Caroline

3.5/5 stars

It was an odd sensation, reading the story of leaving the Big Woods of Wisconsin for the Indian Territory of Kansas as seen through Caroline Ingalls's eyes. The book covers some of the same ground that I have found so troubling when re-reading the series as an adult: the attitudes of settlers to the native peoples who already had such a long, deep tie to the land that was being usurped. I appreciate that the author did not shy away from revealing those prejudices, but didn't excuse them, either. The one thing that struck me in the reading was how truly alone the women were while participating in these ventures. The fears that had to be faced seem great even (especially!) to a modern reader like me.

All in all, not a bad read, especially for fans of the original books.