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The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep
In powerful, vivid verse, the master behind
The Watch That Ends the Night
recounts one of history's most harrowing--and chilling--tales of survival.
In 1846, a group of emigrants bound for California face a choice: continue on their planned route or take a shortcut into the wilderness. Eighty-nine of them opt for the untested trail, a decision that plunges them into danger and desperation and, finally, the unthinkable. From extraordinary poet and novelist Allan Wolf comes a riveting retelling of the ill-fated journey of the Donner party across the Sierra Nevadas during the winter of 1846-1847. Brilliantly narrated by multiple voices, including world-weary, taunting, and all-knowing Hunger itself, this novel-in-verse examines a notorious chapter in history from various perspectives, among them caravan leaders George Donner and James Reed, Donner's scholarly wife, two Miwok Indian guides, the Reed children, a sixteen-year-old orphan, and even a pair of oxen. Comprehensive back matter includes an author's note, select character biographies, statistics, a time line of events, and more. Unprecedented in its detail and sweep, this haunting epic raises stirring questions about moral ambiguity, hope and resilience, and hunger of all kinds.
In 1846, a group of emigrants bound for California face a choice: continue on their planned route or take a shortcut into the wilderness. Eighty-nine of them opt for the untested trail, a decision that plunges them into danger and desperation and, finally, the unthinkable. From extraordinary poet and novelist Allan Wolf comes a riveting retelling of the ill-fated journey of the Donner party across the Sierra Nevadas during the winter of 1846-1847. Brilliantly narrated by multiple voices, including world-weary, taunting, and all-knowing Hunger itself, this novel-in-verse examines a notorious chapter in history from various perspectives, among them caravan leaders George Donner and James Reed, Donner's scholarly wife, two Miwok Indian guides, the Reed children, a sixteen-year-old orphan, and even a pair of oxen. Comprehensive back matter includes an author's note, select character biographies, statistics, a time line of events, and more. Unprecedented in its detail and sweep, this haunting epic raises stirring questions about moral ambiguity, hope and resilience, and hunger of all kinds.
399 pages, Hardcover
First published September 8, 2020
28 people are currently reading
1821 people want to read
About the author
Allan Wolf
22 books133 followersA versatile writer, Allan Wolf's picture books, poetry collections, young adult novels, and nonfiction celebrate his love of research, history, science, and poetry. He is a Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist, two-time winner of the North Carolina Young Adult Book Award, and recipient of New York’s Bank Street College Claudia Lewis Award for Poetry. Booklist placed Allan’s The Watch That Ends the Night, on its list of the 50 Best YA Books of All Time.
Wolf believes in the healing powers of poetry recitation and has committed to memory nearly a thousand poems.
His newest titles include: a historical novel, (Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom); a picture book (The Blanket Where Violet Sits); a poetry collection (The Gift of the Broken Teacup); and a graphic novel (The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur).
Wolf believes in the healing powers of poetry recitation and has committed to memory nearly a thousand poems.
His newest titles include: a historical novel, (Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom); a picture book (The Blanket Where Violet Sits); a poetry collection (The Gift of the Broken Teacup); and a graphic novel (The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
October 18, 2020
3.5 What a unique way to tell the story of the Donner party. Hunger itself is a narrator and it's function is to explain and fill in the story. It is written in a prose style and we hear from many of those poor, unfortunate people in their own words. I found it surprisingly effective. Can't help but feel for these people, their options were so limited, and they did the best they could with the little they had. Hard to judge them negatively for wanting to keep themselves and their children alive.
A very different take on this long ago tragedy.
A very different take on this long ago tragedy.
September 5, 2020
"Hunger does not make choices. Only humans can do that. So do not blame me. Do not blame Hunger. I am merely here to tell the tale."
I stumbled upon this unassuming book on netgalley, never having heard of it before. I read the description and was instantly intrigued by the description. A historical fiction told in verse recounting the perilous journey of the Donner Party. I had heard of the Donner Party in a few podcasts, and generally in passing- but had never really explored the intricacies of it.
If you are unaware, the Donner Party was a group of pioneers who after a series of ill-informed choices descend into chaos and eventually cannibalism after they get trapped in the Sierra Nevada mountains in the midst of a cataclysmic snowstorm. I had mostly heard this story told in a horror, ghost story context, focusing heavily on the canablism- and so I assumed that was what this book would be. However, Allan Wolf told the Party's story with dignity and nuance, bring the members to life.
"So do not judge them, lest you suffer a similar fate. Instead, let us celebrate that small, yet mighty spark of life. That half-full bucket waiting in the depths of the well. That last bean lingering at the bottom of the empty barrel. Do not judge them. Let them eat."
The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep is told in a style Wolf calls narrative pointillism. We hear from many narrators, from children to two Miwok guides, to a pair of oxen to hunger. Each of them had a distinct voice and brought something new to the table. My personal favourites were hunger (reminiscent of the narrator death from the book thief), the native americans and tamzene donner. The majority of the perspectives are told in verse which added a unique twist. It was not simply prose separated by a few enters in between, but creatively done. It added to the story, rather than just being a selling point.
"The body will starve in the absence of food. But the soul will starve in the absence of hope. "
Despite having the ability to embellish due to its historical fiction label, The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep sticks as true to life as it can. It is clear the amount of research that went into the book, and if you are interested at the end there are almost 50 pages of information. I feel like I learnt so much without ever feeling like I was being force fed statistics and facts.
While it may seem like to read this book would be an entirely gloomy and depressing experience- there were points of hope. I won't deny there are many sad and hopeless moments. But overcoming all of that was the remarkable strength of humanity. Yes, many died, but more survived. Of the 81 pioneers trapped in the mountains, more than half of them were children. 68.9% of them survived. Over half of the overall members made it.
