What do you think?
Rate this book
The Letter #1
The Last Letter
Katherine wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t found the letter...
Katherine Arthur's mother arrives on her doorstep, dying, forcing her to relive a past she wanted to forget. When Katherine was young, the Arthur family had been affluent city dwellers until shame sent them running for the prairie, into the unknown. Taking her family, including young Katherine, to live off the land was the last thing Jeanie Arthur had wanted, but she would do her best to make a go of it. For Jeanie's husband Frank it had been a world of opportunity. Dreaming, lazy Frank. But, it was a society of uncertainty—a domain of natural disasters, temptation, hatred, even death.
Ten-year-old Katherine had loved her mother fiercely, put her trust in her completely, but when there was no other choice, and Jeanie resorted to extreme measures on the prairie to save her family, she tore Katherine’s world apart. Now, seventeen years later, and far from the homestead, Katherine has found the truth – she has discovered the last letter. After years of anger, can Katherine find it in her heart to understand why her mother made the decisions that changed them all? Can she forgive and finally begin to heal before it’s too late?
Katherine Arthur's mother arrives on her doorstep, dying, forcing her to relive a past she wanted to forget. When Katherine was young, the Arthur family had been affluent city dwellers until shame sent them running for the prairie, into the unknown. Taking her family, including young Katherine, to live off the land was the last thing Jeanie Arthur had wanted, but she would do her best to make a go of it. For Jeanie's husband Frank it had been a world of opportunity. Dreaming, lazy Frank. But, it was a society of uncertainty—a domain of natural disasters, temptation, hatred, even death.
Ten-year-old Katherine had loved her mother fiercely, put her trust in her completely, but when there was no other choice, and Jeanie resorted to extreme measures on the prairie to save her family, she tore Katherine’s world apart. Now, seventeen years later, and far from the homestead, Katherine has found the truth – she has discovered the last letter. After years of anger, can Katherine find it in her heart to understand why her mother made the decisions that changed them all? Can she forgive and finally begin to heal before it’s too late?
372 pages, Nook
First published February 15, 2011
1574 people are currently reading
2674 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Shoop
49 books1,126 followersBestselling author, Kathleen Shoop, holds a PhD in reading education and has more than 20 years of experience in the classroom. She writes historical fiction, women’s fiction and romance. Shoop’s novels have garnered various awards in the Independent Publisher Book Awards, Eric Hoffer Book Awards, Indie Excellence Awards, Next Generation Indie Book Awards and the San Francisco Book Festival. Kathleen has been featured in USA Today and the Writer’s Guide to 2013. Her work has appeared in The Tribune-Review, four Chicken Soup for the Soul books and Pittsburgh Parent magazine. She lives in Oakmont, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 305 reviews
October 14, 2013
This book drove me a little crazy. I read the whole thing because I wanted to find out why Katherine was so mad at her mother, which is never revealed until the end, of course. I also wanted to know what life was like on the South Dakota prairie as it was first being settled. I have never read much on that. I study my family history/genealogy and have become very interested in settlers' life in the U.S. However, this book was extremely tedious and repetitive. The author really needs a good professional, unbiased editor!
The protagonist's emotional state was wrung out over and over and over again. Her disgust with her husband was way over-indulged in. I got the point after the third or fourth telling, and yet the author felt the need to write it again and again with only minor nuances in each telling. I felt like if I had to read that she bit the inside of her cheek one more time, I'd throw up.
The number of disasters that happened on the prairie were horrendous in the first year of the settlers' life there. I suppose it might be possible to have that many befall a family in one year, but I found it difficult to believe. It was a very depressing book--not so much because of the story but because of the repetitive writing.
I don't recommend this book until it gets some professional editing. I have to say that I'm thankful I did not pay much for it as I got it on the cheap for my kindle.
The protagonist's emotional state was wrung out over and over and over again. Her disgust with her husband was way over-indulged in. I got the point after the third or fourth telling, and yet the author felt the need to write it again and again with only minor nuances in each telling. I felt like if I had to read that she bit the inside of her cheek one more time, I'd throw up.
The number of disasters that happened on the prairie were horrendous in the first year of the settlers' life there. I suppose it might be possible to have that many befall a family in one year, but I found it difficult to believe. It was a very depressing book--not so much because of the story but because of the repetitive writing.
I don't recommend this book until it gets some professional editing. I have to say that I'm thankful I did not pay much for it as I got it on the cheap for my kindle.
May 24, 2022
Due to their circumstances changing the Arthur family leave city life in Des Moines in Iowa and move to the prairie in the Dakota Territory. Nothing could prepare Jeanie for how far they are from civilization and the dirt floor Soddy that her lazy husband Frank expects her and the children to live in.
The closest neighbors visit, Howard Templeton, the Zurchenko family, the Hunt’s and sisters Ruthie and Lutie Moore. To survive on the prairie you need to help each other and the group of settlers decide to form a cooperative and share the work load.
It’s an extremely harsh place and life, natural disasters strike, wild-fires, a grasshopper plague, dust and ice storms and the winters are long and freezing. I have heard about people going crazy living on the prairie, I can now understand why and each family loses someone to sickness and accidents. Morale is very low, this causes members of the cooperative to make bad decisions, have mental health issues and leave.
Jeanie Arthur was forced to make a difficult choice in 1888, to save her eleven year old twins Katherine and Tommy. Young Katherine didn’t understand, she’s spent seventeen years being mad at her mother, she vows to never forgive her, now her mother is dying, she needs her, and her younger sister Yale will be on her own.
Katherine saved some slightly burnt letters of her mothers, they have been sitting in a trunk in her attic for years, she reads about her parent’s courtship, time they spent living on the prairie and the last letter contains a shocking secret.
I received a copy of The Last Letter by Kathleen Shoop from NetGalley CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform in exchange for an honest review. It’s a story about hardship, hatred, greed, isolation, loss, death, depression, infidelity and the consequences, misunderstanding and forgiveness. I look forward to reading the next book in the series to see what happens to the Arthur family, three stars and a half stars from me and the book was originally released in 2011.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KarrenReadsH...
The closest neighbors visit, Howard Templeton, the Zurchenko family, the Hunt’s and sisters Ruthie and Lutie Moore. To survive on the prairie you need to help each other and the group of settlers decide to form a cooperative and share the work load.
It’s an extremely harsh place and life, natural disasters strike, wild-fires, a grasshopper plague, dust and ice storms and the winters are long and freezing. I have heard about people going crazy living on the prairie, I can now understand why and each family loses someone to sickness and accidents. Morale is very low, this causes members of the cooperative to make bad decisions, have mental health issues and leave.
Jeanie Arthur was forced to make a difficult choice in 1888, to save her eleven year old twins Katherine and Tommy. Young Katherine didn’t understand, she’s spent seventeen years being mad at her mother, she vows to never forgive her, now her mother is dying, she needs her, and her younger sister Yale will be on her own.
Katherine saved some slightly burnt letters of her mothers, they have been sitting in a trunk in her attic for years, she reads about her parent’s courtship, time they spent living on the prairie and the last letter contains a shocking secret.
I received a copy of The Last Letter by Kathleen Shoop from NetGalley CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform in exchange for an honest review. It’s a story about hardship, hatred, greed, isolation, loss, death, depression, infidelity and the consequences, misunderstanding and forgiveness. I look forward to reading the next book in the series to see what happens to the Arthur family, three stars and a half stars from me and the book was originally released in 2011.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KarrenReadsH...
June 25, 2011
After reading all the raving reviews about this book, I really thought I would enjoy it. The book is loosely based on the author's great great grandparents and the letters they wrote back and forth. It is set in the 1800's and talks of the horrible way of prairie life.
Jeannie and Frank have to move. They can no longer be the upstanding socialites of Des Moines after what Frank and Daddy did. They decide to give homesteading a go. Tragedy after tragedy leads these characters down depressing roads. Can love be recovered? Can forgiveness be given?
This book was so tragic that it became boring to me. I almost put it down but I just had to know so I kept reading. The book is written so that Katherine is having flashbacks to the family's time on the prairie. I have never really enjoyed books that are written in this manner. Jeannie's character is forced to the point that I have no sympathy for her whatsoever. The only character I really enjoyed was James.
I will say that the ending somewhat surprised me and I'm glad I finished this one. Others may have more of an appreciation for this but it just wasn't for me.
Thank you to Jessica Hickam for providing a review copy.
Jeannie and Frank have to move. They can no longer be the upstanding socialites of Des Moines after what Frank and Daddy did. They decide to give homesteading a go. Tragedy after tragedy leads these characters down depressing roads. Can love be recovered? Can forgiveness be given?
This book was so tragic that it became boring to me. I almost put it down but I just had to know so I kept reading. The book is written so that Katherine is having flashbacks to the family's time on the prairie. I have never really enjoyed books that are written in this manner. Jeannie's character is forced to the point that I have no sympathy for her whatsoever. The only character I really enjoyed was James.
I will say that the ending somewhat surprised me and I'm glad I finished this one. Others may have more of an appreciation for this but it just wasn't for me.
Thank you to Jessica Hickam for providing a review copy.
July 18, 2011
This is one of those rare books I couldn't wait to get back to each time I had to take a break from reading. Jeanie Arthur is a proud woman who has been forced to abandon a successful and comfortable life in Des Moines to start over in the Dakotas. Unfortunately, her husband Frank is more of a dreamer than a doer and Jeanie's frustrations mount as he repeatedly fails to be the reliable foundation that she so much needs in an unforgiving environment. The tragedies that afflict this family are palpable and time and again Jeanie's intuition reveals what her logic defies.
The characters are vividly drawn, each in their own way. Even as Jeanie struggles with the circumstances that befall them, it's easy to understand the conflict she feels: wanting to keep her family together despite Frank's shortcomings.
The Last Letter is about far more than pioneers hewing a life out of a savage land; it is about weighing mores against the yearnings of the heart, about enduring against relentless tragedy, and about pride vs. truth. This is one of the most compelling historicals I've read in quite some time. I won't soon forget it.
The characters are vividly drawn, each in their own way. Even as Jeanie struggles with the circumstances that befall them, it's easy to understand the conflict she feels: wanting to keep her family together despite Frank's shortcomings.
The Last Letter is about far more than pioneers hewing a life out of a savage land; it is about weighing mores against the yearnings of the heart, about enduring against relentless tragedy, and about pride vs. truth. This is one of the most compelling historicals I've read in quite some time. I won't soon forget it.
June 27, 2011
4.5 stars
The Last Letter is a riveting, beautifully written debut novel inspired by letters from the author's great-great grandmother. I literally couldn't put it down but ultimately it's not a feel good story, it's harsh and heart-breaking but it evoked strong emotions and that's a great read in my humble opinion.
Shoop spares no detail depicting the bitter realities of prairie life, the unforgiving landscape and weather, the relentless struggle, the arduous challenges with hygiene and heating, grasshopper plagues, prairie fires, and the Children’s Blizzard of 1888. Tragedy and heartache become second nature for many of the settlers and I found myself crying at the unbearable sadness of it all.
I admired the indomitable spirit of Jeanie Arthur and others in their co-operative but wanted to jump through the pages of the book and give her husband, Frank a swift kick to his nether region. Jeanie's fierce love for her children & protective instincts were a stark contrast to Frank's selfish indifference. Protecting her husband's worthless character and holding secrets close inspires intense bitterness in Jeanie's children, particularly Katherine but reading this vivid account, becoming invested in the lives of the characters, the author allows us to "walk a mile in their shoes" and look at their decisions and motivations with empathy.
Harrowing reading but oh so worth it.
The Last Letter is a riveting, beautifully written debut novel inspired by letters from the author's great-great grandmother. I literally couldn't put it down but ultimately it's not a feel good story, it's harsh and heart-breaking but it evoked strong emotions and that's a great read in my humble opinion.
Shoop spares no detail depicting the bitter realities of prairie life, the unforgiving landscape and weather, the relentless struggle, the arduous challenges with hygiene and heating, grasshopper plagues, prairie fires, and the Children’s Blizzard of 1888. Tragedy and heartache become second nature for many of the settlers and I found myself crying at the unbearable sadness of it all.
I admired the indomitable spirit of Jeanie Arthur and others in their co-operative but wanted to jump through the pages of the book and give her husband, Frank a swift kick to his nether region. Jeanie's fierce love for her children & protective instincts were a stark contrast to Frank's selfish indifference. Protecting her husband's worthless character and holding secrets close inspires intense bitterness in Jeanie's children, particularly Katherine but reading this vivid account, becoming invested in the lives of the characters, the author allows us to "walk a mile in their shoes" and look at their decisions and motivations with empathy.
Harrowing reading but oh so worth it.
May 16, 2011
This book was so good. It broke your heart, made you believe in the human spirit, and a families love. There were so many twists and turns I could not put it down and stayed up way to late as I was lost in it. The imagery the author uses takes you right back through time to make you feel as though you have traveled through time and are actually there with the characters. You feel their pain, their anger, their love, their losses and their gains. Very well done.
January 9, 2018
At first I liked this book and found it to be very different. The premise is somewhat ridiculous of a married woman living with her family in a fine home in the 1800s. She finds that due to circumstances she must move to the prairie where her husband has found a home for them they could afford even though now penniless. The Home turns out to be a type of dug out hole in the ground. Every wall, the floor and ceiling are made from dirt. I guess this was the same accommodations that the Norwegian settlers lived in when first coming to the cold northern territories. (Read, My Antonia for a more realistic book.).
Anyway, our protagonist Jeanie can’t decide if she loves her sexy and handsome charmer of a husband or not. She does and then he disappoints her and she doesn’t, then she gives him the benefit of a doubt and loves him, then hates him. Meanwhile she is doing all of the work with little help from her unrealistic clod of a husband. He sees little wrong living in their new hole in the ground. Yes, I know it sounds silly but you ain’t heard nuthin yet. By the time I was about 50 pages from the conclusion, I just didn’t know if I could go on anymore. The situation kept going from bad to worse until it was finally becoming too ridiculous to pretend it was even plausible anymore. There were so many typos in the book that I think whoever edited this went to sleep and just couldn’t pay attention anymore.
I gave the book two stars and not one because at first I was caught up in what would happen to this poor woman and I thought the book would make more sense. So because of my being absorbed in the first third of the story I generously gave the author two stars and not one. The book is almost so ludicrous at the end that it became funny. Sad to say but you might get a laugh out of this one.
Anyway, our protagonist Jeanie can’t decide if she loves her sexy and handsome charmer of a husband or not. She does and then he disappoints her and she doesn’t, then she gives him the benefit of a doubt and loves him, then hates him. Meanwhile she is doing all of the work with little help from her unrealistic clod of a husband. He sees little wrong living in their new hole in the ground. Yes, I know it sounds silly but you ain’t heard nuthin yet. By the time I was about 50 pages from the conclusion, I just didn’t know if I could go on anymore. The situation kept going from bad to worse until it was finally becoming too ridiculous to pretend it was even plausible anymore. There were so many typos in the book that I think whoever edited this went to sleep and just couldn’t pay attention anymore.
I gave the book two stars and not one because at first I was caught up in what would happen to this poor woman and I thought the book would make more sense. So because of my being absorbed in the first third of the story I generously gave the author two stars and not one. The book is almost so ludicrous at the end that it became funny. Sad to say but you might get a laugh out of this one.
Want to read
May 23, 2011My Thoughts:
I was immediately drawn into this story and couldn't stop thinking about it until I turned the very last satisfying page. There were a few things that surprised me while reading this one.
I've been blown away by debut books this year....literally blown away and this one is no exception!
There is no way that I could've survived out in the prairie. My hats off to all of the pioneer men and women who braved the elements and were able to carve out a life for themselves in this harsh and unforgiving landscape.
Weather is deceitful. One minute the sun is shining and the next thing you know locusts are blocking out the sun and descending from what seems like nowhere to eat and destroy everything you've worked so hard to acquire.
The Children's Blizzard of 1888 is harrowing...reading about it scared me.
Being a mother was a cruel and thankless job. There was so much heartbreak for a woman...I just don't know if I would have been strong enough to endure this life.
This is the book for all of you who grew up reading Laura Ingalls Wilder and wanting to be just like Laura. Except, this is a grown-up version of Little House on the Prairie.....it's stark, harsh, truthful, and the storyline keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Recommend? Absolutely!!! For those that have an ereader this book is only 99 cents!!! It will be the best dollar you spend....I guarantee it! I judge a book on whether or not it elicits emotion from me...this one did!
Kindle Link
Nook Link
I was immediately drawn into this story and couldn't stop thinking about it until I turned the very last satisfying page. There were a few things that surprised me while reading this one.
I've been blown away by debut books this year....literally blown away and this one is no exception!
There is no way that I could've survived out in the prairie. My hats off to all of the pioneer men and women who braved the elements and were able to carve out a life for themselves in this harsh and unforgiving landscape.
Weather is deceitful. One minute the sun is shining and the next thing you know locusts are blocking out the sun and descending from what seems like nowhere to eat and destroy everything you've worked so hard to acquire.
The Children's Blizzard of 1888 is harrowing...reading about it scared me.
Being a mother was a cruel and thankless job. There was so much heartbreak for a woman...I just don't know if I would have been strong enough to endure this life.
This is the book for all of you who grew up reading Laura Ingalls Wilder and wanting to be just like Laura. Except, this is a grown-up version of Little House on the Prairie.....it's stark, harsh, truthful, and the storyline keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Recommend? Absolutely!!! For those that have an ereader this book is only 99 cents!!! It will be the best dollar you spend....I guarantee it! I judge a book on whether or not it elicits emotion from me...this one did!
Kindle Link
Nook Link
August 18, 2021
Picked this up from Amazon for under $1, and it's been sitting on my Kindle half of forever. The other half of forever is how long it felt like I was reading it. I ended up skimming the second half just so I could say I finished it.
Most of the chapters were the same arguments and sniveling/kvetching by one-dimensional characters interspersed with huge catastrophic events that came out of nowhere and were over in a blink. The husband is a lazy, possibly bipolar, jerk, and the wife is a capable, but sniveling, enabler with a martyr complex. The kids all talk like adults, and most of the adults act like children. I found myself wishing the next disaster would just do away with all of them and get it over with, but the dual time line in the narrative gave no hope of that. The plot twist barely makes any sense in the timeline, and you could almost skip the first 9/10s of the book and figure the whole thing out with just the last three chapters.
Usually I'm willing to cut some slack to an author writing a story based (however loosely) on family history, and flirted with going with two stars. Then I saw that the author notes indicate she has a PhD in reading. One would assume someone with a PhD knows how to proofread or knows that it's not her strength and outsources the task. Apparently not. The number of typos in the book (missing punctuation, homonym word errors, and typos) made it read like an early draft.
Most of the chapters were the same arguments and sniveling/kvetching by one-dimensional characters interspersed with huge catastrophic events that came out of nowhere and were over in a blink. The husband is a lazy, possibly bipolar, jerk, and the wife is a capable, but sniveling, enabler with a martyr complex. The kids all talk like adults, and most of the adults act like children. I found myself wishing the next disaster would just do away with all of them and get it over with, but the dual time line in the narrative gave no hope of that. The plot twist barely makes any sense in the timeline, and you could almost skip the first 9/10s of the book and figure the whole thing out with just the last three chapters.
Usually I'm willing to cut some slack to an author writing a story based (however loosely) on family history, and flirted with going with two stars. Then I saw that the author notes indicate she has a PhD in reading. One would assume someone with a PhD knows how to proofread or knows that it's not her strength and outsources the task. Apparently not. The number of typos in the book (missing punctuation, homonym word errors, and typos) made it read like an early draft.
February 26, 2022
Rating: 5 Stars!!
Review:
Thank you to Books Forward for sending me a FREE Audio Arc Copy to review for them earlier this month!!
This was my first time reading a book by Kathleen so i wasnt sure what to expect but MAN i did not expect it to be such an Emotional Rollercoaster that it was.
