This is the first book I’ve read by Kristin Hannah. I know, I know! In defense, my TBR pile is the size of a garden shed at this point so I’m doing the best I can.
The Four Winds begins in 1921, during the Great Depression, specifically in Texas centering around the Martinelli family. I’ve read many novels based during this time period but they were focused on the war. This book is focused on farmers battling the Dust Bowl. This story drops you into the center of the depression and what it was like for farmers and their families to survive the Dust Bowl. You feel the dust, the desperation, the determination to survive. Elsa, the main character, does not view herself as strong. She experiences tragedy that no human should experience.
I read this 448-page book in five days because I couldn’t stop reading it. I needed to know what happened with Elsa and her family. I felt like I was holding Elsa’s hand throughout her journey I didn’t want to let go as I turned the last page. This story will stay with me.
You will love this book if. . .
You’re a fan of historical fiction.
You like reading about strong female characters.
You like sweeping stories where a tissue is required throughout.
You’re a fan of Kristin Hannah. I need to read more of her books, now to decide which will be first.
If you’re like me and want to read more about this time period, visit Kristin Hannah’s website for her suggest readings.
“Hope is a coin I carry; an American penny, given to me by a man I came to love. There were times in my journey when it felt as if that penny and the hope it represented were the only things that kept me going.”
Elsa Wolcott in The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
At times, hope feels like a feather in your hand that the wind can steal at any moment. The feather gone when we most need it. We yell at the wind, “It’s not far, bring hope back!” But the wind howls back, “Look inside yourself. It’s always there.”
Even though this book was about a tragic time in our history, Hannah shows through her characters, we are stronger than we think. It seems like a fitting novel to read considering what we have experienced through the pandemic.
Have you read The Four Winds? What is your favorite Kristin Hannah book? Feel free to leave a note in the comment box below.
Happy Reading!