Overall, this was one of the most unique and interesting books I have read all year. I would recommend it if you think you are in the right mindset, and prepared to keep a various characters and places straight in your mind. I am now beyond excited to read Allan Wolf's backlist, particularly his Titanic recount.
I stumbled upon this unassuming book on netgalley, never having heard of it before. I read the description and was instantly intrigued by the description. A historical fiction told in verse recounting the perilous journey of the Donner Party. I had heard of the Donner Party in a few podcasts, and generally in passing- but had never really explored the intricacies of it.
If you are unaware, the Donner Party was a group of pioneers who after a series of ill-informed choices descend into chaos and eventually cannibalism after they get trapped in the Sierra Nevada mountains in the midst of a cataclysmic snowstorm. I had mostly heard this story told in a horror, ghost story context, focusing heavily on the canablism- and so I assumed that was what this book would be. However, Allan Wolf told the Party's story with dignity and nuance, bring the members to life.
"So do not judge them, lest you suffer a similar fate. Instead, let us celebrate that small, yet mighty spark of life. That half-full bucket waiting in the depths of the well. That last bean lingering at the bottom of the empty barrel. Do not judge them. Let them eat."
The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep is told in a style Wolf calls narrative pointillism. We hear from many narrators, from children to two Miwok guides, to a pair of oxen to hunger. Each of them had a distinct voice and brought something new to the table. My personal favourites were hunger (reminiscent of the narrator death from the book thief), the native americans and tamzene donner. The majority of the perspectives are told in verse which added a unique twist. It was not simply prose separated by a few enters in between, but creatively done. It added to the story, rather than just being a selling point.
"The body will starve in the absence of food. But the soul will starve in the absence of hope. "
Despite having the ability to embellish due to its historical fiction label, The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep sticks as true to life as it can. It is clear the amount of research that went into the book, and if you are interested at the end there are almost 50 pages of information. I feel like I learnt so much without ever feeling like I was being force fed statistics and facts.
While it may seem like to read this book would be an entirely gloomy and depressing experience- there were points of hope. I won't deny there are many sad and hopeless moments. But overcoming all of that was the remarkable strength of humanity. Yes, many died, but more survived. Of the 81 pioneers trapped in the mountains, more than half of them were children. 68.9% of them survived. Over half of the overall members made it.
Overall, this was one of the most unique and interesting books I have read all year. I would recommend it if you think you are in the right mindset, and prepared to keep a various characters and places straight in your mind. I am now beyond excited to read Allan Wolf's backlist, particularly his Titanic recount.
June 9, 2021
"Authors Note... I hope, like me, you won’t judge the Donner Party too harshly... I hope you will try placing yourself in their train-worn shoes."
Wow. This book is incredible! It’s brilliantly written in a lyrical fashion. This true story is endearing, haunting, and horrifying all at once. While I read this book 2 months prior to writing this review; it feels like yesterday I finished. As anticipated, The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep has stuck with me in different ways and truly affected my psyche; especially on the issue of survival. I was very concerned that I would have trouble reading this as cannibalism is one of my major horror triggers. I avoid the topic in almost all instances. I blame the movie version of The Road and some episodes of The Walking Dead for giving me literal nightmares with their visceral portrayals of cannibalism. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. The difference here is stark. This is about pure survival of the cold, Snow, and Hunger. If your children were starving would you really allow available (dead) meat to go to waste?
No Regular Novel
So many pieces of Allan Wolf's treatment of the Donner Party story are brilliant. This is not a typical novel. To start Hunger is our narrator in places. Hunger's perspective fills in some of the holes with presumed events that are not confirmed. Hunger also lends a lot of humanity to our characters. A reminder that in the end they are starving and cannot afford to waste anything; no matter what type of meat it is.
Alongside Hunger's unique perspective we have diary entries from one of the children, the innermost thoughts of one of the father's, odd ramblings of a couple characters, a mother's despairing perspective, and Snow. Yes, Snow is a character and has pages of grey text that are literally just names. It's impactful as you start to see the accumulation, not just of the word snow from page to page; but also of the pile of dead left in their wake (or eventually at their campsites).
On top of all this the narrative is lyrical. Almost poetic in places. It read like a lullaby for me; both soothing and yet a bit horrifying. Think of the typical lullaby and you'll realize most of them had (or threatened) awful outcomes. This story is written in the same way and the treatment absolutely humanizes this true story and reminds us that it is not just a punchline of a joke; but dozens of people's lives playing out in a harsh, unforgiving, and ultimately tragic environment.
True Story of Poor Choices
One of the biggest takeaway's I have from The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep is the reminder that this is a true story. This group of people including small children, elderly, women, and a few strong men truly did make a whole host of bad decisions. The mountain pass was just the final straw. In fact they were lucky to make it to the pass at all. Honestly a large chunk of what happens feels like pure stupidity; but then Hunger will remind you that when you are unable to focus on anything but the emptiness in your stomach all other logic or common sense is set aside. Prior to Hunger being a factor we must remind ourselves that these people literally have only one way to move forward. They have left nothing behind and put all their eggs in the wagons they travel with. Turning back is never an option as their future is in their final destination.
And yet many times I wanted to just scream at the party for bad choices. Never mind the stupidity of the 'shortcut' that they convinced themselves was worth it, but their choices not to bring the animals into the cabins from the storms, sending way too many people out to find a way through the pass (wasting food on the energy needed for all of them), and overall just not thinking clearly a lot of the time.
Ironically, given the time period and importance of physical strength to much of the story, we actually see that the mothers were perhaps the most resilient in the end as they watched, their own and other, children die around them and despair at how to keep surviving so their living ones could have a future. If you look at the ratio of how many of the mothers of children lived versus the men or children it's quite startling to realize they were most fortunate (if we can call it that) in the end. If anyone was a hero in the end it must be the women who watched their families fall apart as the men searched for a way through the pass (and most didn't return), their children starved (many to death), and their ability to stay warm became imperative to anyone's survival.
