Texas, 1934. Millions of people are out of work and with a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their lands and livelihoods as all of the crops are failing, herds are dying, water is drying up and the dust is threatening to bury them all. One of the darkest periods in American History of the Great Depression, during the dust bowl era and it has arrived with a vengeance.
In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli, like all of her neighbor's, must make the agonizing choice: to fight for the land that she loves or to go west to California in search of a better life. This novel is a indelible portrait of America and the quintessential American Dream as seen through the eyes of the powerful women whose courage and sacrifice which will come to define the generation.
I didn't know what to expect going into this novel but I did know that was going to enjoy it as I love Kristin Hannah and her writing style. I love the way that she builds the characters and their environments in a dynamic fashion which helps and enhances the story being told. There were times in this were i found myself laughing out loud and others i could not read the pages due to the tears which were streaming from my eyes. This was one of those stories which is endearing and crushing at the same time and Kirsten Hannah is one of the few authors who is able to make me feel every possible emotion from angers to love.
I love the way that Elsa and her families story is told which shows the determination and sacrifice which people during this time period had to endure. Kirsten Hannah makes this sound at times like a fairy tale and in others an epic journey which are both at opposite sides of the scale when writing. How does she do it? This is not an easy story to read and at times i thought that i would have to put it down, however i would highly recommend this to any one who loves historical fiction.
