What do you think?
Rate this book
October in the Earth: A Novel
In Depression-era Kentucky, a defiant wife embarks on an impulsive and liberating journey in a powerful novel by the bestselling author of
One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow
and
The Ragged Edge of Night
.
Del Wensley, wife of the most celebrated preacher in Harlan County, tries to mind her place. Until her husband’s infidelity pushes an already strained marriage to a breaking point. Clinging to her last hope for self-respect, Del turns her back on the rigid life she’s known. A coal train is rolling through the valley. With her eyes wide open to the unfamiliar, and to the freedom she craves, Del takes to the rails.
Rumbling across America, Del is soon drawn into a transient community among outcasts—and finds a special friend in Louisa Trout. A nomadic single mother, Louisa teaches Del the ways of the boxcars and promises to help her reach a migrant enclave where Del can learn the skills she’ll need to survive. But as they move forward together under desperate circumstances, even the closest of bonds threatens to break.
With the Depression taking its toll, Del must gather her strength and faith. As she carries on toward one unknown after another, her life becomes a fulfilling, sometimes dangerous, and exhilarating adventure. But no matter the risks, it’s a life that she alone controls.
Del Wensley, wife of the most celebrated preacher in Harlan County, tries to mind her place. Until her husband’s infidelity pushes an already strained marriage to a breaking point. Clinging to her last hope for self-respect, Del turns her back on the rigid life she’s known. A coal train is rolling through the valley. With her eyes wide open to the unfamiliar, and to the freedom she craves, Del takes to the rails.
Rumbling across America, Del is soon drawn into a transient community among outcasts—and finds a special friend in Louisa Trout. A nomadic single mother, Louisa teaches Del the ways of the boxcars and promises to help her reach a migrant enclave where Del can learn the skills she’ll need to survive. But as they move forward together under desperate circumstances, even the closest of bonds threatens to break.
With the Depression taking its toll, Del must gather her strength and faith. As she carries on toward one unknown after another, her life becomes a fulfilling, sometimes dangerous, and exhilarating adventure. But no matter the risks, it’s a life that she alone controls.
Audible Audio
First published October 10, 2023
2070 people are currently reading
10511 people want to read
About the author
Olivia Hawker
9 books1,108 followersAlso publishes under Libbie Hawker, Libbie Grant, and L.M. Ironside
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 486 reviews
October 13, 2023
Married to the most celebrated preacher in Harlan County, with a beautiful house and everything provided, Adella (Del) Wensley should be happy and content with her life - let’s face it, this being Depression era Kentucky, most folk are suffering terribly. However, behind his hell fire and brimstone sermons, strutting across his stage, writhing serpent in his fist, her husband Irving doesn’t practice what he preaches, and his repeated infidelities drive a wedge between them that Del can no longer tolerate.
Del decides to leave him and takes to the rails living the life of a hobo. It’s there that she meets Louisa Trout, who’s desperately trying to earn money to send back to her uncle who’s looking after her son Eddie. Louisa teaches Del all the skills needed to live an itinerant lifestyle, and they become great friends, with Del vowing to earn enough money to get Louisa back to her son Eddie.
Follow Del and Louisa and feel the pain and abject poverty that came with the Great Depression, (not easy believe me) whilst also witnessing a beautiful friendship developing between two women from completely different sides of the track.
* Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
Del decides to leave him and takes to the rails living the life of a hobo. It’s there that she meets Louisa Trout, who’s desperately trying to earn money to send back to her uncle who’s looking after her son Eddie. Louisa teaches Del all the skills needed to live an itinerant lifestyle, and they become great friends, with Del vowing to earn enough money to get Louisa back to her son Eddie.
Follow Del and Louisa and feel the pain and abject poverty that came with the Great Depression, (not easy believe me) whilst also witnessing a beautiful friendship developing between two women from completely different sides of the track.
* Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
October 12, 2023
In a Nutshell: A riveting historical fiction about two women who, for certain reasons, opt to become hobos and live life on the rails in the post-depression era. Liked the unusual perspective, even though the story become over-dramatic at times.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Story Synopsis:
Bookish Yays:
🚂 The initial section that depicts Adella’s life with Irving is quite distinct from the rest of the book as it is more focussed on Irving’s religious work in their community and Adella’s wife as a preacher’s wife. The brainwashing that women went through in those days, where even a husband’s infidelity is the wife’s fault, is clearly depicted. It’s a world where men are right, no matter what they do, so Adella’s decision to break free is a brave decision for her character. Her pre-hobo personality is established well through these chapters.
🚂 Louisa Trout, the woman who becomes Adella’s best friend on the rails and teaches her the ways of the hobos, is another stellar character. Strong in sprit though lithe in frame, she embodies the essence of grit and determination.
🚂 The friendship between Louisa and Adella is a great representation of how mutually beneficial female friendships can be. For a moment, I thought that the author would force in a lesbian angle to their relationship. Thankfully, though this direction is touched upon in one scene, it never moves ahead. (I am not against Sapphic relationships. I simply don’t want every single female friendship in fiction to turn Sapphic just because.)
🚂 I’ve never read any book about women living as hobos. I loved the little details that made their situation come alive, right from the train hopping to the daily quest for wages, to the unofficial hobo code. It was a very different and interesting look at the post-depression years in the USA.
🚂 There is a strong undercurrent of realism throughout the story, thanks to the insertion of historical events such as miners’ strikes and evangelical revival services to pray for the end of the depression in the initial section, and later, the impact of the depression on tenant farmers, hobos, and landowners. The author’s words capture the atmosphere of 1930s USA perfectly, right from the emotional despondency of the people to the dust and heat of the land.
🚂 Despite the intensity of this situation, the book is a comfortable read in terms of its writing. It isn’t bogged down by frivolous prose, though it doesn’t compromise on descriptions.
🚂 I loved the ending – not too happy, not too sad. Just right. Perfect for such a plot.
Bookish Nays:
☠ The story drags a little in the middle, as the women’s lives become quite repetitive. The plot feels slightly episodic at this point, with them going from one (mis)adventure to another.
☠ There are many convenient coincidences in the storyline. Some scenes are also needlessly dramatic.
☠ In the initial section, Adella often breaks the fourth wall and addresses the reader. This is forgotten in the latter part of the book. I’d have preferred her narration to stick within the confines of the plot as her foreshadowing and personal comments didn’t work in favour of the story.
☠ Considering that Adella came from a small town and was fairly uneducated, some of her vocabulary was too highbrow for her background.