The Characters were so interesting to read about. I felt bad for Katherine's mom tho i could see why Katherine was the way she was to her mom cause Yale should of told Katherine about that letter before she did.
The Setting was beautifully described which made me feel like i was actually in 1800s Des Moine Iowa especially when the scenery was described.
Overall a Phenomenal Historical Fiction Book that i will definately read more of by Kathleen!!
Review:
Thank you to Books Forward for sending me a FREE Audio Arc Copy to review for them earlier this month!!
This was my first time reading a book by Kathleen so i wasnt sure what to expect but MAN i did not expect it to be such an Emotional Rollercoaster that it was.
The Characters were so interesting to read about. I felt bad for Katherine's mom tho i could see why Katherine was the way she was to her mom cause Yale should of told Katherine about that letter before she did.
The Setting was beautifully described which made me feel like i was actually in 1800s Des Moine Iowa especially when the scenery was described.
Overall a Phenomenal Historical Fiction Book that i will definately read more of by Kathleen!!
December 14, 2015
What a book and what an absolute impact it had on me. A very moving and emotional read and I loved every minute of this wonderful and powerful story. This is the very first book I have read by Kathleen Shoop, I have read so many positive reviews on her writing skills that I really wanted to read one of her books and after reading the description I knew this was the one. This story had me hooked, took hold of me and transported me into the story and into the prairie life. I felt all the emotions within it, sadness, joy, loss, grief, anger, frustration, my heart felt as if it was actually about to break as I became completely overwhelmed.
There is so much of this story that I want to share with you to give you a taste of it yet to spoil the story for you is not what I am going to do.
The story follows Jeanie, a caring mother and a duty bound wife. Jeanie had everything, a family to be proud of, social standing and all the money and comforts one would need until the scandal hit and she finds she has to leave everything behind to save her family through no fault of her own. She loyally goes with her husband, Frank, and children to start their new unknown life, to live in a dug out on the wild, harsh and unforgiving prairie. Despite everything Jeanie wants the best for her children and continues to believe in keeping up appearances even when faced with the lack of love and the growing resentment towards Frank. She is determined that they will survive each cruel blow that life and the hard prairie life brings their way. Jeanie will do what needs to be done for her family to survive.
Katherine, eldest daughter of Jeanie is now grown up, married with children of her own and the date is 1905. She has lived almost all of her adult life feeling nothing but anger resentment for her mother Jeanie, because of unanswered questions. Her husband persuades Katherine to now take in her dying mother along with her younger sister, Yale. Along with them comes letters from the past, will these help Katherine finally piece together those tormented events.
Katherine Shoop's writing is superb, your scooped up into the story and the reason I think I felt so emotional was the pure connection the author makes happen between the reader and characters. I have to admit one of my favourite television programmes while growing up was, well actually still is, Little House on the Prairie with Joe and Caroline Ingalis, that was the romantic side of living on the prairie what you will find in this book is the tough reality and the way the author describes the events makes it so vivid and totally believable.
I have found another book from reviewing that I will cherish forever, I will read this again without a doubt and am desperately awaiting the next book in the series from this amazing author.
There is so much of this story that I want to share with you to give you a taste of it yet to spoil the story for you is not what I am going to do.
The story follows Jeanie, a caring mother and a duty bound wife. Jeanie had everything, a family to be proud of, social standing and all the money and comforts one would need until the scandal hit and she finds she has to leave everything behind to save her family through no fault of her own. She loyally goes with her husband, Frank, and children to start their new unknown life, to live in a dug out on the wild, harsh and unforgiving prairie. Despite everything Jeanie wants the best for her children and continues to believe in keeping up appearances even when faced with the lack of love and the growing resentment towards Frank. She is determined that they will survive each cruel blow that life and the hard prairie life brings their way. Jeanie will do what needs to be done for her family to survive.
Katherine, eldest daughter of Jeanie is now grown up, married with children of her own and the date is 1905. She has lived almost all of her adult life feeling nothing but anger resentment for her mother Jeanie, because of unanswered questions. Her husband persuades Katherine to now take in her dying mother along with her younger sister, Yale. Along with them comes letters from the past, will these help Katherine finally piece together those tormented events.
Katherine Shoop's writing is superb, your scooped up into the story and the reason I think I felt so emotional was the pure connection the author makes happen between the reader and characters. I have to admit one of my favourite television programmes while growing up was, well actually still is, Little House on the Prairie with Joe and Caroline Ingalis, that was the romantic side of living on the prairie what you will find in this book is the tough reality and the way the author describes the events makes it so vivid and totally believable.
I have found another book from reviewing that I will cherish forever, I will read this again without a doubt and am desperately awaiting the next book in the series from this amazing author.
May 5, 2011
What a great book! Seriously, go get a copy and read it. Shoot it's only 99cents as an e-book!
This story is AWESOME. Let's start at the beginning, the cover is very simple, with the young girl in a simple white dress on the prairie. The story itself has excellent flow and the words are woven so that I would at times forget I was reading and just see the story move through me.
There are 2 main characters in this book. Katherine, the daughter and Jeanie, her mother. It starts in Des Moines, Iowa in 1905 with Katherine and her husband, Aleksey. He brings her mother and her mentally challenged sister, Yale to live with them. His idea because Katherine has never forgiven her mother for breaking up the family. Her mother is dying of cancer, but Katherine is really bitter.
It then jumps back to 1887 in the Dakota territory. Jeanie and her husband Frank have just arrived on the prairie to start a new life. Running away from the shame she faced surrounding her father's death and business dealings. Unfortunately she learns that life here is far too rough and unforgiving to allow for a man to be lazy and moody - which she comes to realize Frank is. Actually what she figures out is she no longer has the time to cover for him. They are lucky that they end up with great neighbors and form a cooperative to help each other.
Now Frank pulls some other stuff beyond just being a lazy-good-for-nothing and why she doesn't just push him down a hole, I'll never know. They had 3 children when they came and she was pregnant with another. Having had a hard time with all previous pregnancies, she does her best with what she has. The baby is born very early, too early but Jeanie fights for her Yale. This woman fights, and fights and fights for her children, and the 2 that were with her that year in the Dakotas grew up hating and resenting her for driving their father away.
It is a sad tale, although still beautiful. I also enjoyed all the detail of what a hard life it was to be a pioneer in the Dakotas. How people made a success of it was in part just pure dumb luck, because the land doesn't seem to help at all.
So, go pick up this book - I am giving it 5 stars and permanently adding it to my library to enjoy again and again.
This story is AWESOME. Let's start at the beginning, the cover is very simple, with the young girl in a simple white dress on the prairie. The story itself has excellent flow and the words are woven so that I would at times forget I was reading and just see the story move through me.