The Cold and Snow
I've already mentioned that Snow is a character; but it's important to note how good of a job Wolf did of portraying what it's like to be truly cold. And I don't mean a bit chilly because it's just below freezing. We're talking about conditions with snow, and fierce wind in the pass. Where temperatures would have easily plummeted to the point where Farenheit and Celsuis meet, -40. This is a kind of cold, especially if you are wet from the snow or sweating, that is different than most people ever experience. As a Canadian, who lives in a places that see -30C or lower for at least a week each year, I can tell you that your brain is so quick to lose feeling and not notice the cold in your appendages. It tricks you into thinking it's warm, convinces you that it's safe to leave your enclosed space, and causes utter madness. It's been documented by science many times. Yet so often in fiction; cold, snow and North wind effects are downplayed; but not here. Wolf is explicit in his explanations of the cold, wind and snow on everyone. Especially well written is the narrative where a large party (of mostly men) try to summit the pass and get caught in a fierce winter storm. The eloquence and understanding that Wolf has of exactly how this situation would have played out, both physically and mentally, in real life is exquisite.
Overall
Honestly I could go on and on about so many pieces of this novel that are just perfect. Although let's face it the thing everyone wants to know is did cannibalism happen in the end? Yes the children were likely fed the remains of those they knew and some of the adults may have succumbed to Hunger as well.
At the end of the fictional account Wolf gives us a comprehensive bibliography as well as a very explicit description of exactly what is known and 100% true; versus what he has assumed or supplemented to make a complete story. As all the players are now passed on we will never truly know what happened in the valley leading up to the deadly mountain pass. Yet one thing is certain for me after reading this novel; no one from this story deserves to be demonized, mocked, or used as the butt of a joke. These were real people, just trying to survive in impossible conditions with children and adults dying around them. And so while I'm still terrified of the idea of humans being used as a meat source and locked up (like The Road); I'm no longer completely put off by the idea of surviving on what is available. If your children were starving and meat was just a few feet away, preserved in the snow (waiting for the wolves to take it away) wouldn't you feed it to them (and yourself) in order to survive?
If you think no, then I encourage you to read this book and understand the extreme circumstances that these people lived (and died) in. I guarantee it will at least have you pausing to wonder at what point Hunger would win over any ethical or morale concerns.
This incredible piece of literature deserves a lot more discussion and awareness than it has gotten to date. I hope Allan Wolf is aware that he has written an award winning piece of historical fiction and that, if nothing else, there are people out there like myself that truly respect his work; and have been strongly affected by it.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
I read a hardcopy of this book from my library in order to get the feel for the page layout. I recommend this be read in print format due to the layout of the pages being a part of the narrative; especially for Snow.
Wow. This book is incredible! It’s brilliantly written in a lyrical fashion. This true story is endearing, haunting, and horrifying all at once. While I read this book 2 months prior to writing this review; it feels like yesterday I finished. As anticipated, The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep has stuck with me in different ways and truly affected my psyche; especially on the issue of survival. I was very concerned that I would have trouble reading this as cannibalism is one of my major horror triggers. I avoid the topic in almost all instances. I blame the movie version of The Road and some episodes of The Walking Dead for giving me literal nightmares with their visceral portrayals of cannibalism. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. The difference here is stark. This is about pure survival of the cold, Snow, and Hunger. If your children were starving would you really allow available (dead) meat to go to waste?
No Regular Novel
So many pieces of Allan Wolf's treatment of the Donner Party story are brilliant. This is not a typical novel. To start Hunger is our narrator in places. Hunger's perspective fills in some of the holes with presumed events that are not confirmed. Hunger also lends a lot of humanity to our characters. A reminder that in the end they are starving and cannot afford to waste anything; no matter what type of meat it is.
Alongside Hunger's unique perspective we have diary entries from one of the children, the innermost thoughts of one of the father's, odd ramblings of a couple characters, a mother's despairing perspective, and Snow. Yes, Snow is a character and has pages of grey text that are literally just names. It's impactful as you start to see the accumulation, not just of the word snow from page to page; but also of the pile of dead left in their wake (or eventually at their campsites).
On top of all this the narrative is lyrical. Almost poetic in places. It read like a lullaby for me; both soothing and yet a bit horrifying. Think of the typical lullaby and you'll realize most of them had (or threatened) awful outcomes. This story is written in the same way and the treatment absolutely humanizes this true story and reminds us that it is not just a punchline of a joke; but dozens of people's lives playing out in a harsh, unforgiving, and ultimately tragic environment.
True Story of Poor Choices
One of the biggest takeaway's I have from The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep is the reminder that this is a true story. This group of people including small children, elderly, women, and a few strong men truly did make a whole host of bad decisions. The mountain pass was just the final straw. In fact they were lucky to make it to the pass at all. Honestly a large chunk of what happens feels like pure stupidity; but then Hunger will remind you that when you are unable to focus on anything but the emptiness in your stomach all other logic or common sense is set aside. Prior to Hunger being a factor we must remind ourselves that these people literally have only one way to move forward. They have left nothing behind and put all their eggs in the wagons they travel with. Turning back is never an option as their future is in their final destination.
And yet many times I wanted to just scream at the party for bad choices. Never mind the stupidity of the 'shortcut' that they convinced themselves was worth it, but their choices not to bring the animals into the cabins from the storms, sending way too many people out to find a way through the pass (wasting food on the energy needed for all of them), and overall just not thinking clearly a lot of the time.