Bookish Confusion:
👀 I didn’t understand the significance of the title! It is mentioned in the book once, but there’s no context. Did anyone who read the book get what it indicates?
All in all, despite some issues, I liked this plot. I have never read such a story with women living the hobo lifestyle, so this experience was informative in many ways.
A compelling story for historical fiction readers.
3.75 stars.
My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “October in the Earth”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
This book is currently available free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Story Synopsis:
1931. Kentucky.
Thirty-year-old Adella has been married to Irving since eight years. Irving is a reputed preacher in Harlan County, and Adella has been the dutiful wife in every way except one – she hasn’t borne Irving any kids, a fact that is creating a lot of stress in her and on their marriage. When Adella discovers that Irving has been cheating on her, she snaps. Packing just some essentials, she leaves her comfortable home behind, and hops onto a coal train passing through. Thus begins a new chapter in Adella’s life, but can a preacher’s wife who has known only comforts adapt to life on the rails? Bumping in Louisa during one rail journey turns out to be a stroke of luck as Louisa has been a hobo for longer than Adella. But even her training isn’t enough against the travail of the depression and its aftermath.
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Adella.
Bookish Yays:
🚂 The initial section that depicts Adella’s life with Irving is quite distinct from the rest of the book as it is more focussed on Irving’s religious work in their community and Adella’s wife as a preacher’s wife. The brainwashing that women went through in those days, where even a husband’s infidelity is the wife’s fault, is clearly depicted. It’s a world where men are right, no matter what they do, so Adella’s decision to break free is a brave decision for her character. Her pre-hobo personality is established well through these chapters.
🚂 Louisa Trout, the woman who becomes Adella’s best friend on the rails and teaches her the ways of the hobos, is another stellar character. Strong in sprit though lithe in frame, she embodies the essence of grit and determination.
🚂 The friendship between Louisa and Adella is a great representation of how mutually beneficial female friendships can be. For a moment, I thought that the author would force in a lesbian angle to their relationship. Thankfully, though this direction is touched upon in one scene, it never moves ahead. (I am not against Sapphic relationships. I simply don’t want every single female friendship in fiction to turn Sapphic just because.)
🚂 I’ve never read any book about women living as hobos. I loved the little details that made their situation come alive, right from the train hopping to the daily quest for wages, to the unofficial hobo code. It was a very different and interesting look at the post-depression years in the USA.
🚂 There is a strong undercurrent of realism throughout the story, thanks to the insertion of historical events such as miners’ strikes and evangelical revival services to pray for the end of the depression in the initial section, and later, the impact of the depression on tenant farmers, hobos, and landowners. The author’s words capture the atmosphere of 1930s USA perfectly, right from the emotional despondency of the people to the dust and heat of the land.
🚂 Despite the intensity of this situation, the book is a comfortable read in terms of its writing. It isn’t bogged down by frivolous prose, though it doesn’t compromise on descriptions.
🚂 I loved the ending – not too happy, not too sad. Just right. Perfect for such a plot.
Bookish Nays:
☠ The story drags a little in the middle, as the women’s lives become quite repetitive. The plot feels slightly episodic at this point, with them going from one (mis)adventure to another.
☠ There are many convenient coincidences in the storyline. Some scenes are also needlessly dramatic.
☠ In the initial section, Adella often breaks the fourth wall and addresses the reader. This is forgotten in the latter part of the book. I’d have preferred her narration to stick within the confines of the plot as her foreshadowing and personal comments didn’t work in favour of the story.
☠ Considering that Adella came from a small town and was fairly uneducated, some of her vocabulary was too highbrow for her background.
Bookish Confusion:
👀 I didn’t understand the significance of the title! It is mentioned in the book once, but there’s no context. Did anyone who read the book get what it indicates?
All in all, despite some issues, I liked this plot. I have never read such a story with women living the hobo lifestyle, so this experience was informative in many ways.
A compelling story for historical fiction readers.
3.75 stars.
My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “October in the Earth”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
This book is currently available free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
October 19, 2023
October in the Earth is a powerful, raw yet heartwarming story about a downtrodden woman who finally finds the strength to be her own person. It’s 1931 in Harlan County, KY and Del Wensley is the preacher’s wife. She believes everything the Bible says about a woman knowing her place and submitting to her husband. But when her husband cheats on her and then tries to blame the “jezebel” for enticing him, Del has had enough. The hypocrisy finally gets to her, not just the cheating, but the bleeding of his congregation in the name of “getting on the right side of the Lord”. She hops the coal train and leaves town. Lucky for her, she meets another woman riding the rails who helps her learn how to survive.
Hawker has created two great characters in Del and Louisa. They have different goals and while they become friends, Del has to worry how deep those bonds are given their different situations and priorities.
The story is realistic and is written so that each scene is easy to envision, whether riding the rails, in the hobo jungle or the broken farms of the Midwest. I will admit that the ending brought a few tears to my eyes.
This book spoke to me. For a few years now, I’ve felt that too many of us that call ourselves Christian are anything but. Those that try to keep a woman “in her place”, that refuse to help the needy, that are more interested in lucre than charity. This is historical, but it shows that history is doomed to repeat itself, human nature being what it is.
I’ve read multiple books about the Great Depression, but this took a unique approach and I recommend it.
My thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advance copy of this book.
Hawker has created two great characters in Del and Louisa. They have different goals and while they become friends, Del has to worry how deep those bonds are given their different situations and priorities.
The story is realistic and is written so that each scene is easy to envision, whether riding the rails, in the hobo jungle or the broken farms of the Midwest. I will admit that the ending brought a few tears to my eyes.
This book spoke to me. For a few years now, I’ve felt that too many of us that call ourselves Christian are anything but. Those that try to keep a woman “in her place”, that refuse to help the needy, that are more interested in lucre than charity. This is historical, but it shows that history is doomed to repeat itself, human nature being what it is.
I’ve read multiple books about the Great Depression, but this took a unique approach and I recommend it.
My thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advance copy of this book.
December 1, 2023
In Depression-era Kentucky Adella "Del" Wensley, wife of the most celebrated preacher in Harlan County, turns her back on the rigid life she’s known and takes to the rails. One of her first encounters is with Louisa Trout who teaches Del the ways of the boxcars and the women develop a close friendship.
Del's husband is a preacher with the Church of God with Signs Following which I don't recall ever hearing about before but apparently the religious cult is still in existence and is one of those that use snake handling in their sermons. This is the third book I've read lately which makes reference to the End of Days.
