'Tides_NN2 of_IO War'_NP1 plunges_VVZ into_II the_AT characters_NN2 who_PNQS made_VVD history_NN1 during_II the_AT Peninsular_JJ War_NN1 When_RRQ Americans_NN2 think_VV0 of_IO the_AT War_NN1 of_IO 1812_MC ,_, they_PPHS2 think_VV0 of_IO "_" The_AT Star-Spangled_JJ Banner_NN1 ,_, "_" the_AT Battle_NN1 of_IO New_NP1 Orleans_NP1 and_CC ,_, maybe_RR ,_, the_AT burning_JJ of_IO Washington_NP1 ,_, D.C._NP1 ,_, by_II British_JJ forces_NN2 in_II August_NPM1 of_IO 1814_MC ._. 
But_CCB the_AT War_NN1 of_IO 1812_MC was_VBDZ just_RR a_AT1 sideshow_NN1 to_II the_AT Napoleonic_JJ Wars_NN2 in_II Europe_NP1 and_CC Russia_NP1 ._. 
From_II that_DD1 series_NN of_IO conflicts_NN2 ,_, Stella_NP1 Tillyard_NP1 takes_VVZ as_CSA her_APPGE subject_NN1 the_AT Peninsular_JJ War_NN1 in_II Spain_NP1 and_CC Portugal_NP1 ._. 
Tillyard_NP1 has_VHZ chosen_VVN to_TO illuminate_VVI this_DD1 perhaps_RR strangely_RR forgotten_VVN episode_NN1 in_II the_AT endless_JJ history_NN1 of_IO European_JJ conflicts_NN2 because_CS it_PPH1 might_VM have_VHI been_VBN the_AT first_MD modern_JJ war_NN1 ._. 
Certainly_RR ,_, she_PPHS1 makes_VVZ the_AT case_NN1 that_CST the_AT war_NN1 in_II Spain_NP1 and_CC Portugal_NP1 was_VBDZ marked_VVN by_II brutality_NN1 ,_, horror_NN1 ,_, insurgency_NN1 and_CC confusion_NN1 about_II goals_NN2 ,_, aims_NN2 and_CC outcomes_NN2 ._. 
Whether_CSW ,_, as_CSA the_AT subject_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 novel_NN1 ,_, it_PPH1 is_VBZ of_IO compelling_JJ interest_NN1 to_II Americans_NN2 is_VBZ a_AT1 good_JJ question_NN1 ._. 
Tillyard_NP1 adopts_VVZ a_AT1 panoramic_JJ structure_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ is_VBZ natural_JJ to_II a_AT1 writer_NN1 primarily_RR known_VVN for_IF works_NN of_IO history_NN1 (_( in_II 2006_MC ,_, she_PPHS1 published_VVD "_" A_AT1 Royal_JJ Affair_NN1 :_: George_NP1 III_MC and_CC His_APPGE Troublesome_JJ Siblings_NN2 "_" )_) ._. 
The_AT time_NNT1 scale_NN1 of_IO "_" Tides_NN2 of_IO War_NN1 "_" is_VBZ about_RG 31_MC /_FO 2_MC years_NNT2 ,_, and_CC the_AT principal_JJ figures_NN2 mark_VV0 places_NN2 in_II the_AT vast_JJ landscape_NN1 :_: Among_II them_PPHO2 we_PPIS2 have_VH0 Arthur_NP1 Wellesley_NP1 ,_, the_AT Duke_NN1 of_IO Wellington_NP1 ;_; his_APPGE wife_NN1 ,_, Kitty_NP1 ;_; Nathan_NP1 Mayer_NP1 Rothschild_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 founder_NN1 of_IO the_AT Rothschild_NP1 family_NN1 banking_NN1 legacy_NN1 ;_; Frederick_NP1 Winsor_NP1 ,_, the_AT inventor_NN1 of_IO street_NN1 lighting_NN1 by_II31 means_II32 of_II33 coal_NN1 gas_NN1 ;_; and_CC the_AT painter_NN1 Francisco_NP1 Goya_NP1 ._. 
