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meb1202's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
sydk8's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Blood, and Grief
sizzlesteaks's review
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Slavery, Violence, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Blood, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Classism
Minor: Racial slurs and Sexism
erinwolf1997's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Slavery, Xenophobia, Abandonment, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Police brutality, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, and Pregnancy
sarahflanders's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Classism
lovelymisanthrope's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
"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.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Blood, Pregnancy, and Classism
Moderate: Gun violence
dylly_russell's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Death and Miscarriage
Moderate: Child death, Misogyny, and Blood
Minor: Physical abuse and Sexual content
jennaviolet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Death of parent, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Abandonment
themdash's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
sarahfeller's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic