Kristin Hannah never fails to move me with her stories. The Nightingale and The Great Alone both left a lasting impression on me.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah was published in 2021 and was an instant New York Times number one bestseller and a 2022 Richard and Judy Book Club Pick.
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Plot
After a childhood of rejection, Elsa Martinelli has finally a place to call home. She has a family she adores and she enjoys her work on the family farm on the Great Plains.
However, in 1934, drought threatens everything Elsa has worked so hard to build. Facing poverty, her husband abandons Elsa and their children, in search of a better life for himself.
Devastated, Elsa must now make a heartbreaking decision. Stay and fight for the land she loves so much, or travel to California, where opportunities will surely be easier to come by.
Desperate to make the right decision for the health and future of her family, Elsa has to draw on every ounce of strength she possesses.
The Four Winds Book Review
Kristin Hannah’s writing never fails to move me. I love how she takes her time telling the story, drawing the reader in as she creates characters you can really care about.
The Four Winds was no exception. I empathised with Elsa, and her determination to do right by her family. As a mother, I can’t even imagine how terrifying her options were.
Elsa was strong and tenacious, although it took her a very long time to realise that herself. Her obsession with her looks, and how “ugly” she was, became a little irritating at times, but it highlighted just how much the lack of affection had impacted her confidence.
As with the other Kristin Hannah books I’ve read, this novel was beautifully written. The beauty of the writing contrasts starkly against the bleakness of the actual story. I lingered over quite a few lines throughout the book, including this one:
“Love is what remains when everything else is gone.”
It perfectly highlighted Elsa’s love for her children as every material belonging was taken away from her.
I previously knew very little about The Dust Bowl during the Great Depression in the 20th century and it was just so harrowing to read. Not just the part nature played in the devastating droughts, but also the cruelties dealt at the hands of their fellow humans.
I did feel that the author threw every awful experience she could think of at poor Elsa. It felt very bleak at times and I was just willing for happier times to arrive.
All the Kristin Hannah novels I’ve read have explored female relationships really well. I found the mother/daughter relationship between Elsa and her daughter to be really believable. There was tension and frustration, but the love was always there.
I found The Four Winds to be another hugely moving book by Kristin Hannah that will stay with me long after finishing it.
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