Reviews with content warning for Slavery - The Four Winds

I received a copy of this book as a gift.
"The Four Winds" follows Elsa Martinelli. Elsa has lived her entire life in Texas, and she is proud to work on the farmlands and earn a living for her family. Unfortunately, the land has been ravaged by crops, and the subsequent dust storms are becoming unbearable, especially for her youngest son. Elsa, like many people in the southern lands, must decide if she can risk staying for the land she loves, or if she must pack up and head to California in the hopes to start a better life.
This book was devastating and humbling. This history of America was not all that long ago, and it is appalling to see how quickly people turned on each other, and how greedy those with even a little bit of money were.
Elsa epitomized a strong, hard-working woman. Even when her situation felt absolutely desolate, she fought tooth and nail to provide for her children and to make the best of the situation they were in. I loved being able to read from the perspective of a woman during this time.
What stood out to me the most, and something that I think is still timely today, is the division of class. Those with money, even if it is a little bit, will do ANYTHING to keep it, even if that means mistreating their neighbors. Those at the very top will do ANYTHING to keep people in debt to them, so that people are always relaying on their "generosity". Additionally, it is so easy to lose everything, because life is unpredictable, and it is seemingly impossible odds to climb back out. Elsa finds herself unable to provide for her children, and even with meager government assistance, she is barely scrapping by. She is forced to go into insurmountable debt, or starve, and if she cannot afford to get ahead now, how will she ever get out of debt? This slippery slope is all too common today still, especially with the uncertainty that the pandemic brought.
This was my first book from Kristin Hannah, and I was blown away with how much I enjoyed it. Kristin seems to really research her novels for historical accuracy and really pours her heart and soul into the story.
I will definitely pick up more from Kristin Hannah in the future, and I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially more recent historical fiction.

Content Warnings

nurseann7161's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

Content Warnings

marybsimp's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Content Warnings

circe813's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

filipa_maia's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

WHAT A BOOK! Definitely not a book that I would choose myself... it was a 'book of the month' in a book box, that's why I bought it. Historical fiction is not a genre I gravitate towards... but I'm so happy I did! This was my first book by Kristin Hannah, and for what I've heard, every single book of hers is amazing.

This book broke my heart so many times and in so many ways: the tragedies that Elsa keeps encountering in her life are endless. How can someone be so resilient? I love the way Elsa is described, always so fragile, someone from whom people don't expect much in life... but I loved her since the day she bought that piece of red fabric. So many times, throughout the entire book, I feared so much for that family's survival... I was always on the edge. I understood how much I was "living" this story when that hairdresser gave Elsa and the kids some clothes... I felt that act of kindness as if it happened to me.

I can't stress enough how much I love Elsa's character. A woman who was put down and beaten up by life (and everyone around her) but somehow pulled trough. I don't feel like she was happy for one moment her entire life, but that never stopped her. She raise her kids and gave them the most important thing - love - and with that a future. This is what a truly strong female character looks like!

I can't wait to read another Kristin Hannah's book!

P.S.: Historical fiction is not very easy to read. If you're not interested in history, this might not be your kind of book. But I love to discover more about other countries' past. The way Kristin Hannah ends the book is brilliant: reminding us that we've faced bad things in the past and this will too pass, but we should never forget the old saying "When we forget the past we are doomed to repeat it".

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