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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
dark
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
If I said I was obsessed with a book about the Donner Party would that be too dramatic? "Curiosity is just a variety of hunger. Hunger is just a variety of hope."
This was the first book by Allan Wolf that I've read and I am a big fan of his style of "narrative pointillism." Having read a few books about the Donner party already, this historical fiction provided a new emotional layer and understanding to the many interpersonal dynamics at play with this group of settlers. Not quite sure why it's classified as YA though as it features "characters" of all ages.
Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: Anyone Know Any Creepy Stories?
Drinking Buddy: 'Timothy'
MPAA Rating: R (cannibalism)
Talky Talk: Tales that Witness Madness
Bonus Factors: Starvation
Bromance Status: Dinner Date
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Anyone Know Any Creepy Stories?
Drinking Buddy: 'Timothy'
MPAA Rating: R (cannibalism)
Talky Talk: Tales that Witness Madness
Bonus Factors: Starvation
Bromance Status: Dinner Date
Read the full book report here.
Thank you so much to Candlewick Press for the Advanced Readers Copy. I enjoyed reading this book and learning more about the Donner Party. This wasn’t something I remember learning in school so it was nice to find out about this piece of history.
Here’s what I liked:
The different POV’s were really excellent. They flowed well and I found myself looking forward to certain characters passages. The sections that were narrated by Hunger were so well written and interesting. I marked a lot of lines that I wanted to write down. It was such a unique style of writing that I don’t normally read and I really appreciated how the book was laid out.
Here’s what I didn’t like:
It was a hard subject to read about during the heavy in the world (which in no way is the authors fault) so I may have to reread this at some point to see it in a different light.
Here’s what I liked:
The different POV’s were really excellent. They flowed well and I found myself looking forward to certain characters passages. The sections that were narrated by Hunger were so well written and interesting. I marked a lot of lines that I wanted to write down. It was such a unique style of writing that I don’t normally read and I really appreciated how the book was laid out.
Here’s what I didn’t like:
It was a hard subject to read about during the heavy in the world (which in no way is the authors fault) so I may have to reread this at some point to see it in a different light.
This was put on my radar by a fellow librarian friend, who knows my interest in both YA and grotesque history. It's a nice idea, but I think if I were going to introduce the story of the Donner Party to a teen, this wouldn't be the ideal starting place. I don't mind multiple points of view, but also I don't love blank verse, and the narrow focus on just a few of the members doesn't get the heart of it. This book is obviously excellently researched and there is an extensive bibliography at the end, which recommends The Indifferent Stars Above, which I read and LOVED a couple years ago, and executes the psychology of the various members better, even though it's nonfiction. I literally never stop thinking about how mindbreaking it is to draw cannibalism lots or the statistics about who is most likely to die of starvation.
Final word: if you already know about this history, I guess there's something to enjoy, but I wouldn't start here.
Final word: if you already know about this history, I guess there's something to enjoy, but I wouldn't start here.
This book was very interestingly written and very well handled. I feel like many people don’t know the true story about the Donner Party and really only know it as a cultural reference to cannibalism, but Wolf handled this tragic story with the care and complexity it deserved. He painted each person in a light that really shows the desperation they each had to simply survive. I appreciated his treatment of the Native American people, too, since their lands were being traipsed upon by travelers and overtaken by colonizers, yet they still tried to help. Wolf’s inclusion of many pages of source materials is a testament to his research and the careful planning he took in writing this book. A harrowing account of a tragic event in American history. I would highly recommend this historical fiction text.
The structure of the book was too haphazard for my linear brain, but those who can more easily track the jumping back and forth would surely rate it higher. I wanted to be wholly immersed in the story but it’s just not the right format for me to do so. I still came away with a better understanding of this historical event and extreme compassion for those brave souls who went to seek a better life.