The Four Winds

Ever since I read the book Pachinko, by Min Lee Jin, I have been looking for another historical fiction book that has a heart-wrenching and warming character-driven plot. I officially found it!

Kristin Hannah's book, The Four Winds, immerses you into the Great Depression-era and follows the plights of the main character Elsa and her family. From growing up as a plain girl with no marriage prospects to becoming a mother of two children, it follows her migrating from a farm in Texas to the “greener land and prospects” of California. However, upon her and her children's arrival to California, they immediately face discrimination, poverty, and living in slums. It provides a vivid picture of worker camps, the fight to take part in the “American Dream,” and the power of a mother looking to provide a better life for her children.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It also brought me back to history class in high school with scenes about how the U.S. government came to educate farmers on better irrigation techniques and passing relief legislation. Each of the characters are beautifully built. Also, halfway through it shifts to focus the narrative around the Communist Party uprising, which was a large part of the '20s and '30s, and organized farmers, unemployed workers, and factory workers in light of the depression. I recommend this title for those looking for a great historical fiction book.