Henry on the other hand is immediately likeable but comes from a life with almost no adversity. It’s easy to understand why he’s bitter and stoic, but he’s not terribly likeable at the beginning. He’s won his freedom and he’s been fighting in the war, but he’s used to white men saying just about anything (nice) to him without really meaning it. When he fights John and John bests him, he’s like, “Please just go ahead and kill me.” Can’t do that! Upon arrival he sees the Declaration of Independence and he’s smitten, so he uses his frivolity as a cover to mask gross incompetence in a bid to lose the war. Fortunately, his father sent him off to war to die or man up (either/or). He’s been told his whole life that he’s a frivolous waste of humanity, which is so sad. He talks incessantly about absolutely everything and makes up all kinds of stories on the spot. Henry is the younger son and life disappointment of a man who is obviously an aristocrat (read between the lines). Then he sees something and it’s like, “For real? I have to fight someone? Now? Ugh.” But he’s a man of principle so he’s fighting for his life while–his opponent is discussing the weather? What is the deal with this British officer? So John is fighting conservatively with a single-minded determination to get home. They’re freed slaves, and even though everybody says they’re fighting for these ideals in the Declaration of Independence, it’s pretty clear that society still thinks those ideals only apply to certain skin colors. All he wants to do is finish the war and get home safe. John is watching his fellows storm a redoubt (Or something…I’m not really a military history buff, so I’ll defer to Milan here… Everything she wrote made sense to me at the time…).

The scene is set at the Battle of Yorktown, opening as the fight is already well under way and the end is near. Heat Factor: One extremely hot encounter and a lot of longingĬharacter Chemistry: irrepressible chatterbox meets taciturn stoic, and it’s adorable

The Pursuit Of... by Courtney Milan