These_DD2 makers_NN2 of_IO history_NN1 are_VBR surrounded_VVN by_II more_RGR conventional_JJ characters_NN2 :_: Harriet_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 young_JJ woman_NN1 who_PNQS marries_VVZ James_NP1 Raven_NP1 just_RR before_CS he_PPHS1 leaves_VVZ for_IF the_AT war_NN1 ;_; Robert_NP1 Heaton_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS volunteers_NN2 ,_, is_VBZ wounded_VVN in_II battle_NN1 and_CC recovers_VVZ thanks_NN2 to_II ,_, perhaps_RR ,_, the_AT first_MD transfusion_NN1 ever_RR ;_; and_CC Thomas_NP1 Orde_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 weaver_NN1 who_PNQS returns_VVZ from_II the_AT horrors_NN2 of_IO battle_NN1 to_TO discover_VVI that_CST the_AT Industrial_JJ Revolution_NN1 has_VHZ put_VVN him_PPHO1 out_II21 of_II22 a_AT1 job_NN1 ._. 
The_AT war_NN1 makes_VVZ or_CC destroys_VVZ all_DB these_DD2 people_NN in_II specific_JJ ways_NN2 ._. 
Perhaps_RR the_AT most_RGT interesting_JJ are_VBR Wellington_NP1 and_CC Rothschild_NP1 ,_, important_JJ historical_JJ figures_NN2 who_PNQS are_VBR humanized_VVN here_RL --_NN1 their_APPGE actions_NN2 set_VVN into_II the_AT context_NN1 of_IO inner_JJ lives_NN2 that_CST turn_VV0 out_RP to_TO be_VBI as_RG contradictory_JJ and_CC routine_NN1 as_CSA those_DD2 of_IO the_AT lesser_JJ figures_NN2 ._. 
As_II a_AT1 historian_NN1 ,_, Tillyard_NP1 brings_VVZ a_AT1 good_JJ deal_NN1 of_IO expertise_NN1 to_II her_APPGE subject_NN1 ._. 
She_PPHS1 sees_VVZ those_DD2 tendrils_NN2 of_IO the_AT war_NN1 that_CST have_VH0 reached_VVN into_II our_APPGE time_NNT1 :_: the_AT effectiveness_NN1 of_IO guerrilla_NN1 action_NN1 ,_, the_AT perils_NN2 of_IO worker_NN1 unrest_NN1 ,_, the_AT appeal_NN1 of_IO technological_JJ innovation_NN1 ,_, the_AT dangers_NN2 and_CC promises_NN2 of_IO medical_JJ curiosity_NN1 ._. 
Above_II all_DB ,_, she_PPHS1 depicts_VVZ the_AT drive_NN1 toward_II independence_NN1 by_II women_NN2 of_IO all_DB classes_NN2 and_CC types_NN2 ._. 
The_AT classic_JJ happy_JJ ending_NN1 of_IO 19th-century_JJ British_JJ fiction_NN1 --_NN1 a_AT1 wedding_NN1 in_II which_DDQ love_VV0 and_CC money_NN1 come_VV0 together_RL --_NN1 is_VBZ not_XX possible_JJ for_IF any_DD of_IO these_DD2 characters_NN2 ,_, and_CC the_AT marriages_NN2 in_II "_" Tides_NN2 of_IO War_NN1 "_" are_VBR ,_, in_II fact_NN1 ,_, as_RG likely_JJ as_CSA those_DD2 we_PPIS2 know_VV0 in_II the_AT 21st_MD century_NNT1 to_TO be_VBI mistakes_NN2 ._. 
The_AT task_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 novel_NN1 such_II21 as_II22 this_DD1 must_VM be_VBI both_RR to_TO enlighten_VVI and_CC to_TO compel_VVI ._. 
New_JJ facts_NN2 or_CC theories_NN2 (_( or_CC forgotten_JJ ones_NN2 rediscovered_VVD )_) make_VV0 up_RP the_AT enlightening_JJ part_NN1 ,_, and_CC enticing_JJ characters_NN2 make_VV0 up_RP the_AT compelling_JJ part_NN1 ._. 
For_IF this_DD1 reason_NN1 ,_, historical_JJ novels_NN2 can_VM be_VBI risky_JJ business_NN1 ._. 
Because_II21 of_II22 the_AT book_NN1 's_GE structure_NN1 ,_, it_PPH1 takes_VVZ a_AT1 while_NNT1 for_IF the_AT reader_NN1 to_TO feel_VVI involved_JJ in_II "_" Tides_NN2 of_IO War_NN1 ._. "_" 
Harriet_NP1 ,_, for_REX21 example_REX22 ,_, comes_VVZ and_CC goes_VVZ too_RG quickly_RR to_TO engage_VVI us_PPIO2 in_II her_APPGE dilemmas_NN2 ._. 
