story even more fun to read. At moments though, he appeared harsh and vindictive, even calling Maddie a “hussy” at several points. I appreciated Maddie’s passion for the American cause and her courage in standing up to anyone to defend it. However, she continuedly made irrational decisions and got in trouble for them. I don’t think I have facepalmed so much over a character’s dumb mistakes until now.

At the conclusion of the work, you get to the reason why Ethan behaves the way he does. Although some of his actions are not excusable, at least they made more sense then. Maddie’s character was the weakest part of the storyline for me.I have to caution readers on a few matters. There are sexual encounters depicted in the story. There is also excessive coarse language involved, along with descriptions of violence and torture. If you are sensitive to these you might want to steer away from this book. The editing was exceptional, and I detected no errors. I give The Devil Take Tomorrow 3 out of 4 stars. Maddie was a downer and the language could have been cleaned up, but overall I enjoyed the book.