Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

25 reviews

laurenleigh's review

emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Now that I’ve finally finished this, I’ve read the last three publications by Kristin Hannah. I was moved by TheNightingale, but these last two didn’t do it for me. If I had to sum them all up, it would be easy: “The hits just keep on coming.” Le sigh. This was not an enjoyable read. It was just one tragedy after another, which left me feeling tired, overwhelmed, and sadly, desensitized. By the time I reached the denouement, I had little energy left to really care all that much about what happened to these characters. There were certainly elements in this novel that I found enlightening, moments that left me feeling very grateful for all that I have and often take for granted. And I suppose I found the exploration of mother/daughter  relationships interesting. But that’s pretty much all I got out of this. I’m not at all bummed it’s over. Maybe I’ve just been reading too many tough topics lately!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death

Moderate: Gun violence and Blood

mandi4886's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, and Xenophobia

gm_vak's review

adventurous emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, and Violence

bobbijopmh's review

challenging emotional informative sad medium-paced

• 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

5.0

Fantastic read. Beautifully written and well-paced. This was the first of Kristin Hannah’s books I have read, and I was not disappointed. It is, at times, quite a confronting and heart-wrenching read, but it’s worth it!

Hannah’s writing is poetic, and lyrical, but at the same time succinct and easy to follow. The historical aspect of the book is clearly well researched and insightful. 

It is a story that is definitely relevant now. It has a lot to teach about avoiding a repeat of some of the mistakes of history in tough times. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Child death

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Police brutality, Miscarriage, Grief, and Excrement

Minor: Blood

hungryandhappy's review

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

*Netgalley arc*

Brutal, raw, emotional and hopeful. I don't think I can put into words all the feelings this book put me through. I was so lost just like Elsa, and infuriated, just like Loreda! I wanted to scream so loudly.

Elsa comes from a family that didn't give her love because, in their opinion, she was ugly so not worthy. She takes the love or what looks like it, from the first boy that's willing to give it to her and who sees her more than her parents do. This leads to Elsa marrying into a immigrant italian family of farmers in Texas.

It stops raining and things start looking horribly for the family and Elsa is left by her husband and she has to make a hard decision when the awful sandstorms and just too hot weather risk taking one of her kids away.

Elsa, her daughter Loreda and Ant, the little son, embark on a journey to look for a better life. What they find isn't better; they get treated worse than animals, underpaid, exploited, denied basic human rights, and more.

What touches you about the story is not only the events, that still happen too often, but the courage of this woman, left alone, who will do anything to give her kids a better life and future. The strength of these two women, mother and daughter, will make you cheer for them and will take you to an emotional journey like not many others.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Xenophobia, Violence, Sexual content, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Murder, Miscarriage, Hate crime, Gun violence, Grief, Death, and Child death