Ironically, given the time period and importance of physical strength to much of the story, we actually see that the mothers were perhaps the most resilient in the end as they watched, their own and other, children die around them and despair at how to keep surviving so their living ones could have a future. If you look at the ratio of how many of the mothers of children lived versus the men or children it's quite startling to realize they were most fortunate (if we can call it that) in the end. If anyone was a hero in the end it must be the women who watched their families fall apart as the men searched for a way through the pass (and most didn't return), their children starved (many to death), and their ability to stay warm became imperative to anyone's survival.
The Cold and Snow
I've already mentioned that Snow is a character; but it's important to note how good of a job Wolf did of portraying what it's like to be truly cold. And I don't mean a bit chilly because it's just below freezing. We're talking about conditions with snow, and fierce wind in the pass. Where temperatures would have easily plummeted to the point where Farenheit and Celsuis meet, -40. This is a kind of cold, especially if you are wet from the snow or sweating, that is different than most people ever experience. As a Canadian, who lives in a places that see -30C or lower for at least a week each year, I can tell you that your brain is so quick to lose feeling and not notice the cold in your appendages. It tricks you into thinking it's warm, convinces you that it's safe to leave your enclosed space, and causes utter madness. It's been documented by science many times. Yet so often in fiction; cold, snow and North wind effects are downplayed; but not here. Wolf is explicit in his explanations of the cold, wind and snow on everyone. Especially well written is the narrative where a large party (of mostly men) try to summit the pass and get caught in a fierce winter storm. The eloquence and understanding that Wolf has of exactly how this situation would have played out, both physically and mentally, in real life is exquisite.
Overall
Honestly I could go on and on about so many pieces of this novel that are just perfect. Although let's face it the thing everyone wants to know is did cannibalism happen in the end? Yes the children were likely fed the remains of those they knew and some of the adults may have succumbed to Hunger as well.
At the end of the fictional account Wolf gives us a comprehensive bibliography as well as a very explicit description of exactly what is known and 100% true; versus what he has assumed or supplemented to make a complete story. As all the players are now passed on we will never truly know what happened in the valley leading up to the deadly mountain pass. Yet one thing is certain for me after reading this novel; no one from this story deserves to be demonized, mocked, or used as the butt of a joke. These were real people, just trying to survive in impossible conditions with children and adults dying around them. And so while I'm still terrified of the idea of humans being used as a meat source and locked up (like The Road); I'm no longer completely put off by the idea of surviving on what is available. If your children were starving and meat was just a few feet away, preserved in the snow (waiting for the wolves to take it away) wouldn't you feed it to them (and yourself) in order to survive?
If you think no, then I encourage you to read this book and understand the extreme circumstances that these people lived (and died) in. I guarantee it will at least have you pausing to wonder at what point Hunger would win over any ethical or morale concerns.
This incredible piece of literature deserves a lot more discussion and awareness than it has gotten to date. I hope Allan Wolf is aware that he has written an award winning piece of historical fiction and that, if nothing else, there are people out there like myself that truly respect his work; and have been strongly affected by it.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
I read a hardcopy of this book from my library in order to get the feel for the page layout. I recommend this be read in print format due to the layout of the pages being a part of the narrative; especially for Snow.
September 8, 2020
Woah - this book gave me freaking chills. I remember being fascinated with the horrific fate of the Donner Party when I was younger - but I hadn't given it much thought since. This remarkable telling of events is told in verse, journal entries, letters, and maps. The slow build up of terror guarantees that you won't be able to tear your eyes off the page. Told through multiple perspective: a German immigrant, an orphan boy, an 8 year old, a father, and two indigenous scouts help give this story a well rounded view of the situation. For those that aren't aware - The Donner Party got trapped in the mountains not even 90 miles away from a fort by an extremely early winter. They slowly starved to death and succumbed to cannibalism - it was truly horrific. This book..... is one I will 100% read again and recommend to teens and adults - the notes and the statistics at the end are also wonderful additions. The author really shined a lot on an awful situation and refrained from placing the blame on anyone while still remaining objective. Marvelous storytelling!!
January 5, 2021
"In the end, Mr. and Mrs. Breen choose to do whatever they must to keep themselves and the children alive. They climb to the surface and harvest the meat. They descend back into the pit. They cook and they eat. But before the eat they still say grace.
And while they eat. They weep."
This is unlike anything I've ever read. This is a historical fiction YA novel about the journey of The Donner Party through the Sierra Mountains. Told in notes, poems, stories, and narrated by Hunger itself, this book will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about what happened to those people. The back of the book also have detailed resources and notes about each of the family members and people on the excursion.
My only critique is that sometimes it was difficult going and back and forth between each of the stories and poems- however, the writing was impeccable and clearly well researched.
An interesting read for the winter...
And while they eat. They weep."
This is unlike anything I've ever read. This is a historical fiction YA novel about the journey of The Donner Party through the Sierra Mountains. Told in notes, poems, stories, and narrated by Hunger itself, this book will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about what happened to those people. The back of the book also have detailed resources and notes about each of the family members and people on the excursion.
My only critique is that sometimes it was difficult going and back and forth between each of the stories and poems- however, the writing was impeccable and clearly well researched.
An interesting read for the winter...
February 15, 2022
Uhm, wow?! The Donner party is one of those historical events I’d always heard about but never truly understood (probably because the last time I heard about the Oregon Trail was in 5th grade). The author not only lets you know what he took poetic license with in the back of the book (and honestly he did not take much) but he also gives all the stats to help you see how insane their conditions were.
December 20, 2023
This harrowing story of the Donner Party is incredible on audio! The full-cast narration is just stellar.
August 10, 2025
This book is horrifying, but not for the reasons you might expect. While the Donner party’s hunger and cannibalism is certainly enough to disturb your own appetite for several hours, it’s the way you empathize with them that stays with you. As Hunger itself narrates the tale, you watch as hopelessness consumes them and their desire to live claims their humanity.
