Book Details:
- Published Date: February 2, 2021
- Author: Kristin Hannah
- Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction
- Format: Hardcover (Book of the Month, February 2021/2021 Book of the Year)
- Length: 464 pages
By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as crops fail and water dries up and the earth cracks open. Dust storms roll relentlessly across the plains. Everything on the Martinelli farm is dying, including Elsa’s tenuous marriage; each day is a desperate battle against nature and a fight to keep her children alive.
In this uncertain and perilous time, Elsa—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or leave it behind and go west, to California, in search of a better life for her family.
The Four Winds is a rich, sweeping novel that stunningly brings to life the Great Depression and the people who lived through it—the harsh realities that divided us as a nation and the enduring battle between the haves and the have-nots. A testament to hope, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to survive adversity, The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.
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Historical fictions really aren’t my first go to when it comes to picking books that I would like to read, however, I decided to give this one a try. This book has literally been everywhere, lol. I kept seeing it on my Goodreads newsfeed, Amazon, etc. Then it started becoming a most voted favorite for 2021. Once I noticed that it was 2021 Book of the Year for Book of the Month, I decided to make it an add-on to my December Box.
I actually ended up liking this book, but towards the end I will say that I got kind of bored with it. This book takes place during The Great Depression, more specifically during the Dust Bowl time frame in Texas. I have never heard about the Dust Bowl until reading this book, so it was interesting to get a perspective on what it was like during that time.
This book is about Elsa. Elsa grew up in a family where she wasn’t treated the best. Her family didn’t really seem to care about her. Eventually, she gets a new family, but that life is filled with struggle and heartache, but she now has in-laws who love her and care for her. Down the line, when things start to become really rough for Elsa and her children, she decides to pack their things and head straight for California. It wasn’t as easy as she thought it would be though. She was out of Texas, but California came with it’s own set of struggles. While making friends a long the way and working to provide for her children, she has to find a way to work through those struggles.
I really did enjoy this book, but as I mentioned earlier, towards the end I did get kind of bored. Mostly because the book is really sad and depressing. You read this book hoping for the happiness or when things will get better for Elsa and her family, but it seems like a never ending cycle of sadness. However, the book was still and incredible read and it was written so well. The research that must have went into writing this book is definitely shown in the writing.
I do have other Historical Fiction genre books on my TBR, so I will be reviewing more books of this genre in the future.
My Rating:
Have you read The Four Winds? What do you think about the book?
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