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A review by mbkarapcik
The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin
5.0
Melanie Benjamin focuses her attention on the long-forgotten Children's Blizzard, which devastated the Dakota territories and Great Plains on January 12, 1888. On a seemingly beautiful day, the winds started blowing, and the snow started piling up. Children returning home from school became lost and many severely injured. Some perished. Two young schoolteachers who are sisters take two different paths in deciding what to do with their students, one becoming a heroine and the other a pariah. Other characters round out the tale like a servant girl, a Northeastern newspaperman, and other notable persons.
Although the story can be harrowing at times and is definitely not escapist literature, it is powerful and examines the human condition. Many times, I felt like I was reading a heavy, more mature installment of Little House on the Prairie, but it featured way more depth. The stories draw you in because you're just hoping that everyone recovers from their injuries and their sorrow. It contains descriptive passages about the prairie and truly depicts the struggles during the storm. I could imagine the snow falling and the trepidation and indecision that both teachers feel.
At times, it can be very depressing, but that also makes for a good, realistic piece on this storm. It is not a story to be taken lightly or chosen for some light reading. In fact, this could work very well as a book club selection--there are so many factors to discuss.
Again, Melanie Benjamin produces a thoughtful portrayal of a historical event, but this time, it's not all glamour, but the true grit that's indicative of the challenges immigrants faced when becoming pioneers in a desolate place.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press, for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! It was a pleasure!
Although the story can be harrowing at times and is definitely not escapist literature, it is powerful and examines the human condition. Many times, I felt like I was reading a heavy, more mature installment of Little House on the Prairie, but it featured way more depth. The stories draw you in because you're just hoping that everyone recovers from their injuries and their sorrow. It contains descriptive passages about the prairie and truly depicts the struggles during the storm. I could imagine the snow falling and the trepidation and indecision that both teachers feel.
At times, it can be very depressing, but that also makes for a good, realistic piece on this storm. It is not a story to be taken lightly or chosen for some light reading. In fact, this could work very well as a book club selection--there are so many factors to discuss.
Again, Melanie Benjamin produces a thoughtful portrayal of a historical event, but this time, it's not all glamour, but the true grit that's indicative of the challenges immigrants faced when becoming pioneers in a desolate place.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press, for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! It was a pleasure!