Name: The Pilgrim Song (House of Winslow #29))
Rating: 4.05 (10 reviews)
ISBN: 9780764226380

2,861 reviews

June 10, 2026

A woman who is repeatedly described as "manly" is convinced God sent her a much smaller, weaker husband - so she physically picks up, shoves, places hands on shoulders to force down, kneads his muscles so hard he winces, knocks him out with medicine, takes off his pants while he's passed out and fixes his broken leg, talks repeatedly and excessively about "having his babies" and him making "beautiful babies." She is VERY physically aggressive and felt very sexually aggressive too, though she didn't act on it, that we know of, but may have when she drugged him and took off his pants. She justifies all this by saying God told him he was her husband. The much smaller man is EXTREMELY uncomfortable, physically intimidated, and physically frightened of her. He tells her that God would have told HIM TOO if they were to marry. She pushes forward anyway, repeatedly coming to his house and telling his kids that she is their "Ma" and talking to the kids about how she's going to have his babies. Eventually, he agrees not only to marry her - but that God had planned it the whole time. Eww. Second problem: they (from New York) hate Southerners, and all the Southerns are dirty, ignorant, racist, backstabbing, hateful, horrible people. The only good people they meet are 1. a bullied preacher from up North and 2. bullied grandma and grandson with dark skin and high cheekbones who live in the woods. We never see him do it or hear him talk about it, and he can't even control his own spoiled, violent, out of control kids - but two different southerners HATE the pastor for teaching "black" and "N3gr0" children to read, though we never see him actually teaching or talking about teaching, which was weird. It felt like it was just added to highlight how Racist southerners are.

New Yorkers are rich and have many servants. Underage girl servants are grabbed and violently kissed against their consent by an old man servant THREE TIMES before the family FINALLY fires him, and only because he got attacked by the ~gentlemanly~ new gardener.

New Yorkers lose their fortune and move to a long abandoned family home in Georgia.

They think very poorly of southerners.
"Kat knew Southerners were violent!"
and, of course, in this book they are ~proved~ right when they meet dirty, violent, cursing, moonshining (which they look down upon despite their brother being an alcoholic).
Wow.
Way to perpetuate harmful false stereotypes.

A southern church woman sneers: "The pastor wants to teach black children to read, but that's not his place."

A young man with dark skin and high cheekbones found Kat lost in the woods.
People called the young man "retarded" because he didn't like talking.

Repeatedly calls southerners "Primitive."
A girl "with wideset eyes" (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, presumably) was "primitive" but he figured she could clean up.

Southerners constantly call them "Yankees" and they react like they've been called a slur, despite being so disdainful of all Southerners.

Southerner Boy keeps physically harming Kat (northern girl) in school.

"They're still mad at you, preacher, for starting that school for n3gr0 kids." Eww.

***Start of Missouri

We're introduced to a new character name Missouri. "Round face" "She ran as fast as her large size would allow" "voice deeper than other women's" "she was a big strong woman" "he was surprised to realize she was a woman" "it struck him as a feminine gesture, which surprised him - she looked mannish" "she wasn't fat, just large"

She speaks to the turtles she's killing for turtle soup: "It's what God made you for!"

She picks the Male Main Character up when he had passed out with a broken leg.
She gave him a medicine that put him to sleep.
"He found he could no longer speak."
He woke up with no pants and his broken leg set.

She studied him for a time, and he could not understand the look that was in her eyes.
"I'm sorry for the trouble."
"You're no trouble at all. God brought you here, and He took me out to find you. He plans it all!" She started him by grabbing his hands. "I've been praying for a man and you're the one God has sent!"
Lewis stared at her blankly, thinking at first he had not heard her correctly.
"Why I know you're a little bit surprised, maybe more than a little, but I lost my man and I asked God to send me a new husband, and He did!"
Lewis was very conscious of her hands on his. He sat there, unable to speak for a moment. "I guess I'm past such things. I'm 55."
"You're able to love, aren't you?"
The question brought a new blush to Lewis's face. He dropped his eyes. "I don't know how to answer that."
"Well, I do! God wouldn't send me a man who couldn't love! I'm only 38 years old and I love babies, and I asked God to send me a man who would give me more babies." (She already raised two to adulthood)
"Oh Lord, what have I gotten into?"
"I know this comes as a shock to you as you've not been praying like I have. But the answer came to me right strong. I knew as soon as I saw you in that gully that you were God's gift! But I won't rush you, Lewis. Won't rush you none at all. Just enjoy your soup."