When_CS she_PPHS1 does_VDZ make_VVI an_AT1 appearance_NN1 ,_, it_PPH1 is_VBZ often_RR more_RRR as_II an_AT1 example_NN1 of_IO young_JJ English_JJ womanhood_NN1 than_CSN as_II a_AT1 distinct_JJ personality_NN1 ._. 
Her_APPGE husband_NN1 ,_, James_NP1 ,_, is_VBZ even_RR paler_JJR ._. 
Nathan_NP1 Rothschild_NP1 and_CC the_AT Duke_NN1 of_IO Wellington_NP1 steal_VV0 the_AT show_NN1 ,_, in_RR21 part_RR22 because_CS the_AT ways_NN2 in_II which_DDQ their_APPGE minds_NN2 work_VV0 demonstrate_VV0 how_RRQ they_PPHS2 manage_VV0 to_TO distinguish_VVI themselves_PPX2 from_II their_APPGE peers_NN2 and_CC therefore_RR succeed_VV0 ._. 
Tillyard_NP1 seems_VVZ to_TO have_VHI a_AT1 better_JJR feel_NN1 for_IF Dorothy_NP1 Yallop_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 good-natured_JJ and_CC practical_JJ woman_NN1 ,_, and_CC Robert_NP1 Heaton_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 man_NN1 of_IO style_NN1 and_CC mystery_NN1 but_CCB also_RR ,_, we_PPIS2 discover_VV0 ,_, substance_NN1 ._. 
These_DD2 characters_NN2 work_VV0 because_CS they_PPHS2 are_VBR friendly_JJ and_CC appealing_JJ --_NN1 they_PPHS2 do_VD0 n't_XX have_VHI to_TO be_VBI fascinating_JJ ._. 
At_RR21 first_RR22 ,_, Tillyard_NP1 delivers_VVZ on_II the_AT battlefront_NN1 ._. 
Her_APPGE depiction_NN1 of_IO the_AT sacking_NN1 of_IO the_AT fortified_JJ city_NN1 of_IO Badajoz_NP1 ,_, which_DDQ not_XX only_RR claimed_VVN many_DA2 English_JJ lives_NN2 but_CCB also_RR resulted_VVN in_II an_AT1 orgy_NN1 of_IO violent_JJ rape_NN1 and_CC pillage_VV0 on_II41 the_II42 part_II43 of_II44 the_AT British_JJ soldiers_NN2 ,_, is_VBZ successfully_RR horrifying_JJ ._. 
But_CCB because_II21 of_II22 the_AT nature_NN1 of_IO war_NN1 in_II this_DD1 period_NN1 (_( slow_JJ and_CC intermittent_JJ )_) ,_, she_PPHS1 ca_VM n't_XX achieve_VVI any_DD momentum_NN1 ._. 
And_CC she_PPHS1 ca_VM n't_XX exploit_VVI the_AT inherent_JJ interest_NN1 of_IO the_AT guerrilla_NN1 campaigns_NN2 because_CS she_PPHS1 does_VDZ n't_XX adopt_VVI any_DD guerrillas_NN2 into_II her_APPGE list_NN1 of_IO characters_NN2 ._. 
Tillyard_NP1 is_VBZ ambitious_JJ and_CC precise_JJ in_II her_APPGE knowledge_NN1 of_IO historical_JJ detail_NN1 ,_, but_CCB in_II31 spite_II32 of_II33 her_APPGE readable_JJ style_NN1 ,_, she_PPHS1 does_VDZ n't_XX allow_VVI her_APPGE large_JJ subject_NN1 enough_RR space_VV0 to_TO develop_VVI ._. 
As_II the_AT Peninsular_JJ War_NN1 expands_VVZ ,_, and_CC her_APPGE characters_NN2 take_VV0 shape_NN1 ,_, she_PPHS1 addresses_VVZ each_DD1 issue_NN1 ever_RR more_RGR fleetingly_RR ._. 
"_" Tides_NN2 of_IO War_NN1 "_" is_VBZ a_AT1 likable_JJ novel_NN1 ,_, but_CCB if_CS Tillyard_NP1 had_VHD allowed_VVN herself_PPX1 to_TO go_VVI deeper_RRR ,_, it_PPH1 could_VM have_VHI been_VBN much_DA1 more_DAR than_CSN that_DD1 ._. 
Smiley_NN1 is_VBZ the_AT author_NN1 of_IO "_" Private_JJ Life_NN1 ,_, "_" "_" True_JJ Blue_JJ "_" and_CC many_DA2 other_JJ works_NN of_IO fiction_NN1 and_CC nonfiction_NN1 ._. 
