Katrine: High Valley Home

by Joseph Dorris

It is 1862 as nine-year-old Katrine Larson heads west to a mountain valley in pre–Idaho Territory with her family and several other Swedish families. But when her parents and older brother are separated from the main wagon train, Katrine suddenly becomes an orphan.

The Swedish families want nothing more than to create new lives in America. Unfortunately none are prepared for the brutal realities of farming in wilderness populated by Sheepeater Indians and wild gold prospectors. After Sven and Margret Olafson welcome Katrine into the folds of their family, she never loses hope of one day reuniting with her parents and brother. Katrine knows her place will be to marry and raise children, but her dreams dim as the Swedes struggle to survive amid tragedies. Although Katrine and her adoptive younger sister celebrate traditions with other Swedish children, it is a German hurdy-gurdy girl who teaches Katrine about sacrifice and love. But it is not until the magic of Swedish fairy tales and childhood romance is stripped away that Katrine is finally able to see the realities of adulthood.

Katrine: High Valley Home shares an unforgettable glimpse into a young girl’s coming-of-age journey as she clings to hope and attempts to survive among the wilds of 1800s Idaho.

367 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 23, 2017

About the author

Joseph Dorris grew up in McCall, Idaho near the near-ghost town of Warren, Idaho. He spent much of his youth exploring and gold panning in the Salmon River and Idaho wilderness, the setting of the five novels in his series: Idaho Sheepeater Indians. He has had a lifetime interest in Native American culture and history, pioneer gold rushes, and mining. He has based Sojourner of Warren's Camp and Salmon River Kid on the 1870s Chinese and whites in Warren’s camp and has weaved together historical vignettes from their lives and conflicts. His other three current books: Sheepeater: To Cry for a Vision, Katrine: High Valley Home, and Seeking Two Elks Fighting cover the lives of brother and sister, Erik and Katrine Larson who are orphaned. Erik will interact with Samuel (from Salmon River Kid) in the forthcoming books. Joseph Dorris is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. After retiring, he taught high school science and math and coached soccer. He enjoys painting and has illustrated all his novels with cover paintings and pen and ink internal illustrations. He currently operates mining claims in Colorado for amazonite and smoky quartz specimens. Today, he lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with his wife, Susan, where they have raised three children.

Reviews

[Sharon McCleary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent! I can’t wait to read the final book in the series.