There is SUCH a feeling of physical/sexual threat throughout the scene.

"When Missouri takes care of a man, he's alright!" Said the Sheriff.

"Fine looking girls, all of them!"
Jenny was amazed at the size and strength of Missouri's hands. She had to look up at the woman who was as tall as her father.
"It was all planned to be," Missouri said.
Lewis flinched, for he was sure her next statement was to announce their engagement. He intervened quickly. "Where are my manners? These are my daughters."
"You have beautiful children, Lewis! We'll have to get to know each other seeing as how I'm going to be their new Ma."
The girls stared at her, open mouthed.
"I've been praying for a man and God sent your daddy. We'll have plenty of time to get acquainted."
Lewis watched the shock run through his daughters and said: "Mrs. Missouri I'm thankful for all you've done for me, but I need you to understand I'll never marry again. God may have said something to you - but He didn't say anything to me."
"Oh, he will, Lewis! He just has to get you ready first. I want babies, two at least. I hope they look like Lewis. He does father some beautiful children!"

That feels REALLY predatory.

"How come you ain't never been married, Hannah? A pretty woman like you."
"I don't know," Hannah said lamely.
"I hate to see a good woman wasted."
Hannah blushed.
"God's talking to me, honey, be still."
Hannah believed her claim that she heard directly from God.
"I'm gonna pray for you." She grabbed Hannah's head from the forehead and back of the head in a strong grasp. Whispered words spewed from her mouth in a wild stream Hannah couldn't understand. Then Missouri cried out in a loud voice: "Oh Lord, this woman is in bondage! And I'm gonna ask you to free her from every chain that binds her! Free her from those fears that bound her so many years!"
Hannah realized God was in that palace.
"Ain't no use being afraid of men. Men was made for women. And women was made for men. It's not good for you to be alone."
Hannah blinked in shock. She wrenched herself away and ran, but knew she could not run from the secret Missouri discovered.

"Now you sit down there and let me see about that leg of yours."
"No, it's alright."
Missouri simply put her hands on his shoulders so he was forced to move backwards.
Lewis was 5'10 and trimly built.
Missouri was an inch taller, and sturdy.
Lewis had never seen such strength in a woman before, and he resented it as Missouri pushed him down in the chair like a child.
She pulled his pants leg up and kneaded the flesh so hard, he winced. She laughed. "You're worse than a baby!" She stood.
Lewis pulled his pant leg down. "I'm going outside!"
"You be careful, Lewis!"
"I'm not a child!"

"I hope it don't put you out none to have me as a ma."
Hannah whirled around. "That hasn't happened yet!"
"Oh, but it will! It's all written down! God has His plans for every one of us, daughter, and it's going to happen just like He says! Your daddy may squirm for a mite, but in the end, God will run him into the ground!" Missouri reached out and touched Hannah's hair. "You've got such pretty hair. All of you are pretty youngins! It will be good to have children like you. I'll be having Lewis's babies after we get hitched."
"Don't you ever doubt God, Missouri?"
"Never!"

Uh.... that's not God. And that is CREEPY.

***End Missouri

"They fired me."
Jenny felt anger rise in her. "Because of me?"
"They're just some pretty narrow minded people."
"You must stay!"
"You don't understand how Baptist churches work. Everyone gets a vote."
"So it was a crooked political thing!"
"They're good people, most of them."
"I don't think they're good!"

"Clint kissed her. He did not ask for consent, as he had not the first time, but she did not slap him as most women would."
Uh... dude...
you DESERVE to be slapped for kissing women without their consent!!
Her not slapping you is not an Attractive thing unless you're pushing over a doormat!

"She's too good a woman to waste" by allowing her to stay single.

The predatory lady who INSISTS God told her that was her husband, gets her man, of course.
I don't like that.

A lady locked herself away for years. The audience believes she was raped, it is strongly hinted she is raped, but it was an attempted-rape and she successfully fought the guy off.

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.

The House of Winslow #29

The Pilgrim Song

Gilbert Morris

About the author

Gilbert Morris

Ratings & Reviews

Friends & Following

Community Reviews

Join the discussion