No one is only a villain, but many of them are villainous (except maybe Sutter, he is only a villain). William Foster, in his slaughter of Eema and QuéYuen, is villainous. James Reed, in his murder of John Snyder, is villainous. Even Tamzene Donner, in her abandonment of her children for the sake of her husband, is villainous.
However, Hunger keeps them alive (most of them). I might even go as far as to say that’s why Tamzene Donner died. After George died, she was no longer hungry for more time, more love, more of him- her life partner. Hunger no longer kept her alive.
My favorite narratives, besides Tamzene’s (because though her devotion to George was harmful to her children, she loved so hard and so much), was Virginia’s and Patty’s. These two sisters experienced this period of time in very different ways, but their tenacity pulled them through.
The sheer amount of research this project required is impressive in of itself, and I believe the author did as much justice to a history such as this, considering how much is unknown (due to dead witnesses or closed lipped survivors).
Quotes to Keep:
“Salvador: What is that? I hear footsteps. I hear a man breathing. And the cocking of… a rifle.
Luis: Do not worry, QuéYuen. It is only William Foster. He has… brought us… something to eat.
Salvador: You do not have to protect me from the truth of this, Eema. Remember, I am blindfolded… but I am not blind. Thank you for the acorn.
Luis: I am sorry I could not make it into bread, QuéYuen.
Salvador: The acorn is perfect just as it is, Eema. It is everything I need.” (224-225).
“Does the thought of keeping it for himself enter his mind? Yes. But there are forces much stronger than hunger at work. After softening the food, Reed removes it from his mouth. And with exquisite care and tenderness, he reaches his rough fingers toward his daughter’s cold lips. And he gently places the food on her tongue.” (308).
“It is much easier to love a dead husband than a live one. The dead ones will never disappoint you. George Donner is anything but perfect, but he’s mine. What haunts my heart the most is how Tully died alone. He had called my name. Reached out his hand. But… I… was… not… there. I will not make the same mistake a second time. And that is why I walk the 8 miles back to Alder Creek. And why I enter our sad snow-covered tent with a smile. And why I kiss my imperfect husband as he sleeps.” (324).
“And then George begins to cry. And he smiles. ‘It’s just that… I thought you had left me. I thought I was alone.’ ‘Are you glad I’ve come back?’ I ask. ‘Would it matter if I said no?’ he asks. ‘Of course not,’ I laugh. ‘We’re linsey–woolsey, you and I. I am the linen warp and you are the woolen weft. I’m afraid there is no unraveling us.’” (325).
No one is only a villain, but many of them are villainous (except maybe Sutter, he is only a villain). William Foster, in his slaughter of Eema and QuéYuen, is villainous. James Reed, in his murder of John Snyder, is villainous. Even Tamzene Donner, in her abandonment of her children for the sake of her husband, is villainous.
However, Hunger keeps them alive (most of them). I might even go as far as to say that’s why Tamzene Donner died. After George died, she was no longer hungry for more time, more love, more of him- her life partner. Hunger no longer kept her alive.
My favorite narratives, besides Tamzene’s (because though her devotion to George was harmful to her children, she loved so hard and so much), was Virginia’s and Patty’s. These two sisters experienced this period of time in very different ways, but their tenacity pulled them through.
The sheer amount of research this project required is impressive in of itself, and I believe the author did as much justice to a history such as this, considering how much is unknown (due to dead witnesses or closed lipped survivors).
Quotes to Keep:
“Salvador: What is that? I hear footsteps. I hear a man breathing. And the cocking of… a rifle.
Luis: Do not worry, QuéYuen. It is only William Foster. He has… brought us… something to eat.
Salvador: You do not have to protect me from the truth of this, Eema. Remember, I am blindfolded… but I am not blind. Thank you for the acorn.
Luis: I am sorry I could not make it into bread, QuéYuen.
Salvador: The acorn is perfect just as it is, Eema. It is everything I need.” (224-225).
“Does the thought of keeping it for himself enter his mind? Yes. But there are forces much stronger than hunger at work. After softening the food, Reed removes it from his mouth. And with exquisite care and tenderness, he reaches his rough fingers toward his daughter’s cold lips. And he gently places the food on her tongue.” (308).
“It is much easier to love a dead husband than a live one. The dead ones will never disappoint you. George Donner is anything but perfect, but he’s mine. What haunts my heart the most is how Tully died alone. He had called my name. Reached out his hand. But… I… was… not… there. I will not make the same mistake a second time. And that is why I walk the 8 miles back to Alder Creek. And why I enter our sad snow-covered tent with a smile. And why I kiss my imperfect husband as he sleeps.” (324).
“And then George begins to cry. And he smiles. ‘It’s just that… I thought you had left me. I thought I was alone.’ ‘Are you glad I’ve come back?’ I ask. ‘Would it matter if I said no?’ he asks. ‘Of course not,’ I laugh. ‘We’re linsey–woolsey, you and I. I am the linen warp and you are the woolen weft. I’m afraid there is no unraveling us.’” (325).
August 11, 2021
Amazing and excellently researched novel. I listened to part of the audio book and it was one of the best I've ever listened to. I highly recommend the audio book!
January 12, 2021
Another book about the tragic Donner party of 1846, right? Wrong. This is not just another retelling of the story most of us are acquainted with. This one is told in the manner of a diary, with each page a short entry by one of the key characters in this story, told in first person, which really delivers an emotional punch straight to the gut or the heart, depending on your point of view. From child to adult, we see the journey as it unfolds with every passing day through the eyes of those unfortunate souls. The author has taken some liberties here to explain how one situation or another may or may not have taken place, though his research is extensive and his liberties are based on factual evidence. One of the more interesting aspects of this book is the diary entry of "Hunger." Hunger is actually narrating the story, sometimes in broad terms, and sometimes in disquieting detail. Hunger speaks as a detached onlooker as he describes the stages of starvation the human body experiences as it slowly but surely starts to shut down. He watches the decision-making, the humanity, the greed, desperation, courage, kindness, and cruelty and begs the reader not to judge. I've read many books on the Donner party but this one will stay with me for a while because of the very personal rendering of each character's point of view. I found this book to be very moving, unspeakably sad, and beautifully written and in the end, highly recommended.
