Answering Liberty’s Call: Anna Stone’s Daring Ride to Valley Forge

Tracy Lawson’s Answering Liberty’s Call: Anna Stone’s Daring Ride to Valley Forge is a historical fiction novel based on the life of the author’s Revolutionary War-era descendent.  The author furthers The Story of Anna Asbury Stone (published in 1923) by adding creative elements to the narrative while auditing the multi-generational storytelling. Lawson incorporates historically accurate themes into Anna’s depicted life including women’s rights, religious tolerance, medical practices, events surrounding the Conway Cabal, and the state of the frontlines of the Revolutionary War from 1777-1778.

Modern Readability (from a Historian’s Perspective)

The author’s non-chronological structure helps the reader understand how Anna’s prior experiences shape her current personality as she embarks on a harrowing journey to Valley Forge. In addition, the first-person point of view allows the reader to follow-along with her decision-making processes within the social constructs of the era. While there are flashbacks throughout the journey, the author keeps the current storyline moving and covers the relevant parts of Anna’s formative childhood and early adulthood.

While Anna is an exceptional figure in her time, I appreciate the author’s secondary focus on the ordinary lives of most Revolutionary-era colonists. Whereas most people associate this time with malcontents dumping tea in the harbor and militiamen joining together to fight on the frontlines, most individuals tried to keep farms and tradelines running and their families fed despite major economic pressures.

From a historian’s perspective, I also enjoyed the author’s upfront audit of her family’s history alongside commentary on the actual events unfolding around Anna in the Afterword. Authors frequently miss or dismiss the separation of fact from creative license within historical fiction novels and film (maybe audiences don’t like reading during the credits). Lawson’s balanced approach improves the quality and value of the historical narrative as audiences aren’t forced to interpret whether the author employs extreme hyperbole or wild fantasy to dramatize major themes. Overall, historical fiction enthusiasts with an eye toward factual themes should enjoy this novel.