As in her other historical novels and biographies, Clapp presents a strong female protagonist—whether real or invented. The Tamarack Tree is the only novel in which she created the heroine—although Clapp used actual diary entries kept by a young woman during the siege to help create the character of Rosemary.

Even though Rosemary is faced with her mother's death, moving to a new country, and war, this is not a sad or depressing work. Rosemary is an optimist, and she believes in herself. She confronts her problems and deals with them the best she knows how and consequently becomes stronger through her adversity. She finds friends, romance, and courage. The story has a happy ending as Rosemary and Jeff, and Mary Byrd and Derek, fall in love and marry. It is a Hollywood ending to an historic chapter in American...