A well-written novel with engaging characters and evocative descriptions of how tough times were in the 1930s, including a huge duststorm at one point. The number of homeless people and those existing on the bare minimum as described in this book seem to echo conditions in the present day. I don't imagine many people ride the rails any more and I would guess there are more social services available these days but it still feels like we haven't made a lot of progress. A realistic story about a strong female friendship. The ending was sad but satisfying. I'd give this book 4.5 stars rounded up.
My thanks to Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication: October 10, 2023
Del's husband is a preacher with the Church of God with Signs Following which I don't recall ever hearing about before but apparently the religious cult is still in existence and is one of those that use snake handling in their sermons. This is the third book I've read lately which makes reference to the End of Days.
A well-written novel with engaging characters and evocative descriptions of how tough times were in the 1930s, including a huge duststorm at one point. The number of homeless people and those existing on the bare minimum as described in this book seem to echo conditions in the present day. I don't imagine many people ride the rails any more and I would guess there are more social services available these days but it still feels like we haven't made a lot of progress. A realistic story about a strong female friendship. The ending was sad but satisfying. I'd give this book 4.5 stars rounded up.
My thanks to Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication: October 10, 2023
October 15, 2023
Depression era.. early 1930’s..Kentucky…
Del is the wife of a fire and brimstone, snake handling, preacher in a town that is so poor, mostly a town of miners who are striking.
She lives very comfortably in a beautiful home, in a town where others have little.. then finds her husband has been chasing many women… she flees and takes to the rails… becomes a hobo and meets a woman hobo, Louisa who teaches her the boxcar ways and they move forward together making their way west to find jobs.
A very hard way to live but Del left to maintain some self respect and live life an honest way.
This was more of a 3.5 read for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!
Del is the wife of a fire and brimstone, snake handling, preacher in a town that is so poor, mostly a town of miners who are striking.
She lives very comfortably in a beautiful home, in a town where others have little.. then finds her husband has been chasing many women… she flees and takes to the rails… becomes a hobo and meets a woman hobo, Louisa who teaches her the boxcar ways and they move forward together making their way west to find jobs.
A very hard way to live but Del left to maintain some self respect and live life an honest way.
This was more of a 3.5 read for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!
September 4, 2023
'The End had come, The End kept coming, The End knew no ending'.
In 1931, in rural Kentucky, The Depression cloaks itself around the community of Harlan; smothering joy and suffocating livelihoods. Surely the biblical End had finally arrived. Adella Wensley, the town's minister's wife, does her best to support those suffering hardship and be her husband's helpmeet, 'The preacher might get all the glory, but it was always his wife who rubbed a little grease on the axle of the church and kept things running.' However, after discovering Irving's serial philandering and utter hypocrisy, Adella decides enough is enough, 'Mom's disapproval wouldn't keep me tethered to the Devil. On that point, I was determined and settled'. Adella hitches a ride on the first train out of town. The promise of freedom is her only plan. However, after meeting Louisa Trout, fellow hobo, they ride the rails together, heading West, toward the promise of work. Over time, it becomes apparent just how blind Adella has truly been, 'I'd learned to blind myself to the poverty around me. For if I'd looked directly at what had been right there before my face, would have seen the injustice all too clearly - the injustice I'd helped perpetrate'.
'October in the Earth' immerses you in the hardship of the Depression years; tenant farmers forced off their lands by banks, dust storms asphyxiating livelihoods, as well as the magnanimous spirit, and community of those left desperate, 'It's love that reminds us who we really are. It's love that holds the world together, even when everything tries its best to fall apart'.
This is the first book I've read from Olivia Hawker and I was impressed. The language she used, the culture she conveyed, as well as the naivety and generosity she suffused, all added up to a very readable book - perfect for lovers of historical fiction and American history.
In 1931, in rural Kentucky, The Depression cloaks itself around the community of Harlan; smothering joy and suffocating livelihoods. Surely the biblical End had finally arrived. Adella Wensley, the town's minister's wife, does her best to support those suffering hardship and be her husband's helpmeet, 'The preacher might get all the glory, but it was always his wife who rubbed a little grease on the axle of the church and kept things running.' However, after discovering Irving's serial philandering and utter hypocrisy, Adella decides enough is enough, 'Mom's disapproval wouldn't keep me tethered to the Devil. On that point, I was determined and settled'. Adella hitches a ride on the first train out of town. The promise of freedom is her only plan. However, after meeting Louisa Trout, fellow hobo, they ride the rails together, heading West, toward the promise of work. Over time, it becomes apparent just how blind Adella has truly been, 'I'd learned to blind myself to the poverty around me. For if I'd looked directly at what had been right there before my face, would have seen the injustice all too clearly - the injustice I'd helped perpetrate'.
'October in the Earth' immerses you in the hardship of the Depression years; tenant farmers forced off their lands by banks, dust storms asphyxiating livelihoods, as well as the magnanimous spirit, and community of those left desperate, 'It's love that reminds us who we really are. It's love that holds the world together, even when everything tries its best to fall apart'.
This is the first book I've read from Olivia Hawker and I was impressed. The language she used, the culture she conveyed, as well as the naivety and generosity she suffused, all added up to a very readable book - perfect for lovers of historical fiction and American history.
September 21, 2023
Adella is the wife of preacher Irving Wensley, his church is in Harlan County, Kentucky and she stands by his side and never questions his choices. Most people think Adella is lucky, she has a rich husband, a nice home and the one thing she longs for is children and the couple haven’t been blessed with little ones.
When Adella discovers her husband’s long term infidelity, she’s mad and decides to leave him. Dressed in men’s clothes Del turns her back on the strict life she's lived as a preachers wife, a coal train is rolling through the valley and she stows aboard. Del has no idea where she’s going or what she’s going to do and the only thing she can think of is getting away from her cheating husband.
Del meets Louisa Trout, she takes the novice under her wing and explains the rules and code of being a hobo, the safe places to stay or jungles in larger cities and her plan is to travel west. Louisa destination is Wenatchee to pick apples, earn enough money and so she can be reunited with her son. As Del and Louisa travel across America, it’s gripped by a terrible depression, they see abandoned houses and dried up crops in the fields, families traveling the roads and because the banks have foreclosed on their farms, hardship and smothering dust storms.
I received a copy of October in the Earth by Oliva Hawker from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review. A liberating and at times dangerous action adventure story, and without her experienced companion Del wouldn't have latest long on her own and she would've been an easy target.
The narrative focuses on the unique relationship and friendship formed between the two main characters, traveling the rails, the hobo lifestyle, going where the tracks lead them and with a few deviations along the way. Another wonderful novel by Ms. Hawker and I have been a big fan of hers since I read One for the Blackbird, and One for the Crow. An epic journey across depression ravaged America, it's about self-discovery, giving more than you take, honesty, types of love and four and a half stars from me.