There are 2 main characters in this book. Katherine, the daughter and Jeanie, her mother. It starts in Des Moines, Iowa in 1905 with Katherine and her husband, Aleksey. He brings her mother and her mentally challenged sister, Yale to live with them. His idea because Katherine has never forgiven her mother for breaking up the family. Her mother is dying of cancer, but Katherine is really bitter.
It then jumps back to 1887 in the Dakota territory. Jeanie and her husband Frank have just arrived on the prairie to start a new life. Running away from the shame she faced surrounding her father's death and business dealings. Unfortunately she learns that life here is far too rough and unforgiving to allow for a man to be lazy and moody - which she comes to realize Frank is. Actually what she figures out is she no longer has the time to cover for him. They are lucky that they end up with great neighbors and form a cooperative to help each other.
Now Frank pulls some other stuff beyond just being a lazy-good-for-nothing and why she doesn't just push him down a hole, I'll never know. They had 3 children when they came and she was pregnant with another. Having had a hard time with all previous pregnancies, she does her best with what she has. The baby is born very early, too early but Jeanie fights for her Yale. This woman fights, and fights and fights for her children, and the 2 that were with her that year in the Dakotas grew up hating and resenting her for driving their father away.
It is a sad tale, although still beautiful. I also enjoyed all the detail of what a hard life it was to be a pioneer in the Dakotas. How people made a success of it was in part just pure dumb luck, because the land doesn't seem to help at all.
So, go pick up this book - I am giving it 5 stars and permanently adding it to my library to enjoy again and again.
May 23, 2011
My Thoughts:
I was immediately drawn into this story and couldn't stop thinking about it until I turned the very last satisfying page. There were a few things that surprised me while reading this one.
I've been blown away by debut books this year....literally blown away and this one is no exception!
There is no way that I could've survived out in the prairie. My hats off to all of the pioneer men and women who braved the elements and were able to carve out a life for themselves in this harsh and unforgiving landscape.
Weather is deceitful. One minute the sun is shining and the next thing you know locusts are blocking out the sun and descending from what seems like nowhere to eat and destroy everything you've worked so hard to acquire.
The Children's Blizzard of 1888 is harrowing...reading about it scared me.
Being a mother was a cruel and thankless job. There was so much heartbreak for a woman...I just don't know if I would have been strong enough to endure this life.
This is the book for all of you who grew up reading Laura Ingalls Wilder and wanting to be just like Laura. Except, this is a grown-up version of Little House on the Prairie.....it's stark, harsh, truthful, and the storyline keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Recommend? Absolutely!!! For those that have an ereader this book is only 99 cents!!! It will be the best dollar you spend....I guarantee it! I judge a book on whether or not it elicits emotion from me...this one did!
Kindle Link
Nook Link
I was immediately drawn into this story and couldn't stop thinking about it until I turned the very last satisfying page. There were a few things that surprised me while reading this one.
I've been blown away by debut books this year....literally blown away and this one is no exception!
There is no way that I could've survived out in the prairie. My hats off to all of the pioneer men and women who braved the elements and were able to carve out a life for themselves in this harsh and unforgiving landscape.
Weather is deceitful. One minute the sun is shining and the next thing you know locusts are blocking out the sun and descending from what seems like nowhere to eat and destroy everything you've worked so hard to acquire.
The Children's Blizzard of 1888 is harrowing...reading about it scared me.
Being a mother was a cruel and thankless job. There was so much heartbreak for a woman...I just don't know if I would have been strong enough to endure this life.
This is the book for all of you who grew up reading Laura Ingalls Wilder and wanting to be just like Laura. Except, this is a grown-up version of Little House on the Prairie.....it's stark, harsh, truthful, and the storyline keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Recommend? Absolutely!!! For those that have an ereader this book is only 99 cents!!! It will be the best dollar you spend....I guarantee it! I judge a book on whether or not it elicits emotion from me...this one did!
Kindle Link
Nook Link
June 6, 2013
All I can say is "Wow". Dont read this book if you're looking for something light-hearted. Do read this book if you want an emotional roller coaster ride. This is an amazing piece of historical fiction, supposedly based on the homesteading letters of the author's ancestor. Well, they say truth is stranger than fiction, and this work is a perfect example of that. Imagine being a well off, wife and mother, who through the fault of her opium eating father and worthless husband, finds herself destitute. She moves from a rich city home to a sod dugout in the Dakota's. All the sudden her life is one nightmare after another. The reader will be transported to her squalid surroundings. You will feel each and every heartache this family goes through. And you will physically want to beat the crap out of her husband....I've read "Little House on the Prairie" and that was all nicey, nicey. This book shows the reality of prairie life, the horrid parts and the beauty of such an untame place. Finally, if you think Mother Nature doesnt have the last say, think again. We are at the mercy of weather and nature. We were in the 1800's and we still are. Read this book, but be prepared to feel it in your gut...... Would love to know how much of this story was actually part of the real story????
November 1, 2019
This was such a promising and interesting story based on letters the author found between her grandparents (or great-gparents, can't recall). Life in the Dakota Territory with all its hardships is fascinating to me, but this book suffered from poor execution. There was so much repetition! How many times do we need to hear how much Jeanie, the protagonist, dislikes her husband yet can't possibly divorce him. This was recounted over and over. We get it! And the many missing commas almost made me stop reading. I really did want to see what happened to the family, though, so I forged on. The book could have easily had 50 pages cut and been much stronger for it. A good editor and copy editor could have made this story tighter and more readable. As it is, the flaws made a very interesting story difficult to finish. But I did, finally.
Note: I actually changed my rating from three to two stars after writing this review, as I realized how much the flaws detracted from my enjoyment of this novel.
Note: I actually changed my rating from three to two stars after writing this review, as I realized how much the flaws detracted from my enjoyment of this novel.
July 15, 2022
I struggled through this book. The writing is lackluster and dull, with lots of repetition.
Jeanie and her husband, Frank, have to leave their posh city home in ruin. They head to the prairies with their children to start a new life. Neither has had to live without servants before, but they head out West anyway.
The entire story is unbelievable. From the start, Jeanie snivels and complains. She is angry (understandably so; the ruin was not of her making or knowledge) and scared. I gave her some slack for that. But the author couldn't decide what to do with Jeanie. She made her awful. Constantly complaining and blaming.
Frank was a dreamer. Large plans, little action, no development. Yet, listening to Jeanie's words to him, I felt more sorry for him than her in their situations.
The events kept becoming more unbelievable.
I did complete the book, wanting to find out the secret of "the last letter". But, yawn.....not worth it.
Jeanie and her husband, Frank, have to leave their posh city home in ruin. They head to the prairies with their children to start a new life. Neither has had to live without servants before, but they head out West anyway.
