Francis Grierson's "The Valley of Shadows" is a very special book published at the beginning of the previous century which describes the years of the Civil War in America. It is generally recognized that the novel produces a tremendous effect of its readers justifying its title of being one of the best short novels of that time. Grieson describes the life in America in Illinois before the Civil War, portents of war, the years before the presidency of Lincoln and the first years of him being a President. The style of the book is truly exceptional, it is lyrical, at the same time showing the the tensity of that period . The book is narrated from the children's point of view who is discovering the world with wonder and fear, that adds the charm to the book. It is even quite difficult to define the genre of the story. It combines humor with thriller and sufferings. The author paints his characters in minute detail so well that readers fall in love with the characters and the novel itself.