When Adella discovers her husband’s long term infidelity, she’s mad and decides to leave him. Dressed in men’s clothes Del turns her back on the strict life she's lived as a preachers wife, a coal train is rolling through the valley and she stows aboard. Del has no idea where she’s going or what she’s going to do and the only thing she can think of is getting away from her cheating husband.
Del meets Louisa Trout, she takes the novice under her wing and explains the rules and code of being a hobo, the safe places to stay or jungles in larger cities and her plan is to travel west. Louisa destination is Wenatchee to pick apples, earn enough money and so she can be reunited with her son. As Del and Louisa travel across America, it’s gripped by a terrible depression, they see abandoned houses and dried up crops in the fields, families traveling the roads and because the banks have foreclosed on their farms, hardship and smothering dust storms.
I received a copy of October in the Earth by Oliva Hawker from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review. A liberating and at times dangerous action adventure story, and without her experienced companion Del wouldn't have latest long on her own and she would've been an easy target.
The narrative focuses on the unique relationship and friendship formed between the two main characters, traveling the rails, the hobo lifestyle, going where the tracks lead them and with a few deviations along the way. Another wonderful novel by Ms. Hawker and I have been a big fan of hers since I read One for the Blackbird, and One for the Crow. An epic journey across depression ravaged America, it's about self-discovery, giving more than you take, honesty, types of love and four and a half stars from me.
October 24, 2023
October in the Earth by Olivia Hawker is probably more like a 4.5 rounded up. The book did drag in places. I learned where the word Hobo came from. Haven’t heard that word since the 70s. 2 ladies riding the rails. The Hobo life. One running from an abusive marriage. The other looking to make money sending it home to family who was raising her son. A story about friendship and love. What is the price of friendship during the depression? $1000 or $2000? Or perhaps unconditional love equals none. This quote grabbed my attention. I often find myself here. I am once again here now
“I don’t understand. I don’t understand why I don’t deserve it.”
“I don’t understand. I don’t understand why I don’t deserve it.”
May 1, 2024
4.5 Stars. Relished every moment of this fine Novel which takes place during the Great Depression. Kept wondering how I would do hopping a train. Could not foresee the ending. Have a hanky handy.
September 22, 2023
As this begins, the setting is in Kentucky during the Depression. A husband who is a preacher, and his wife, Del. They have been married for a number of years, and have been hoping for a child. When she happens upon a scene, witnessing her husband being unfaithful to her, it is the end of their marriage, for her. She knows he would never allow her to leave him, what would he say to his congregation, after all.
Del packs what little she has, the tokens she treasures, some clothes, and little else, and climbs up on a train, helping another woman up as the train is just starting to leave. This woman, Louisa, will help Del learn the ways of life associated with this new life she has chosen.
To leave a community, a husband, her parents and what friends she had to leave behind, exchanging it all for a life she has no inkling of the dangers ahead, the struggles, she felt the heartbreak she was leaving behind was still a better choice.
In Louisa, Del finds a friend, one that not only helps her to navigate this new lifestyle, but one who will stay with her and teach her the ways of this life she’ll need in order to survive. But Louisa is slow to reveal her reasons for taking to this lifestyle, and when she does, Del is determined to help her find a way to return to the life she had before, and to those who love her.
Pub Date: 10 Oct 2023
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Lake Union Publishing
October 8, 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Pub. Date: October 10, 2023
Although it has an intriguing premise, "October in the Earth" fell flat. The novel takes place in Kentucky during the Great Depression. Del is our heroine. She is a preacher's wife and strictly adheres to his instructions. The book's title comes from the author's phrase, “It was June in the sky, but October in the earth.” I'm assuming this is a metaphor for when things look clear and warm but are actually overcast and cold. Meaning our protagonist has been looking through rose-colored glasses and not seeing reality. But I am just guessing. This novel explores poverty, female friendship, new beginnings, and finding independence.
Del begins questioning her lifestyle after discovering that the preacher has been having an affair. She wants to leave him. Knowing her husband would never allow that, she jumps a coal train to escape him and her rigidly religious town. Jumping trains was a typical sight at that time in America. I enjoy learning in historical fiction. This one taught me that during the Depression, most riders were not hoboes but victims of significant loss. Families with children, couples, men, and women traveled in boxcars from town to town for employment. Del makes friends with another female rider who shows her the tricks to survive homelessness. Her friend becomes a big part of the story. It wasn't necessary to make the story about the strength of female friendship to improve it. The narrative shifted from historical fiction to women's fiction.
The author explores Del’s life as she, too, “rides-the-rails”—as it was called—looking for work. The problem I have with this novel is that it does not read credibly. As a woman of a religion that teaches a wife must submit to her husband, Del's life-changing experiences of jumping from one boxcar to another seem to come too easy for her. It reads as an abrupt and drastic transformation. Plus, I would have preferred an even balance between the genres. Still, I enjoyed the novel's depiction of that era. I am guessing other readers will enjoy this novel more than I did.
I received this novel at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://books6259.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com
https://www.amazon.com
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/c...
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Pub. Date: October 10, 2023
Although it has an intriguing premise, "October in the Earth" fell flat. The novel takes place in Kentucky during the Great Depression. Del is our heroine. She is a preacher's wife and strictly adheres to his instructions. The book's title comes from the author's phrase, “It was June in the sky, but October in the earth.” I'm assuming this is a metaphor for when things look clear and warm but are actually overcast and cold. Meaning our protagonist has been looking through rose-colored glasses and not seeing reality. But I am just guessing. This novel explores poverty, female friendship, new beginnings, and finding independence.
Del begins questioning her lifestyle after discovering that the preacher has been having an affair. She wants to leave him. Knowing her husband would never allow that, she jumps a coal train to escape him and her rigidly religious town. Jumping trains was a typical sight at that time in America. I enjoy learning in historical fiction. This one taught me that during the Depression, most riders were not hoboes but victims of significant loss. Families with children, couples, men, and women traveled in boxcars from town to town for employment. Del makes friends with another female rider who shows her the tricks to survive homelessness. Her friend becomes a big part of the story. It wasn't necessary to make the story about the strength of female friendship to improve it. The narrative shifted from historical fiction to women's fiction.