The entire story is unbelievable. From the start, Jeanie snivels and complains. She is angry (understandably so; the ruin was not of her making or knowledge) and scared. I gave her some slack for that. But the author couldn't decide what to do with Jeanie. She made her awful. Constantly complaining and blaming.
Frank was a dreamer. Large plans, little action, no development. Yet, listening to Jeanie's words to him, I felt more sorry for him than her in their situations.
The events kept becoming more unbelievable.
I did complete the book, wanting to find out the secret of "the last letter". But, yawn.....not worth it.
June 21, 2011
I was immediately excited about this book since I grew up with Little House on the Prairie. Although that was a tv show, living on the prairie wasn't so much fun. In fact, throughout the whole book, I can feel the pain and hardship with each page. I couldn't even imagine living in those days. The author did an outstanding job describing the harshness and darkness of prairie life...how it could change in an instant. Destroying but then comforting.
Plus I just couldn't put the book down once I started reading. I was surprised by how life was back then; thinking how I wouldn't make it as a wife and mother in those days. I also was drawn to Jeanie; how strong she was. I connected with her. I was immediately drawn into this story, and I highly recommend The Last Letter. Absolutely!
Plus I just couldn't put the book down once I started reading. I was surprised by how life was back then; thinking how I wouldn't make it as a wife and mother in those days. I also was drawn to Jeanie; how strong she was. I connected with her. I was immediately drawn into this story, and I highly recommend The Last Letter. Absolutely!
August 24, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. A book about a strong woman who loved her children with all her heart, what a terrible turn her life took soo many different times. I don't understand all the choices she made but after all she had been through I'm not sure any of us could truly understand - I could not put this book down - got it CHEAP on my Nook - GREAT read, plesant surprise for the price!
May 6, 2019
I couldn’t get interested. I made it through about 15% & gave up. It already felt tedious. It was set up to have an interesting plot, but I was having to force myself to read it.
June 2, 2022
4 stars - English ebook
What a book and what an absolute impact it had on me. A very moving and emotional read and I loved every minute of this wonderful and powerful story.
This story had me hooked, took hold of me and transported me into the story and into the prairie life. I felt all the emotions within it, sadness, joy, loss, grief, anger, frustration, my heart felt as if it was actually about to break.
There is so much of this story that I want to share with you to give you a taste of it yet to spoil the story for you is not what I am going to do. The story follows Jeanie, a caring mother and a duty bound wife. Jeanie had everything, a family to be proud of, social standing and all the money and comforts one would need until the scandal hit and she finds she has to leave everything behind to save her family through no fault of her own. She loyally goes with her husband, Frank, and children to start their new unknown life, to live in a dug out on the wild, harsh and unforgiving prairie. Despite everything Jeanie wants the best for her children and continues to believe in keeping up appearances even when faced with the lack of love and the growing resentment towards Frank. She is determined that they will survive each cruel blow that life and the hard prairie life brings their way. Jeanie will do what needs to be done for her family to survive. Katherine, eldest daughter of Jeanie is now grown up, married with children of her own and the date is 1905. She has lived almost all of her adult life feeling nothing but anger resentment for her mother Jeanie, because of unanswered questions. Her husband persuades Katherine to now take in her dying mother along with her younger sister, Yale. Along with them comes letters from the past, will these help Katherine finally piece together those tormented events.
What a book and what an absolute impact it had on me. A very moving and emotional read and I loved every minute of this wonderful and powerful story.
This story had me hooked, took hold of me and transported me into the story and into the prairie life. I felt all the emotions within it, sadness, joy, loss, grief, anger, frustration, my heart felt as if it was actually about to break.
There is so much of this story that I want to share with you to give you a taste of it yet to spoil the story for you is not what I am going to do. The story follows Jeanie, a caring mother and a duty bound wife. Jeanie had everything, a family to be proud of, social standing and all the money and comforts one would need until the scandal hit and she finds she has to leave everything behind to save her family through no fault of her own. She loyally goes with her husband, Frank, and children to start their new unknown life, to live in a dug out on the wild, harsh and unforgiving prairie. Despite everything Jeanie wants the best for her children and continues to believe in keeping up appearances even when faced with the lack of love and the growing resentment towards Frank. She is determined that they will survive each cruel blow that life and the hard prairie life brings their way. Jeanie will do what needs to be done for her family to survive. Katherine, eldest daughter of Jeanie is now grown up, married with children of her own and the date is 1905. She has lived almost all of her adult life feeling nothing but anger resentment for her mother Jeanie, because of unanswered questions. Her husband persuades Katherine to now take in her dying mother along with her younger sister, Yale. Along with them comes letters from the past, will these help Katherine finally piece together those tormented events.
July 19, 2022
Such a good book. The harrowing trials and tribulations of one year on the Dakota Prairie, with a woman's family that was used to having the best and now living in an underground soddy. Weather, drugs, death and betrayal highlighted this novel till the very end.
November 21, 2025
I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not at first. But I liked the ending and that redeemed it enough for 4 stars.
October 31, 2017
Such a good book!
July 10, 2024
2.5
I couldn't hack it in 1888. Prairie life is hard.
First off, I'm happy to have read this and gave it a shot. I'm trying to expand my literature into some more historical fiction. I enjoyed a glimpse of what life could have been like being one of the first settlers in the Dakotas and how people who came from a city lifestyle were forced to change their way of doing the most simple of things in order to survive. Just reading about the sod homes, the food, lack of clean water for drinking and bathing(people were dirty and stinky then!), and the struggle to get to a doctor makes me very thankful I live in modern times where those things are at a convenience and on some level I take for granted.
That being said, I struggled with the author's writing style. It took me some time to get adjusted to the way the author jumped timelines to 1888 and 1905. Also to the different POV's.
In 1888, we have the POV of mother Jeanie who is a loving wife and mother. She is a prominent member of society. She's an author and has good social standing in the town of Des Moines. Her father, however, makes some bad choices and the family is forced to leave the area due to the scandal surrounding them. So, she and her husband Frank and their children James, Tommy, and Katherine head to the Dakotas to start a new life. Life is very hard for the family with adjusting to the new way of living and a series of unfortunate events change how they perceive themselves and ultimately each other.
Our POV in 1905 is Jeanie's daughter Katherine. She is married with children and is taking care of her ailing mother and dealing with a lot of anger and resentment of her mother and how her life turned out due to the choices that were made.
The way of life and the character interactions was interesting to me. I think that's what kept me reading and not DNF'ing this book due to the challenge of navigating the style of writing. I wanted to see how this family would make out and if they'd survive those years.
This book is also a part of a series, which seems rather odd to me. I say that as this book seemed quite complete start to end. So, going back and revisiting times that transpired between Katherine's young life and when she's married seems a bit wonky to me. I could see that if the ending of this book was different?? I don't know. I won't be continuing on with this series as I struggled with the writing and for me, this book had an ending that worked.
