As the book begins, what are the reader’s perceptions and/or beliefs about the role and place of women in military service?

A key component of the writer's authorial and thematic intention with this book is to offer perspectives on what women are capable of, when it comes to military service; to offer an example of a woman who achieved a great deal as a result of having confidence in her own capability; and to offer examples of the sort of misogynistic opposition that women in military service continue to face to this day. It is important for readers to understand their own perspectives on the subject before the narrative begins so that by the time the book concludes, readers can evaluate whether the author has realized those intentions.

As the book begins, what are the reader’s perceptions and/or beliefs about the role and place of women in military service? How does the image of Virginia driving against the tide of French refugees seem, even at this early stage of the narrative, to be a metaphor that applies to Virginia in general?