The author explores Del’s life as she, too, “rides-the-rails”—as it was called—looking for work. The problem I have with this novel is that it does not read credibly. As a woman of a religion that teaches a wife must submit to her husband, Del's life-changing experiences of jumping from one boxcar to another seem to come too easy for her. It reads as an abrupt and drastic transformation. Plus, I would have preferred an even balance between the genres. Still, I enjoyed the novel's depiction of that era. I am guessing other readers will enjoy this novel more than I did.
I received this novel at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://books6259.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com
https://www.amazon.com
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/c...
February 23, 2024
I read One for the Blackbird One for the Crow a few years ago. Because that beautifully written novel was one of my favorites, I was excited that this one was offered on KU. I had always intended to read another of Olivia Hawker’s books, but this one was disappointing. It could almost have been written by someone else. The writing is almost amateur compared to “One for the Crow”.
The wife of a successful preacher who lives comfortably runs away when she discovers things are not what they seem.
The Great Depression is one of my interests in history, and this book seemed accurate when describing hobos, Hoovervilles (referred to by the alternate name, “jungles” in this book), and the dust bowl. The setting alone was enough to keep me reading.
The problem was that the plot was just a bit (or maybe more than a bit) far fetched at times, and the characters voices did not ring true. Many times, the characters didn’t just speak, they gave speeches and flowery observations. It seemed melodramatic, and the villains were too “villainy” to be believable.
The attitude of the book was superficial. Churches are described as havens for hypocrites, false hope, and people on the take. There was also the “rich people bad, poor people good” thing going on. The reader doesn’t have to look too closely at things as people and situations have been figured out for them.
As for the love story, well, I could see it coming a mile off. The end, I thought, was just weird. I think it was supposed to pull the reader’s heartstrings, but it didn’t work for me.
I’m not giving up on this author yet, because I know what she can do. I’ll give it three stars for the setting, otherwise, I’d have to say two.
The wife of a successful preacher who lives comfortably runs away when she discovers things are not what they seem.
The Great Depression is one of my interests in history, and this book seemed accurate when describing hobos, Hoovervilles (referred to by the alternate name, “jungles” in this book), and the dust bowl. The setting alone was enough to keep me reading.
The problem was that the plot was just a bit (or maybe more than a bit) far fetched at times, and the characters voices did not ring true. Many times, the characters didn’t just speak, they gave speeches and flowery observations. It seemed melodramatic, and the villains were too “villainy” to be believable.
The attitude of the book was superficial. Churches are described as havens for hypocrites, false hope, and people on the take. There was also the “rich people bad, poor people good” thing going on. The reader doesn’t have to look too closely at things as people and situations have been figured out for them.
As for the love story, well, I could see it coming a mile off. The end, I thought, was just weird. I think it was supposed to pull the reader’s heartstrings, but it didn’t work for me.
I’m not giving up on this author yet, because I know what she can do. I’ll give it three stars for the setting, otherwise, I’d have to say two.
November 4, 2023
This depression-era story was so rich and interesting!
It takes alot of nerve and gumption for Del to leave her lying, adulterous preacher husband. Coming up from a life of poverty to being a preachers wife in a big brick house in town with lavish furnishings, is something she should be proud of. That he selected her to be his wife. But he selected Del to be more than his wife and his old fashioned values in combination with strict religious behaviors are stifling her and it’s when she realizes he’s been canoodling with so many other young women, decided to leave. By doing so, she forfeits her family, that are left behind. She packs her bag, dresses like a man and leaves in dark of night. This is the beginning of her journey as a rail train hobo and a preachers wife on the loose. No worldly experience outside of her childhood growing up in the hills, no worldly experience other than being a preachers wife in a small town.
So this is a big leap of faith that she would know what to do, where to go, how to survive, how to even develop any social connections on the rail and off. She’s done with Irving, her preacher husband.
This story fed my personal and historical interest as if I was hitching rides on the train cars, learning what is hobo code, coming across others who were doing the same looking for work in areas where money or payment in goods was difficult to come by. I enjoyed this so much.
Del meets Louisa on her way out of Kentucky on a rail car that is pulling away and I liked her plucky style as she taught Del about this new lifestyle. Together they bonded closer and closer. Together they went through some harrowing circumstances on and off the tracks. Both were smart, Louisa had the rail smarts from time during her rail life. She was teaching Del the way of the hobo life. Together they crossed the country on rail and together got themselves in mishaps but also some Good Samaritan experiences. I’m now very respectful of this hobo life hearing firsthand how things worked on life on the rails, hitching running boxcars from one place to another, evading the bulls, the rail yard police. I’ve never really known or read about a hobos life other than someone being tough and dirty, carting their belongings on a bag on a stick, eating beans out of a can over a campfire, the stereotypical hobo - running away from something or running to a place to land or find jobs. And never heard of a woman hobo either.
In this story we get it all, and it’s a story so well put together. Definitely different, but definitely satisfying!
It takes alot of nerve and gumption for Del to leave her lying, adulterous preacher husband. Coming up from a life of poverty to being a preachers wife in a big brick house in town with lavish furnishings, is something she should be proud of. That he selected her to be his wife. But he selected Del to be more than his wife and his old fashioned values in combination with strict religious behaviors are stifling her and it’s when she realizes he’s been canoodling with so many other young women, decided to leave. By doing so, she forfeits her family, that are left behind. She packs her bag, dresses like a man and leaves in dark of night. This is the beginning of her journey as a rail train hobo and a preachers wife on the loose. No worldly experience outside of her childhood growing up in the hills, no worldly experience other than being a preachers wife in a small town.
So this is a big leap of faith that she would know what to do, where to go, how to survive, how to even develop any social connections on the rail and off. She’s done with Irving, her preacher husband.
This story fed my personal and historical interest as if I was hitching rides on the train cars, learning what is hobo code, coming across others who were doing the same looking for work in areas where money or payment in goods was difficult to come by. I enjoyed this so much.
Del meets Louisa on her way out of Kentucky on a rail car that is pulling away and I liked her plucky style as she taught Del about this new lifestyle. Together they bonded closer and closer. Together they went through some harrowing circumstances on and off the tracks. Both were smart, Louisa had the rail smarts from time during her rail life. She was teaching Del the way of the hobo life. Together they crossed the country on rail and together got themselves in mishaps but also some Good Samaritan experiences. I’m now very respectful of this hobo life hearing firsthand how things worked on life on the rails, hitching running boxcars from one place to another, evading the bulls, the rail yard police. I’ve never really known or read about a hobos life other than someone being tough and dirty, carting their belongings on a bag on a stick, eating beans out of a can over a campfire, the stereotypical hobo - running away from something or running to a place to land or find jobs. And never heard of a woman hobo either.
In this story we get it all, and it’s a story so well put together. Definitely different, but definitely satisfying!