Reading Challenge 2024
Month: July Letters: K/L
I couldn't hack it in 1888. Prairie life is hard.
First off, I'm happy to have read this and gave it a shot. I'm trying to expand my literature into some more historical fiction. I enjoyed a glimpse of what life could have been like being one of the first settlers in the Dakotas and how people who came from a city lifestyle were forced to change their way of doing the most simple of things in order to survive. Just reading about the sod homes, the food, lack of clean water for drinking and bathing(people were dirty and stinky then!), and the struggle to get to a doctor makes me very thankful I live in modern times where those things are at a convenience and on some level I take for granted.
That being said, I struggled with the author's writing style. It took me some time to get adjusted to the way the author jumped timelines to 1888 and 1905. Also to the different POV's.
In 1888, we have the POV of mother Jeanie who is a loving wife and mother. She is a prominent member of society. She's an author and has good social standing in the town of Des Moines. Her father, however, makes some bad choices and the family is forced to leave the area due to the scandal surrounding them. So, she and her husband Frank and their children James, Tommy, and Katherine head to the Dakotas to start a new life. Life is very hard for the family with adjusting to the new way of living and a series of unfortunate events change how they perceive themselves and ultimately each other.
Our POV in 1905 is Jeanie's daughter Katherine. She is married with children and is taking care of her ailing mother and dealing with a lot of anger and resentment of her mother and how her life turned out due to the choices that were made.
The way of life and the character interactions was interesting to me. I think that's what kept me reading and not DNF'ing this book due to the challenge of navigating the style of writing. I wanted to see how this family would make out and if they'd survive those years.
This book is also a part of a series, which seems rather odd to me. I say that as this book seemed quite complete start to end. So, going back and revisiting times that transpired between Katherine's young life and when she's married seems a bit wonky to me. I could see that if the ending of this book was different?? I don't know. I won't be continuing on with this series as I struggled with the writing and for me, this book had an ending that worked.
Reading Challenge 2024
Month: July Letters: K/L
August 2, 2022
**WARNING: Spoiler Alert**
I was not very pleased with this book. There wasn't much substance to it. There was a lot of repeated talk about three things: 1. Jeanie trying to adjust to her new environment: "I hate it here, but I'm going to try, I have to try" blah blah blah 2. If her husband was taking opium: "he wouldn't dare, he knows I'd hate it. He is. No, he isn't". 3. Frank: "he's worthless but I have to stay with him, and I think he's cheating but wouldn't dare. He knows I'd hate it. He is. No, he isn't" blah blah blah
Every chapter was more and more of the same thing over and over. Just Jeanie's scattered thoughts interrupted by a tragedy and then more scatted thoughts. I felt there could have been more explanation of other events. The one neighbors daughter dying was told in the middle of a paragraph and never explained what really happened to her. And how could there not be any more conversation around that and discussion on where Katherine was at the time since she was supposed to be watching her? Another time-- a neighbor came charging across the land on a wild wagon with no clothes on and then sent back home with Jeanie's young child. Way more could have been done with that scenario. More insight into her stress and mental state. But no, we went right back into Jeanie's thoughts on the same nonsense.
I hate her relationship with Frank and how they never had much conversation. That was lame to me. Jeanie kept thinking he was cheating but never asked him. Never asked anyone. Yet other people knew and figured it out. Why did she keep allowing him to wander off and be over Lutie and Ruthie's house and never say anything? Because of this, I felt nothing for Jeanie and felt she was just as useless as Frank.
And how were we to believe she fell in love with Templeton? They had maybe three conversations throughout the entire book. Where was their love story?
One last thing that stuck in my side were the names of the characters. Jeanie, Ruthie and Lutie. Reading those actually caused me a little bit of an issue in some areas. Trying to get past the rhyming of it. The author's editor should have caught this and had it fixed.
I was not very pleased with this book. There wasn't much substance to it. There was a lot of repeated talk about three things: 1. Jeanie trying to adjust to her new environment: "I hate it here, but I'm going to try, I have to try" blah blah blah 2. If her husband was taking opium: "he wouldn't dare, he knows I'd hate it. He is. No, he isn't". 3. Frank: "he's worthless but I have to stay with him, and I think he's cheating but wouldn't dare. He knows I'd hate it. He is. No, he isn't" blah blah blah
Every chapter was more and more of the same thing over and over. Just Jeanie's scattered thoughts interrupted by a tragedy and then more scatted thoughts. I felt there could have been more explanation of other events. The one neighbors daughter dying was told in the middle of a paragraph and never explained what really happened to her. And how could there not be any more conversation around that and discussion on where Katherine was at the time since she was supposed to be watching her? Another time-- a neighbor came charging across the land on a wild wagon with no clothes on and then sent back home with Jeanie's young child. Way more could have been done with that scenario. More insight into her stress and mental state. But no, we went right back into Jeanie's thoughts on the same nonsense.
I hate her relationship with Frank and how they never had much conversation. That was lame to me. Jeanie kept thinking he was cheating but never asked him. Never asked anyone. Yet other people knew and figured it out. Why did she keep allowing him to wander off and be over Lutie and Ruthie's house and never say anything? Because of this, I felt nothing for Jeanie and felt she was just as useless as Frank.
And how were we to believe she fell in love with Templeton? They had maybe three conversations throughout the entire book. Where was their love story?
One last thing that stuck in my side were the names of the characters. Jeanie, Ruthie and Lutie. Reading those actually caused me a little bit of an issue in some areas. Trying to get past the rhyming of it. The author's editor should have caught this and had it fixed.
July 22, 2011
Katherine had been estranged from her mother Jeanie Arthur, for 17 years, until the day her mother showed up on her doorstep, with her Kathrine's younger sister Yale, dying from cancer. Katherine is forced to relive and examine her past, the year they lived on the harsh prairie after the Arthur family had to leave Des Moines, Iowa, after a family scandal.
Jeanie tried her best to make a go of it, but betrayals, natural disasters, and death tore the family apart. Katherine blamed her mother for what happened to the family, not knowing the real truth behind the decisions her mother made, until she found her mother's letters, but will Katherine understand and forgive before it is too late?
The story alternates between the point of view of Kathleen, living in Des Moines in 1905, and Jeanie's side of the story, living on the prairie 1887-1888. It is rich in historical detail, and you really get a feel for what it was like to live out on the desolated prairie in those days, with all the uncertainty and danger. Even though the story is fiction, the blizzard that is part of that story really happened. In the author's notes, she credits David Laskin's non fiction book about it, The Children's Blizzard, in helping to make her story real. I have read that book and I highly recommend it.
