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A review by thathappyreader
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
5.0
Have you ever experienced the sensation that you are reading something very special right from the first chapter of a book? That is the feeling I had with listening to the audiobook of The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. If you’re a fan of historical fiction, or want to read a book full of emotion, this is a must read.
The story begins in Texas in 1921. Elsa is a young woman whose been repeatedly told by her family that because of a heart ailment, and her advanced age of 25, that she will likely never marry. The farm community in which she lives is experiencing prosperous times, with farmers accumulating more land as the result of bumper crops. When she meets a young man from one of these farms who expresses his interest, her life changes and she becomes his wife and mother to their daughter Loreda.
The story then advances to 1934 to a time when millions are out of work and a drought devastates the Great Plains. The dust bowl era has taken away the livelihood of many men leaving families struggling to survive. Without giving too much of the story away, Elsa is required to take some meagre savings, a few belongings, and her children to try and find a better life in California. What they find in California is something very different then what they had expected.
The story is told from the dual narrative of Elsa and Loreda. The characters are so well developed that I couldn’t help but be fully engaged throughout the book. This pair really represented the strength and resilience of women at a time in history where being female meant being subservient. Elsa’s journey from one lacking confidence and self worth to one of strength and powerful leadership was particularly heartwarming. Indeed, my experience of reading this book was both emotional and memorable. The Four Winds reminds us of the challenges of the generations that came before us which lends perspective into the challenges of today’s pandemic world.
I listened to the audiobook format of the book which was narrated by Julia Whelan who gives an exceptional performance. Her clear articulation and cadence provided a realistic quality to voices of Elsa and Loreda. I listened to this audiobook at my usual 1.25x speed which provided a comfortable listening experience. I highly recommend this format to those readers who appreciate audiobooks, and feel it enhances an already incredible book.
The story begins in Texas in 1921. Elsa is a young woman whose been repeatedly told by her family that because of a heart ailment, and her advanced age of 25, that she will likely never marry. The farm community in which she lives is experiencing prosperous times, with farmers accumulating more land as the result of bumper crops. When she meets a young man from one of these farms who expresses his interest, her life changes and she becomes his wife and mother to their daughter Loreda.
The story then advances to 1934 to a time when millions are out of work and a drought devastates the Great Plains. The dust bowl era has taken away the livelihood of many men leaving families struggling to survive. Without giving too much of the story away, Elsa is required to take some meagre savings, a few belongings, and her children to try and find a better life in California. What they find in California is something very different then what they had expected.
The story is told from the dual narrative of Elsa and Loreda. The characters are so well developed that I couldn’t help but be fully engaged throughout the book. This pair really represented the strength and resilience of women at a time in history where being female meant being subservient. Elsa’s journey from one lacking confidence and self worth to one of strength and powerful leadership was particularly heartwarming. Indeed, my experience of reading this book was both emotional and memorable. The Four Winds reminds us of the challenges of the generations that came before us which lends perspective into the challenges of today’s pandemic world.
I listened to the audiobook format of the book which was narrated by Julia Whelan who gives an exceptional performance. Her clear articulation and cadence provided a realistic quality to voices of Elsa and Loreda. I listened to this audiobook at my usual 1.25x speed which provided a comfortable listening experience. I highly recommend this format to those readers who appreciate audiobooks, and feel it enhances an already incredible book.