February 11, 2021
4.5 stars. This was absolutely fascinating. I’m slightly familiar with the history of The Donner Party (I read The Indifferent Stars Above in 2018, as well as the fictional The Hunger) and I loved how this was done. Bahni Turpin as the personification of Hunger was amazing (as always!) but all the narrators were really well done. This combined interesting truth with historical fiction, and was hard to put down.
August 25, 2020
#book review
Allan Wolf is semi-local author and has been very supportive of our library, coming into town to participate in our Teen Book Fest. I hadn't read his books prior to The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep, but he is regularly on our Battle of the Books Lists, so I expected a lot. He did not disappoint.
Snow follows the story of the Donner Party in their trek across the Rockies, the desert, the Sierra Nevadas, and into California. It tells the tale through perspectives of several travelers: Patty Reed, George Donner, even Hunger. Using Hunger as a narrator rationalized the actions of the Donner party. (It was very reminiscent of using Death as a narrator in The Book Thief.) It was an excellent way of explaining why they resorted to cannibalism. Speaking of cannibalism, I can see the question I'll get asked the most: is it gross? The answer is yes and no. There was no joy in what the survivors had to do to survive and the book makes this clear. Is it still gross? Yes. But Wolf tackled it with dignity and compassion.
Every time I read a book in verse, it takes me a spell to get over the fact that it’s in verse. The same goes for The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep. In all honesty, I don’t know that narrating some of the characters in verse adds anything to the book but it doesn’t ruin it either.
But I can't say enough good about this book. I enjoy historical fiction and I enjoyed this book. The notes at the end were thorough and gave good direction for further reading. There is so much more information out there, if you want to keep reading. I can't wait to see this book make the Battle of the Books list.
Many thanks to Candlewick and Edelweiss for the ARC!
Allan Wolf is semi-local author and has been very supportive of our library, coming into town to participate in our Teen Book Fest. I hadn't read his books prior to The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep, but he is regularly on our Battle of the Books Lists, so I expected a lot. He did not disappoint.
Snow follows the story of the Donner Party in their trek across the Rockies, the desert, the Sierra Nevadas, and into California. It tells the tale through perspectives of several travelers: Patty Reed, George Donner, even Hunger. Using Hunger as a narrator rationalized the actions of the Donner party. (It was very reminiscent of using Death as a narrator in The Book Thief.) It was an excellent way of explaining why they resorted to cannibalism. Speaking of cannibalism, I can see the question I'll get asked the most: is it gross? The answer is yes and no. There was no joy in what the survivors had to do to survive and the book makes this clear. Is it still gross? Yes. But Wolf tackled it with dignity and compassion.
Every time I read a book in verse, it takes me a spell to get over the fact that it’s in verse. The same goes for The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep. In all honesty, I don’t know that narrating some of the characters in verse adds anything to the book but it doesn’t ruin it either.
But I can't say enough good about this book. I enjoy historical fiction and I enjoyed this book. The notes at the end were thorough and gave good direction for further reading. There is so much more information out there, if you want to keep reading. I can't wait to see this book make the Battle of the Books list.
Many thanks to Candlewick and Edelweiss for the ARC!
February 22, 2023
In my life, I have never heard about the Donner Party and this book allows me to learn and explore its gruesome and intriguing journey. Donner Party is named after a group of pioneers who were trapped in Nevada mountain in the late ‘40s which then descend into cannibalism in order to survive during heavy snowstorms. I thought this book would be more like a history book but Allan Wolf’s writing brings the people back to life and makes the story more lively.
As the narrator, Hunger’s point of view fills some of the gaps with assumed but unconfirmed occurrences. Hunger’s narrative allows the reader to understand that in the end we should not judge them, but instead try placing ourselves in their shoes. Together with its unique perspective, Allan included some journal entries from one of the children, one of the father's deepest thoughts, bizarre ramblings of a couple people, a mother's dismal perspective, and Snow. Snow is another character which I found confusing because it is just pages filled with names.
Other than that, the way the story was told in a lyrical prose and poetic in some way, the story became half soothing and half terrifying. The narrator, Hunger, told the story carefully as it allowed the reader to understand the incident and how it affected people’s lives along with its tragic ending. Another interesting aspect in this book is how they all made a very bad decision when you’re unable to think or do anything properly because of hunger. How the emptiness in your stomach would push away all the logic aside.
This book was bold and horrifying. It shows how a group of people give up everything for their loved ones to keep on surviving. Another gut wrenching story that forever carved into my memories. The Story Fell Three Graves Deep is an incredible book that gives me chills. The remarkable events were not just in a long paragraph, but also in maps, letters and verse.
This is my first book from this author and I would love to read some more. If you’re familiar with his writing style, then this book is for you. Thank you #Pansing @definitelybooks for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
As the narrator, Hunger’s point of view fills some of the gaps with assumed but unconfirmed occurrences. Hunger’s narrative allows the reader to understand that in the end we should not judge them, but instead try placing ourselves in their shoes. Together with its unique perspective, Allan included some journal entries from one of the children, one of the father's deepest thoughts, bizarre ramblings of a couple people, a mother's dismal perspective, and Snow. Snow is another character which I found confusing because it is just pages filled with names.