This is a great story; it had me gripped from the very beginning, and I liked that it had plot twists that were unexpected. The other characters were very well written, colorful, and real.
Jeanie tried her best to make a go of it, but betrayals, natural disasters, and death tore the family apart. Katherine blamed her mother for what happened to the family, not knowing the real truth behind the decisions her mother made, until she found her mother's letters, but will Katherine understand and forgive before it is too late?
The story alternates between the point of view of Kathleen, living in Des Moines in 1905, and Jeanie's side of the story, living on the prairie 1887-1888. It is rich in historical detail, and you really get a feel for what it was like to live out on the desolated prairie in those days, with all the uncertainty and danger. Even though the story is fiction, the blizzard that is part of that story really happened. In the author's notes, she credits David Laskin's non fiction book about it, The Children's Blizzard, in helping to make her story real. I have read that book and I highly recommend it.
This is a great story; it had me gripped from the very beginning, and I liked that it had plot twists that were unexpected. The other characters were very well written, colorful, and real.
June 25, 2014
Have you ever wondered what the worst of the worst could be for families that braved prairie life back in the 1800′s? Kathleen Shoop describes just that in a horrifying very real way. There were many things to be afraid of back then, drought, debilitating snowstorms, crop failure, etc, etc. But what happens when the fear of being under your own roof is the worst of them all? What if you were the one desperately trying to hide these horrible secrets from everyone, including other in the home-just to try to keep them protected? And then what happens when these events have come to a point that they need to be told?
That is exactly what you will encounter in The Last Letter. This novel will pull at your heart-strings and probably bring you to tears. You will feel as if you all you want to do is stop all the bad that happens. The characters are so strong, they will leave a very big impact on you-you will remember them for some time. You will also begin to realize what we take for granted and make you grateful.
By the end of the book, you will be left wanting to continue the story. You will want to fill in the few blanks left behind. This book is amazing in so many ways, and I have already recommended it to most of my personal friends. I even lent out my own copy, that is how much I liked this book.
That is exactly what you will encounter in The Last Letter. This novel will pull at your heart-strings and probably bring you to tears. You will feel as if you all you want to do is stop all the bad that happens. The characters are so strong, they will leave a very big impact on you-you will remember them for some time. You will also begin to realize what we take for granted and make you grateful.
By the end of the book, you will be left wanting to continue the story. You will want to fill in the few blanks left behind. This book is amazing in so many ways, and I have already recommended it to most of my personal friends. I even lent out my own copy, that is how much I liked this book.
December 26, 2015
The grammatical and spelling errors in this book stopped me cold. I could not get past them enough to enjoy the story. It could have been a great book, had the author only had a good editor. It was historical fiction, and used flashbacks to tell the story of the Arthur family, beginning in 1887, when they moved from Iowa to the Dakotas. They endured unbearable hardships, but the family would have survived if not for infidelity. When the Arthurs split up, their mother Jeannie took the blame and was despised and reviled by her children for decades thereafter. Then, when she was an old woman on her death bed, she and her daughter Katherine began reading the letters exchanged so many years before on the prairie, and the true story was revealed. I loved the setting, and the details about their harsh life in the early west. It was fascinating to learn that drug addiction was a problem even for these pioneers. The characters were well drawn. But come on, get the language right! There were commas where none should have been. There were incomplete sentences; there were run-on sentences. Words were missspelled. Each time I stumbled through these mistakes, the story took a back seat to the writing. Too bad a good tale was lost for lack of a decent editor.
June 11, 2011
I've seen so many good reviews of this book and I tried. I really tried.
Fiction but inspired by letters and the lives of the authors great-great grandparents, the story has a lot of potential, but ultimately it's just tragic. Jeanie was a strong woman who did the best she could with what she was given and the consequences of her choices affected her family forever. Unfortunately, like the other characters in the book, she wasn't at all likeable. I never felt any connection or sympathy for her or Katherine.
I know that life on the frontier was difficult and full of harsh realities. The famous blizzard of 1888 is well known and horrific in its aftermath. Yet, with so many stories of the pioneers and those who came west, there is hope amidst trials along with love and joy in family. In this story, there was never any hope. These characters had difficult, horrible lives and experiences that left them bitter and angry. The mother/daughter relationship didn't inspire me, it frustrated me.
Some will find it inspiring that forgiveness and understanding come almost when its too late, but I just found it sad and depressing.
Fiction but inspired by letters and the lives of the authors great-great grandparents, the story has a lot of potential, but ultimately it's just tragic. Jeanie was a strong woman who did the best she could with what she was given and the consequences of her choices affected her family forever. Unfortunately, like the other characters in the book, she wasn't at all likeable. I never felt any connection or sympathy for her or Katherine.
I know that life on the frontier was difficult and full of harsh realities. The famous blizzard of 1888 is well known and horrific in its aftermath. Yet, with so many stories of the pioneers and those who came west, there is hope amidst trials along with love and joy in family. In this story, there was never any hope. These characters had difficult, horrible lives and experiences that left them bitter and angry. The mother/daughter relationship didn't inspire me, it frustrated me.
Some will find it inspiring that forgiveness and understanding come almost when its too late, but I just found it sad and depressing.
January 16, 2014
Frank and Jeanie Arthur try to settle on the plains in Dakota Territory after losing their property in Des Moines. Jeanie hates the soddie they are forced to live in. She also is pregnant and no longer in love with her husband who spends more time away than at home.
This is a character raised in the lap of luxury who is now trying to make a go of it in hard circumstances. Although she had neighbors to help they too suffer the disasters of the plains. jeanie is a character who alternates between her anger at their circumstances and then swings to optimism thinking, "I can do this." Unfortunately she also falls in love with another man but her personality and pride will not allow her to give in. This story has a surprise ending.
The beginning of this book was so dark I was thinking of abandoning it but the further I got into it the more interested I became. Like Scarlett O'Hara, Jeanie Arthur is her worse enemy but her husband Frank is also his worse enemy.
I do wish the ending had been different but I guess the author had to stay true to her character.I think Jeanie should have grabbed happiness when the opportunity presented itself.
This is a character raised in the lap of luxury who is now trying to make a go of it in hard circumstances. Although she had neighbors to help they too suffer the disasters of the plains. jeanie is a character who alternates between her anger at their circumstances and then swings to optimism thinking, "I can do this." Unfortunately she also falls in love with another man but her personality and pride will not allow her to give in. This story has a surprise ending.
The beginning of this book was so dark I was thinking of abandoning it but the further I got into it the more interested I became. Like Scarlett O'Hara, Jeanie Arthur is her worse enemy but her husband Frank is also his worse enemy.
I do wish the ending had been different but I guess the author had to stay true to her character.I think Jeanie should have grabbed happiness when the opportunity presented itself.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 305 reviews