A Question of Loyalty, by Barbara Greenwood, takes place in 1837, during the time of the Upper Canada Rebellion, led by William Lyon Mackenzie. Deborah is a teenager who finds a wounded young “rebel” (Dan) hiding in her family’s barn. Her family is on the other side of the conflict, and yet as she (and eventually her family) get to know Dan, they are sympathetic to him, even while disagreeing with his joining the rebels to bring about desired justice, and they end up doing their best to help him escape potential hanging.
Although the story is for teens, I enjoyed it and appreciate how it shows that life is nuanced, and that people on both sides of a conflict are human beings, wanting the same basic things of life. Deborah’s attitude toward the “rebel” changed as she heard his story. A good, light read.