Other than that, the way the story was told in a lyrical prose and poetic in some way, the story became half soothing and half terrifying. The narrator, Hunger, told the story carefully as it allowed the reader to understand the incident and how it affected people’s lives along with its tragic ending. Another interesting aspect in this book is how they all made a very bad decision when you’re unable to think or do anything properly because of hunger. How the emptiness in your stomach would push away all the logic aside.
This book was bold and horrifying. It shows how a group of people give up everything for their loved ones to keep on surviving. Another gut wrenching story that forever carved into my memories. The Story Fell Three Graves Deep is an incredible book that gives me chills. The remarkable events were not just in a long paragraph, but also in maps, letters and verse.
This is my first book from this author and I would love to read some more. If you’re familiar with his writing style, then this book is for you. Thank you #Pansing @definitelybooks for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 29, 2025
Even though I’ve read nonfiction accounts of the Donner party before, it is still shocking. Like reading about the Titanic, when the story is told in a narrative format, you keep hoping it’s going to end differently, that they are not going to take that “shortcut.”
Reading about this actual situation in history was much more emotional with this captivating style, where I got to imagine the horror of live oxen and horses being buried alive in 14 feet of snow. And perhaps because I just recently broke trail through a mere 4 feet of snow with snowshoes on, experiencing exhaustion after less than an hour, I had even more appreciation for the struggles they endured. It was an emotional and fascinating read, and it’s hard to believe the strength of the human spirit and the stupid decisions we are capable of making when we use the Democratic process. I cannot imagine having to endure what they did knowing that I voted to not take the shortcut but had to go with what the group decided. I think my persistent “I told you so” feeling would have killed me before hunger did, or at least driven me mad.
I highly recommend this historical fiction to high school students and adults!
There is nothing inappropriate that would keep me from recommending this to middle school students except that it is so long.
Reading about this actual situation in history was much more emotional with this captivating style, where I got to imagine the horror of live oxen and horses being buried alive in 14 feet of snow. And perhaps because I just recently broke trail through a mere 4 feet of snow with snowshoes on, experiencing exhaustion after less than an hour, I had even more appreciation for the struggles they endured. It was an emotional and fascinating read, and it’s hard to believe the strength of the human spirit and the stupid decisions we are capable of making when we use the Democratic process. I cannot imagine having to endure what they did knowing that I voted to not take the shortcut but had to go with what the group decided. I think my persistent “I told you so” feeling would have killed me before hunger did, or at least driven me mad.
I highly recommend this historical fiction to high school students and adults!
There is nothing inappropriate that would keep me from recommending this to middle school students except that it is so long.
May 11, 2021
A fellow librarian told me about this book, which is a verse novel about the Donner Party, narrated by Hunger, and I knew I needed to read it. Immediately.
A variety of viewpoints tell the many different threads of this story, some using historical letters and diary entries, and others more fabricated from the evidence. There's a sense of dread through most of the story, and it was all too easy to read one more page, one more section, because I needed to know if my favorite characters were going to survive. Among my favorites were Baptiste ("The Orphan"), Salvador and Luis (the Native guides), and little Patty ("The Angel"). But really, all of the voices were really well-done. It was so heart-breaking when certain characters died, and to see how close some of them came to rescue, and of course it was worse knowing this really happened. And hearing about what they did for food made it understandable how it all came down to cannibalism, which was all the more horrifying. Fascinating, and now I'm going to have to read a few more books about the Donner Party in addition to the stack of books I have out from the library about cults...
A variety of viewpoints tell the many different threads of this story, some using historical letters and diary entries, and others more fabricated from the evidence. There's a sense of dread through most of the story, and it was all too easy to read one more page, one more section, because I needed to know if my favorite characters were going to survive. Among my favorites were Baptiste ("The Orphan"), Salvador and Luis (the Native guides), and little Patty ("The Angel"). But really, all of the voices were really well-done. It was so heart-breaking when certain characters died, and to see how close some of them came to rescue, and of course it was worse knowing this really happened. And hearing about what they did for food made it understandable how it all came down to cannibalism, which was all the more horrifying. Fascinating, and now I'm going to have to read a few more books about the Donner Party in addition to the stack of books I have out from the library about cults...
October 28, 2020
4.5/5
"You can be my Beatrice and show me the way
through this many-leveled hell when you awake."
Nothing gets me like a good Dante allusion. Now, onto my thoughts:
Historical Fiction meets novel in verse meets multiple perspectives meets hunger as one of these perspectives...this was wild. And bleak. And just really really really well-done. One of the most quality and unique young adult historical fiction texts I have encountered in years. Highly recommend.
Side-note: Pretty sure Allan Wolf wins for having the best definition of multiple perspectivity I have ever encountered. He refers to the framework of "The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep" as a form of "narrative pointillism", going on to discuss it as "creating a picture or a story one point at a time. Each point has its own unique perspective. And only by stepping back to consider all the points together will the picture or story become complete." Simple. Brilliant. Yes. Now I just want to teach a class entitled "Narrative Pointillism in YA Literature"...but I digress.
"You can be my Beatrice and show me the way
through this many-leveled hell when you awake."
Nothing gets me like a good Dante allusion. Now, onto my thoughts:
Historical Fiction meets novel in verse meets multiple perspectives meets hunger as one of these perspectives...this was wild. And bleak. And just really really really well-done. One of the most quality and unique young adult historical fiction texts I have encountered in years. Highly recommend.
Side-note: Pretty sure Allan Wolf wins for having the best definition of multiple perspectivity I have ever encountered. He refers to the framework of "The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep" as a form of "narrative pointillism", going on to discuss it as "creating a picture or a story one point at a time. Each point has its own unique perspective. And only by stepping back to consider all the points together will the picture or story become complete." Simple. Brilliant. Yes. Now I just want to teach a class entitled "Narrative Pointillism in YA Literature"...but I digress.