August 2, 2023
It is The Great Depression in the United States, a time of devastating poverty; families torn apart, starvation, crops ruined, no work. Del Wensley, wife of an up and coming End Times preacher knows what is expected of a wife in God fearing Kentucky. When she catches him being unfaithful and learns of repeated indiscretions, she has had enough and takes to the rails, joining the hobo life of those times. Fortunately for her, she meets Luisa who is well schooled in the way of hobo society as she works her way back to the son and uncle she has left behind while she tries to earn money. They form a strong bond, demonstrating that they are more benevolent and charitable than the moneyed class or the pious, hypocritical self proclaimed do gooders.
This is a heart wrenching but hopeful story. Beautifully descriptive, I felt as if I were on those railroad cars, looking out into the changing terrain as the women crisscrossed the America of the 1930s. It was fascinating learning about the hobo culture, poor individuals living a dangerous life, traveling from place to place looking for work and guided by a strict moral code. I loved the evolution of Del from someone who inherently knows there is something wrong with the position in life to which has been prescribed to an independent, clever, self sufficient woman in control of her destiny.
Although reflective of the time in which it was set, I saw this also as an allegory for our times, especially regarding the perceived role of women among religious zealots as well as the gap between the rich and the poor that lives on and the insensitive treatment of those struggling just to make a living.
I wasn’t sure about this book when I read the synopsis, but I am so glad I chose to read it and highly recommend it. Olivia Hawker (pen name) is a captivating story teller.
Thank you to #netgalley, @hawker.books and #lakeunionpub for the ARC.
Follow me on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/shereadbook...
You can read my other reviews at http://vickieonmarco.blogspot.
This is a heart wrenching but hopeful story. Beautifully descriptive, I felt as if I were on those railroad cars, looking out into the changing terrain as the women crisscrossed the America of the 1930s. It was fascinating learning about the hobo culture, poor individuals living a dangerous life, traveling from place to place looking for work and guided by a strict moral code. I loved the evolution of Del from someone who inherently knows there is something wrong with the position in life to which has been prescribed to an independent, clever, self sufficient woman in control of her destiny.
Although reflective of the time in which it was set, I saw this also as an allegory for our times, especially regarding the perceived role of women among religious zealots as well as the gap between the rich and the poor that lives on and the insensitive treatment of those struggling just to make a living.
I wasn’t sure about this book when I read the synopsis, but I am so glad I chose to read it and highly recommend it. Olivia Hawker (pen name) is a captivating story teller.
Thank you to #netgalley, @hawker.books and #lakeunionpub for the ARC.
Follow me on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/shereadbook...
You can read my other reviews at http://vickieonmarco.blogspot.
August 30, 2023
Del is the wife of a preacher in a small country town. The Great Depression has just started and people are starting to feel what life is going to be like. Hunger, extreme poverty and sickness, the dust storms are taking over. Del isn't feeling any of that because her husband has been very fortunate...her husband's flock is giving more than they can afford to support him.
Del finds out that her husband is cheating on her and she reflects on her life. Why should they be living so well when no one else is ? Del decides she is unhappy with her life and she runs away. She hops a train.
She soons meets Louisa running from a brutal man. Louisa is a hobo and teachers her the hobos code of honor. Louisa and Del form a beautiful friendship. They want to get to Louisa's old town and build a life.
This book paints a picture of The Great Depression from the unique view of a woman hobo and what that means. I enjoyed the friendship however heart breaking at times it could be. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in this time period.
Del finds out that her husband is cheating on her and she reflects on her life. Why should they be living so well when no one else is ? Del decides she is unhappy with her life and she runs away. She hops a train.
She soons meets Louisa running from a brutal man. Louisa is a hobo and teachers her the hobos code of honor. Louisa and Del form a beautiful friendship. They want to get to Louisa's old town and build a life.
This book paints a picture of The Great Depression from the unique view of a woman hobo and what that means. I enjoyed the friendship however heart breaking at times it could be. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in this time period.
October 10, 2023
October in the Earth is a haunting tale set in the Depression era and I couldn’t read it fast enough.
Thanks so much to the author, Olivia Hawker, for sending me an early copy. I still can’t seem to get this story out of my head and it’s been a week since I finished it.
Del is the wife of a minister in the coal country of Kentucky back in 1931 when she discovers that not only is her husband cheating on her, but he’s been swindling the starving folks of the county to get even richer.
Del has had it and runs away from him by jumping on a coal train. After hours of riding the rails, she meets a woman named Louisa, who teaches Del the ropes of how to be a hobo and how to survive.
While reading, I felt like I was right there in the 1930’s with Del and Louisa. There were heartbreaking parts to the story, but also hope, and the love between these two woman was everything!
Without a doubt, October in the Earth will be in my top reads of 2023. I wish I could read it for the first time again.
Thanks so much to the author, Olivia Hawker, for sending me an early copy. I still can’t seem to get this story out of my head and it’s been a week since I finished it.
Del is the wife of a minister in the coal country of Kentucky back in 1931 when she discovers that not only is her husband cheating on her, but he’s been swindling the starving folks of the county to get even richer.
Del has had it and runs away from him by jumping on a coal train. After hours of riding the rails, she meets a woman named Louisa, who teaches Del the ropes of how to be a hobo and how to survive.
While reading, I felt like I was right there in the 1930’s with Del and Louisa. There were heartbreaking parts to the story, but also hope, and the love between these two woman was everything!
Without a doubt, October in the Earth will be in my top reads of 2023. I wish I could read it for the first time again.
October 10, 2023
Del Wensley, fed up with the infidelity of her preacher husband, takes the journey of a lifetime when she hops aboard a coal train traveling across America, with little to her name, as she seeks the freedom she’s long been denied. Soon, she is befriended by nomad Louisa, who teaches her how to survive life as a hobo.
First and foremost, I really appreciated this intricate look at rural life during the Great Depression, particularly those trying to survive life on the rails. The author does a fantastic job of creating a picturesque stetting through her beautiful prose and descriptive language and there was not a single moment when I could not envision this group of people traveling the rural countryside as they made their way across the country. The relationship between Del and Louisa, how it reshapes and shifts the more they begin to disclose to and lean on one another, kept me quickly turning the pages anxious to see what would become of this tight knit friendship with a potential end date. A story of love in the midst of the hardest of times, I have found October in the Earth has stayed with me long after reading it.
