Handcarts West

by Joyce Lindstrom

Determined to get to Zion, Fanny Holt soon finds out how difficult it is to get there. For everywhere she turns George Ralston, head of the Handcart Company, does everything in his power to get Fanny to marry him as his second wife. Based on a real-life journal of the young girl who went through these experiences, this is her story of her trials and hardships she went through to reach Utah. And along the way she falls in love, loses that love, yet finds love again.

262 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Beth Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fast read about a 16 year old girl's experiences traveling from England to Utah in the 1860's to join with the Mormons. The style of the book reminded me a bit like "These is my Words" which is a favorite book of mine. As a woman living 150 years later, I noticed a lot of the inequality of the sexes and the way women were often treated as property or objects. I was frustrated with the victim outlook of the main character, but I think it was realistic of someone who has been abused, raised to feel inferior, etc.

I think this book was poorly edited and therefore is not as fantastic as it could have been. I am still giving it 5 stars though because of the way it stayed on my thoughts through out the days I was reading it. I was sad when I finished it and couldn't read anymore about Fanny's experiences.

[Dorry Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It held your interest from the very beginning. It is based on the journal of a young girl. It tells of a girl leaving England to come to Zion. Her experiences begin in England working for some rich people to earn enough money to pay her way on the ship. Her nightmare began while still on the ship when a married man wanted her to become his 2nd wife. The story goes on after they reached New York and she makes a bad decision (in my opinion) to continue on west...Lots of unbelievable things occur on that journey. I had to remind myself from time to time that this was taken from someones journal and possibly really happened. It was an excellent book and one I would recommend to everyone.

[Tiffeny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This type of book is generally not my "cup of tea", but I read it because my mother so highly recommended it and for the most part I did enjoyed it. It was never dull and full of excitement and adventure page after page. So much so, that after a while, I started wondering if it would ever end. At times I wanted to say "enough already!!" I also thought it was a little hokey how every man Fannie met was DYING of love for her. Of course most of them were in the Wild West, where there was probably a shortage of single women (I still had to roll my eyes a few times though).

Overall, a good read. Definitely worth my time.