January 16, 2021
This was put on my radar by a fellow librarian friend, who knows my interest in both YA and grotesque history. It's a nice idea, but I think if I were going to introduce the story of the Donner Party to a teen, this wouldn't be the ideal starting place. I don't mind multiple points of view, but also I don't love blank verse, and the narrow focus on just a few of the members doesn't get the heart of it. This book is obviously excellently researched and there is an extensive bibliography at the end, which recommends The Indifferent Stars Above, which I read and LOVED a couple years ago, and executes the psychology of the various members better, even though it's nonfiction. I literally never stop thinking about how mindbreaking it is to draw cannibalism lots or the statistics about who is most likely to die of starvation.
Final word: if you already know about this history, I guess there's something to enjoy, but I wouldn't start here.
Final word: if you already know about this history, I guess there's something to enjoy, but I wouldn't start here.
July 6, 2020
Yet another fantastic novel in verse with multiple POVs (narrative pointillism, as he calls it) from Allan Wolf. The most impressive thing about his works is the sheer volume of quality research. There are nearly fifty pages of documentation in the back, and I'm sure that doesn't even scratch the surface. We meet a representative of each major group of the Donner party, as well as some side characters and our narrator, Hunger. By the end of the book, you start to sympathize or even empathize with these poor people, flaws and all. Most of the sympathy is because of Hunger, subtly reminding you that you could easily have been driven to the same acts of morally questionable dining. I also enjoyed the step by step narration of the rescue efforts, which were honestly fairly successful. Of the 89 people on the journey, 48 survived. That's not a low success rate and speaks a lot to human survival instincts and dedication to staying alive and keeping others alive. We only remember that they ate people, not that they saved people as well. I highly recommend this, and honestly, it's a great summer read. As I sit here melting in near 100 degree Ohio July heat, snow three graves deep is frankly a refreshing mental vacation. A really depressing one, but still. Finally, can we just take a second to appreciate the brilliance and too-early snuffed out light that was Tamzene Donner? She was my favorite perspective because she was so intelligent and well-educated at a time when that wasn't a priority for women/daughters. I rooted for her the whole book.
July 10, 2024
Of course I've heard of the notorious Donner Party who got stranded in the mountains on their way to California. And how the survivors resorted to cannibalism of their dead to make it through the winter.
This is a fascinating approach to telling their story. There are a number of characters who tell the story on alternating chapters. Some use poems, one uses her prayers, some are visuals of words on the page, and even Hunger is an important character who gets their own chapters. The others are actual documented persons from the group. Very well done and interesting summary at the end that visits the factual information of the journey and of the characters. This is a YA book, I could see this being a valuable text to read with teens in a course. It's also very interesting for adults!
This is a fascinating approach to telling their story. There are a number of characters who tell the story on alternating chapters. Some use poems, one uses her prayers, some are visuals of words on the page, and even Hunger is an important character who gets their own chapters. The others are actual documented persons from the group. Very well done and interesting summary at the end that visits the factual information of the journey and of the characters. This is a YA book, I could see this being a valuable text to read with teens in a course. It's also very interesting for adults!
July 8, 2021
Although not quite as good as The Watch That Ends the Night, this was still a fascinating work of historical fiction. I really didn't know much about the Donner Party prior to reading (and certainly not that the group was more than half made up of children), and Wolf handles it with both good research and humanity. Not a happy book by any means, but a good one.
December 5, 2022
I listened to the audiobook, not really knowing the history of the Donner Party and hoping that this would be a book I could recommend to reluctant readers in our high school library. It's performed by a full cast, which was nice, but didn't save the book for me. It seemed to plod along, much like the Donner Party's journey, and I found the notes at the end to be as interesting as most of the book.
January 3, 2022
I couldn't stop reading this! Told through journal entries and the narration of the all seeing "hunger", this was a well researched piece of historical fiction about the infamous Donner Party and their fateful trip West. There are almost 50 pages of notes at the end with sources, explanations, and additional details about the trip. So well done!
September 16, 2023
WOW - you don't want to be compelled, but it is COMPELLING. I'm wildly impressed with the skill of the author in threading together so many unique and complete voices. The format is fresh, and it is like you are *right there*. The voice of "Hunger," especially, is chilling, smart, and clever. As the author relates, at the very least, we are left to wonder "What would I do?"
January 25, 2021
4.5 stars rounded up. Beautiful, haunting, heart-destroying verse about the Donner party. I mean, you gotta know what you’re getting into with this, right? This is not a cute light book; this is a book that starts with manifest destiny and ends with cannibalism to survive. The author does a great job with a huge cast of characters (that, admittedly... dwindle...) and all in all if you go “man, I wanna be depressed AF today”, you could do a lot worse than this.
May 12, 2021
My sudden Donner Party obsession has been fully satiated after reading this book. It was excellent! I’m flooded with more dates and details than I hoped for. I love that it was told from several points of view. I feel like I personally know the victims and suffered with them on their torturous journey.
March 14, 2025
A wretched truth brilliantly written from the perspective of hunger - not just hunger for food. And yes, you ask yourself all the questions...would I? Could I? Allan Wolf leaves you with a sense of hope, wonder, love, and even humor during the darkest and most horrible of times.
December 17, 2020
I don't know why I'm reading all these tragic historical narratives lately, but this book was so powerful and so informative. Just wow, the prose! The author notes in the back were legit too.
February 5, 2022
Give me all the books about the Donner party! This one was especially good.
October 12, 2022
What an amazing retelling of the Donner party’s story. Filled with facts and heartfelt story lines, I couldn’t stop reading. A must for historical fiction fans
February 23, 2023
Buckle your seatbelt for the horrifying, all-too-real story of the Donner Party. Allan Wolf really knows how to write—I couldn't look away.
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