ʀ ᴇ ᴀ ᴅ ɪ ғ ʏ ᴏ ᴜ ʟ ɪ ᴋ ᴇ :
⌛️Great Depression era
📚non-war historical fiction
👭strong female relationships
🧳journeys of self discovery
🚊Cross country adventures
Thank you to Olivia Hawker, Amazon Publishing and Brilliance Audio for the gifted copies.
First and foremost, I really appreciated this intricate look at rural life during the Great Depression, particularly those trying to survive life on the rails. The author does a fantastic job of creating a picturesque stetting through her beautiful prose and descriptive language and there was not a single moment when I could not envision this group of people traveling the rural countryside as they made their way across the country. The relationship between Del and Louisa, how it reshapes and shifts the more they begin to disclose to and lean on one another, kept me quickly turning the pages anxious to see what would become of this tight knit friendship with a potential end date. A story of love in the midst of the hardest of times, I have found October in the Earth has stayed with me long after reading it.
ʀ ᴇ ᴀ ᴅ ɪ ғ ʏ ᴏ ᴜ ʟ ɪ ᴋ ᴇ :
⌛️Great Depression era
📚non-war historical fiction
👭strong female relationships
🧳journeys of self discovery
🚊Cross country adventures
Thank you to Olivia Hawker, Amazon Publishing and Brilliance Audio for the gifted copies.
February 10, 2025
Adella Wensley, of Kentucky, a preacher's wife is not who you'd think would have taken to the rails and embraced the hobo life but her popular preacher husband was certainly the perfect of man to leave. So escape she did, by way of the means at hand she found - a train starting up at just the right moment.
Adella ("Del") meets Louisa and so the real story begins. Two women trying to make it in the hobo world of the Depression, which for was also a man's world. Each of them are dragging a bag of trauma behind them, but find hope in their companionship as they reflect on their own histories and dreams.
For me this was a good read. The ending, however, was not in line with what I took away from the narrative as it rolled out - a disappointing way to leave the read - hence three stars instead of four. That said, I'll seek out more Olivia Hawker books and explore her work further.
*A sincere thank you to Olivia Hawker, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* 25|52:43b
Adella ("Del") meets Louisa and so the real story begins. Two women trying to make it in the hobo world of the Depression, which for was also a man's world. Each of them are dragging a bag of trauma behind them, but find hope in their companionship as they reflect on their own histories and dreams.
For me this was a good read. The ending, however, was not in line with what I took away from the narrative as it rolled out - a disappointing way to leave the read - hence three stars instead of four. That said, I'll seek out more Olivia Hawker books and explore her work further.
*A sincere thank you to Olivia Hawker, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* 25|52:43b
October 30, 2023
Dear God, this book was awful. It was one of the times I wished I could stop reading, but one of my character flaws is I finish almost all books. The story plods along, repeats overused words, phrases, and ideas. Has a pat ending. The reason I kept reading was to find out what happens with Del and Louisa. I could have written the sappy ending.
July 16, 2023
If you’ve ever read a book by Olivia Hawker, it will be no surprise to you that this story, October In The Earth, is superb. She can really tell a story!
Adella Wensley (Del) had a good life as the wife of the most popular preacher in Harlan County, Kentucky. She had a beautiful home and a husband who gave her everything she needed…except his fidelity. Even then, she tried hard to keep her marriage together until more infidelities came to light. Once Del made up her mind to leave, nothing was going to stop her. She hopped on a coal train and rode it to wherever it would take her. Along the way, she meets another hobo, Louisa Trout, and together they move across the country living the transient lifestyle, and Del has never felt more free in her life. Louisa’s goal is to eventually get home to her young child and be a family again. Even during the Great Depression, these two women managed to earn enough money to eat and stay on the move. They grew into a wonderful friendship and kept each other going through thick and thin.
This story is complex and mesmerizing. Del and Louisa’s characters are beautifully well-crafted and their struggles are real. This is a pulsating work of fiction and would make a great movie. This easily deserves 5 stars and I highly recommend it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC.
Adella Wensley (Del) had a good life as the wife of the most popular preacher in Harlan County, Kentucky. She had a beautiful home and a husband who gave her everything she needed…except his fidelity. Even then, she tried hard to keep her marriage together until more infidelities came to light. Once Del made up her mind to leave, nothing was going to stop her. She hopped on a coal train and rode it to wherever it would take her. Along the way, she meets another hobo, Louisa Trout, and together they move across the country living the transient lifestyle, and Del has never felt more free in her life. Louisa’s goal is to eventually get home to her young child and be a family again. Even during the Great Depression, these two women managed to earn enough money to eat and stay on the move. They grew into a wonderful friendship and kept each other going through thick and thin.
This story is complex and mesmerizing. Del and Louisa’s characters are beautifully well-crafted and their struggles are real. This is a pulsating work of fiction and would make a great movie. This easily deserves 5 stars and I highly recommend it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC.
August 27, 2023
Many thanks to both Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of October in the Earth, by Olivia Hawker. Expected publication: October 31, 2023.
In Depression-era Kentucky, the defiant wife of a preacher embarks on an impulsive and liberating journey when she hops onto the boxcar of a coal train. She meets a reluctant mentor and they form a beautiful friendship as they live the life of hobos during the Depression.
The imagery in October in the Earth is amazing and totally believable, whether describing the heat, the dust, the starvation, or the clanging of the boxcars as the trains stopped and started. This is a heartfelt book that tells the story of friendship, poverty, and fresh starts.
In Depression-era Kentucky, the defiant wife of a preacher embarks on an impulsive and liberating journey when she hops onto the boxcar of a coal train. She meets a reluctant mentor and they form a beautiful friendship as they live the life of hobos during the Depression.
The imagery in October in the Earth is amazing and totally believable, whether describing the heat, the dust, the starvation, or the clanging of the boxcars as the trains stopped and started. This is a heartfelt book that tells the story of friendship, poverty, and fresh starts.
February 5, 2024
4.5 stars
Get on the rails 🚂 as a Hobo as you learn about two women who become the truest of friends. The author’s nuanced writing makes you feel as you were on the train crossing the USA.
A great sign of a historical fiction read for me, is if I receive an education along the way. This book had so much to offer on that front. Yet at the heart of this book, there were so many touching stories of empathy and the generosity of the human spirit. Love is to give and not take.
I love Hawker’s skillful writing. I highly recommend this book. 📕
Get on the rails 🚂 as a Hobo as you learn about two women who become the truest of friends. The author’s nuanced writing makes you feel as you were on the train crossing the USA.
A great sign of a historical fiction read for me, is if I receive an education along the way. This book had so much to offer on that front. Yet at the heart of this book, there were so many touching stories of empathy and the generosity of the human spirit. Love is to give and not take.
