In the voice of an unforgettable heroine, V.A. Shannon explores one of the most harrowing episodes in pioneer history—the ill-fated journey of the Donner Party—in a mesmerizing novel of resilience and survival. Mrs. Jacob Klein has a husband, children, and a warm and comfortable home in California. No one—not even her family—knows how she came to be out West thirteen years ago. Jacob, a kind … thirteen years ago. Jacob, a kind and patient man, has promised not to ask. But if she were to tell her story, she would recount a tale of tragedy, mishaps, and unthinkable choices—yet also sacrifice, courage, and a powerful, unexpected love . . .
1846: On the outskirts of Cincinnati, wagons gather by the hundreds, readying to head west to California. Among the throng is a fifteen-year-old girl eager to escape her abusive family. With just a few stolen dollars to her name, she enlists as helpmate to a married couple with a young daughter. Their group stays optimistic in the face of the journey’s hazards and delays. Then comes a decision that she is powerless to prevent: Instead of following the wagon train’s established route, the Donner Party will take a shortcut over the Sierras, aiming to clear the mountains before the first snows descend.
In the years since that infamous winter, other survivors have sold their accounts for notoriety and money, lurid tales often filled with half-truths or blatant, gory lies. Now, Mrs. Klein must decide whether to keep those bitter memories secret, or risk destroying the life she has endured so much to build . . .
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I have in the past read stories about the Donner party, and the horrific end to these people, but the author puts faces to theses travelers. All the while reading this it made me think of what we really take for granted.
At the very beginning we see that Mrs. Klein is in California, but we travel in her shoes, from the beginning of this book as a fifteen-year-old in Cincinnati Ohio and how she ends up on the wagon train, to her being married, a school teacher, a mom and wife.
Just like the old whispered game of telephone, how a story gets twisted, and how you know the actual facts, having been there, and how frustrating it must have been to see the truth twisted.
This book became a page-turner, and knowing part of the ending still kept me interested, and I was surely not disappointed.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Kensington Books, and was not required to give a positive review.
5 stars
This book is a fictional account of a true story. I, too, have read the novel The Hunger which is a very different take on what happened.
The story begins as the narrator, now a married woman living a quiet life in California with her husband Jacob and three daughters. She spends the day cooking, cleaning, gardening and spending time with her quilting bee friends.
When she receives a journal from Jacob at first she is afraid of writing anything down. But she picks up her pen and the story of her life pours out. She begins at age fourteen living with her abusive and drunk father and her mother who is selling herself and is also a drinker. When sold to a riverboat gambler, she pushes him away and he hits his head. She runs from the scene and joins a wagon train heading for California. She is taken in by the Keesbergs. She is rather loud mouthed and sarcastic at first, but gradually changes when she looks about her and realizes her lack of maturity and situation.
When an ill-fated decision to take a “shortcut” is made, the small party of wagons, including the Donners (who feel themselves somewhat superior to the rest), the Reeds (Mr. is so full of himself he is insufferable), Mr. Eddy (who tells tall tales and embroiders his every pronouncement), Mr. Hardkoop, the Breens and many others. Tempers begin to flare and several accusations are made. The people began to show their prejudices and perhaps their true colors.
The balance of the tale tells the story of a cruel winter spent in the mountains called the Sierra Nevada. There are several children with them. When they can’t go any further, they built shelter (such as it was), but ran out of food. All of the beef and horses left has been slaughtered and long since consumed. They were relieved by the intermittent arrivals of rescue parties, but not enough food was left. Some folk decided to walk out.
This tale is very sad – and somewhat hopeful. Ms. Shannon brought the individuals to life. In colorful and painstaking detail she recounts a horrible story of survival (at least for some). She describes the bitter cold, the depth of the snow and how heartrending and difficult the circumstances in those little ramshackle lean-tos were. She undertook very exhaustive and detailed research. The writing is very good, as is the plotting. I truly enjoyed this book, horrible as the subject matter was. I immediately went to Amazon to look for others of her novels.
I want to thank NetGalley and Kensington for forwarding to me a copy of this informative and well-researched book for me to read, enjoy and review.
Loved it!
Not the best-written book I ever read, but immensely informative!
Great story, with strong characters. Well written. I felt as if I were there throughout all the turmoil and strife. Well done!
Wow, wasn’t sure what to expect, I suppose a tad more happy emotion. But it was very descriptive, and I’m sure very accurate. It was a page turner…you just had to know what befell these brave pioneers next. Historical…..but not for the faint of heart. Obstacle….bravery, pure will to keep going.
It’s hard to imagine these times and the decisions made. They set off without any idea of what they were headed for – we have no idea!
I have never read about the historical journey that took the Donner Party cross country. It makes you think about how difficult life was in that time, let alone crossing the wild plains, desert, and mountains with all of their belongings including animals. Sad and tragic journey.
As a child I spent many summers vacationing at Donner Lake, so I already knew this story well. This novel is well researched, telling the story through the eyes of a young girl. I feel like I have an “insider’s” understanding of the story now.
I doubt that many people would like it, bu it was written about a part of our history.
Really liked this story
Not particularly believable characters. It is a fictional account of a fictional person, although the Donner party was real. The reality of the hardship did not appear, to me, to be true to reality. That is, in reality, I believe the conditions were worse than depicted.
This is the first book I have ever read about the tragic Donner Party and their decision to take a shortcut over the Sierras. The author brings the characters to life as they endure the travels to the land of milk and honey.
This story is set in the 1800’s when pioneers moved west for a better life. The author captures the voice of a young girl who escapes her abusive home life and tags along with a group of travelers heading for California. Eventually, they encounter the Donner party, and the book addresses the myths and mysticism surrounding the tragic event. I enjoyed the book as an enlightening revelation of a historical time.
I really liked this book.
This was an intriguing, well written and at times horrifying fictional account of the group of settlers who were known as the Donner Party and the terrible ordeal those people endured trying to get to California. The narrator is a woman who joined the group as a young girl running away from her troubled home in Cincinnati. She is taken in as an all around helper by a family with a young child and another on the way. The story of the trip westward unfolds with descriptions of scenery, daily duties, disagreements between individuals traveling in the group and the thinning of the population of the group as the weather gets bad and food becomes scarce. Eventually every decision becomes a matter of life and death. The narrator, Mrs. Jacob Klein, remembers everything she endured, and has kept secret from everyone she has met since she was rescued. An obviously dark story, but one I could not put down, as each choice made by the group put their lives in greater jeopardy. Strongly recommend.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a review copy. This is my honest opinion.
The Donner Party event told so realistic as if the reader were actually a witness.
I enjoyed the beginning of this book. Mrs. Klein receives a journal as a present from her husband. She writes about journeying to California with the Donner party. For the historical information given, I thought the author did a good job. The book, however, dragged on for me and did not build a connection for me with the characters. So for facts 3.5 stars and readability 2 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.