Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Reviewed by: Becky Houghton, Reference Assistant
Genre: Historical fiction
Suggested Age: Adults
What is this Book About? Elsa Wolcott, a banker’s daughter, had no idea what was ahead for her when she met Raffaello Martinelli in 1921. Elsa, a tall, gangly, “past marrying age” woman and 18-year old, college-bound Rafe meet and this meeting changes the course of both their lives. When a pregnant and disowned Elsa marries Rafe and moves to his family farm, she finds a very different life and a truly loving family. But then the depression hits and northern Texas becomes a dust bowl. This book details the hard times of the 1930’s for farmers whose land dried up and blew away leaving them with no way to make a living or care for their families. Eventually the migration to California draws Elsa and her family westward, but the “golden land of milk and honey” turns out to be anything but ideal for this family and the hundreds of others who migrated to the west. This is a story of love and struggle during the 1930’s in America.
My Review: I loved this book even though the story is not a pleasant one. Times were extremely difficult in the 1930’s and the realism of this book weighed heavily on my heart. Hannah portrays the characters and events with an emotional intensity that kept me reading even as I hated the struggles that the characters faced. Hannah is a wonderful storyteller who draws you into the times and lets you experience the perseverance and strength of her characters. Elsa’s bravery and determination combined with her deep capacity to love make this story one of courage and triumph in extremely hard times. I also learned more about that era in U.S. history and found myself seeking additional information about the actual events fictionalized here.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Heart-wrenching, Realistic, Compelling
Give This a Try if You Like: Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck or The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah.
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.