I love Hawker’s skillful writing. I highly recommend this book. 📕
November 26, 2023
I have never read a book about train hopping and choosing to live a hobo life. The author did an excellent job with the true historic events and the strong female characters she created. I did think the story dragged a bit in the middle but it was a very interesting depiction of the depression and early post-depression years.
August 30, 2023
Once again, historical fiction author Olivia Hawker has penned a novel that combines resiliency, the need to forge bonds amongst adversity & unforgiving territory in her latest novel October in the Earth.
October in the Earth introduces readers to a woman named Adella (Del) Wensley in Harlan County, Kentucky who has a comfortable lifestyle being the wife of the preacher in 1931 until an act forces her to rethink her values and find her sense of community.
Not only does this novel use the Great Depression historical event backdrop, but also incorporates the little known localized historical event of the Harlan County War (miner's strike).
In October in the Earth, the author uses the Great Depression as the framework for the story, but the heart of this latest historical fiction novel is the unexpected friendship that develops between Adella Wensley & Louisa Trout.
To put into perspective the power of the unexpected friendship, here's a quote: "Times like these - the hardship, the doing what a fellow must do to get by - it can change a person. But Louisa's her old self. She wouldn't be herself, after all the time on the rails, if she hadn't had someone to love her. It's love that reminds us who we really are. It's love that holds the world together, even when everything tries its best to fall apart".
Thank you to Olivia Hawker for penning a heartwarming story amidst a hard time period & Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy.
October in the Earth introduces readers to a woman named Adella (Del) Wensley in Harlan County, Kentucky who has a comfortable lifestyle being the wife of the preacher in 1931 until an act forces her to rethink her values and find her sense of community.
Not only does this novel use the Great Depression historical event backdrop, but also incorporates the little known localized historical event of the Harlan County War (miner's strike).
In October in the Earth, the author uses the Great Depression as the framework for the story, but the heart of this latest historical fiction novel is the unexpected friendship that develops between Adella Wensley & Louisa Trout.
To put into perspective the power of the unexpected friendship, here's a quote: "Times like these - the hardship, the doing what a fellow must do to get by - it can change a person. But Louisa's her old self. She wouldn't be herself, after all the time on the rails, if she hadn't had someone to love her. It's love that reminds us who we really are. It's love that holds the world together, even when everything tries its best to fall apart".
Thank you to Olivia Hawker for penning a heartwarming story amidst a hard time period & Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy.
September 13, 2023
Fans of Olivia Hawker will delight in her masterful new novel. OCTOBER IN THE EARTH is a singular work of art--a testament to unexpected love and resilience during one of America's most challenging eras. Hawker's Dust Bowl heroines rise from their respective ashes, and will captivate readers with their spirited, sweeping journey through a starkly beautiful landscape ravaged by poverty and drought. Moving, lyrical, and completely unforgettable.
Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and the author for the Advance Review Copy
Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and the author for the Advance Review Copy
October 25, 2023
I don't think there will ever be a book by this author I don't love, and a lot of it is in the way she is ale to capture nature--in every season, every tilting of the sun, every shadow; not to mention the wildlife. Her stories are never fast paced, preferring instead to bring the reader into moments in time and let us feel all the peace or fear or joy in them. At some points you wonder where the story is going to end because you can't see it clearly, but you trust her to take you there.
The story is rich is the reasons why we love and leave all we know, the deep friendships we form, the childhood bubbles we were raised in, and the vastness of America. Instead of dwelling on the constant misery of the Depression, Hawker shows us hope, courage, and sacrifice, highlighting how everyone has value and deserves to be treated as such.
While many other stories that start out with someone running away wrap up everything neatly at the end, this is one of the few that gave a perfect ending while leaving a lot of what-ifs. And while I doubt Hawker will write a sequel, it would be wonderful to see her heroine become part of the history of the late forties and fifties.
The story is rich is the reasons why we love and leave all we know, the deep friendships we form, the childhood bubbles we were raised in, and the vastness of America. Instead of dwelling on the constant misery of the Depression, Hawker shows us hope, courage, and sacrifice, highlighting how everyone has value and deserves to be treated as such.
While many other stories that start out with someone running away wrap up everything neatly at the end, this is one of the few that gave a perfect ending while leaving a lot of what-ifs. And while I doubt Hawker will write a sequel, it would be wonderful to see her heroine become part of the history of the late forties and fifties.
August 12, 2023
An impressive journey through the USA, particularly when one knows that people relentlessly did make it! 1929, Depression, prohibition, no work, money with hardly any value. Del and Louise, two women with a different past and background become hobos and very close friends and travel together looking for work , each with a different aim.... I really got close to both characters, loved their poignant friendship, shared their hardships and felt every stone in their way. Fascinating descriptions of the landscapes, I could feel the sun glowing, swallow the dust, visualise each of their stops, the trains. A strong strength of freedom never left them giving them the hope and resilience they definitely needed! Another great novel by Olivia Hawker!
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.
October 18, 2023
Nothing wrong with this book. Just not for me.. Was it a love story? Idk..
November 29, 2024
Depression era girls adventure!
I'm a fan of Olivia Hawker but I probably prefer two of her earlier books, One for the Blackbird One for the Crow and The Ragged Edge of Night. Nevertheless this was quite entertaining and I consumed it via audiobook. I wouldn't say this was a rambunctious adventure tale but more of a slow burning saga and a story of loyalty and friendship between two women traveling the rails as hobos. Maybe it was the narrator, but I felt as if Hawker possibly overused tortuous emotion. I think if I had a dollar for every time the heart was used as a euphemism for an emotion I could buy myself a pretty reasonable car.
I'm a fan of Olivia Hawker but I probably prefer two of her earlier books, One for the Blackbird One for the Crow and The Ragged Edge of Night. Nevertheless this was quite entertaining and I consumed it via audiobook. I wouldn't say this was a rambunctious adventure tale but more of a slow burning saga and a story of loyalty and friendship between two women traveling the rails as hobos. Maybe it was the narrator, but I felt as if Hawker possibly overused tortuous emotion. I think if I had a dollar for every time the heart was used as a euphemism for an emotion I could buy myself a pretty reasonable car.
May 3, 2024
This is a story of two women riding the rails during The Great Depression in the 1930s.
It was an overall sweet story with an idealized life as a hobo.
I didn't love it, but it provided a breather from some of the heavier fare, I've been reading.
It was an overall sweet story with an idealized life as a hobo.
I didn't love it, but it provided a breather from some of the heavier fare, I've been reading.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 486 reviews