Fort Lafayette or, Love and Secession: A Novel

"Fort Lafayette or, Love and Secession: A Novel" by Benjamin Wood is a story set in the United States during the Civil War, focusing on love, competition, and the difficult choices people faced as the country split apart. The story centers on Oriana Weems, a young woman dealing with mixed feelings for different men while also dealing with the growing conflict around her. The story begins at Riverside manor in Virginia in 1861, where Oriana waits for her brother and his friend as the war begins. The reader meets Oriana, who is dealing with Seth Rawbon’s unwanted attention, and also finds herself drawn to Arthur Wayne. The start of the story pulls people into a time where personal feelings are tested by the world around them, making the reader eager to see how these relationships change as the war goes on.