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A review by artemishi
Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
I'm a child of the 80's, and as such I love a good Oregon Trail story (seriously, all that Little House on the Prairie and playing Oregon Trail for computer class fostered it). And this is definitely a good Oregon Trail story!
Harmon starts the book with a pivotal turning point, then walks us back a few months to the start of the May family's exodus West. She didn't need to hook, as the story has plenty of adventure and challenges that kept me turning pages, as well as a delicious slow-burn romance. But it was effective! When the timeline caught up to that first teased moment, I actually went back to re-read it, then continued onward.
Although the action is external to the characters, how they handle each challenge and hardship highlights and supports their growth throughout the novel. I thought each character in this large cast acted realistically (given the era of the setting) and with the complex messiness that humans always have. Compassion was a running theme, but the author doesn't shy away from anger (justified or not) and grief. While it didn't make me cry, it did make me empathize with the characters (mostly John and Naomi, by design I assume).
The descriptions themselves show a lot of care was taken in the research, both for historical accuracy of the trail, forts, and historical figured met along the way, and for sensitivity to First Nations tribes depicted within the story. The author notes in her afterward that John is based on her husband's real ancestor, and I think her respect for the characters portrayed comes through in ensuring each is multi-faceted.
I definitely recommend it for fans of Historical Fiction, and also slow-burn romance that endures some massive hardships. Bonus- nobody died of dysentery.
(Read for the ClearUrShit and Magical Readathons, and because Shannon recommended it to me)
Harmon starts the book with a pivotal turning point, then walks us back a few months to the start of the May family's exodus West. She didn't need to hook, as the story has plenty of adventure and challenges that kept me turning pages, as well as a delicious slow-burn romance. But it was effective! When the timeline caught up to that first teased moment, I actually went back to re-read it, then continued onward.
Although the action is external to the characters, how they handle each challenge and hardship highlights and supports their growth throughout the novel. I thought each character in this large cast acted realistically (given the era of the setting) and with the complex messiness that humans always have. Compassion was a running theme, but the author doesn't shy away from anger (justified or not) and grief. While it didn't make me cry, it did make me empathize with the characters (mostly John and Naomi, by design I assume).
The descriptions themselves show a lot of care was taken in the research, both for historical accuracy of the trail, forts, and historical figured met along the way, and for sensitivity to First Nations tribes depicted within the story. The author notes in her afterward that John is based on her husband's real ancestor, and I think her respect for the characters portrayed comes through in ensuring each is multi-faceted.
I definitely recommend it for fans of Historical Fiction, and also slow-burn romance that endures some massive hardships. Bonus- nobody died of dysentery.
(Read for the ClearUrShit and Magical Readathons, and because Shannon recommended it to me)
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Sexual violence, and Violence