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The Dust Bowl Orphans
The dust cloud rolls in from nowhere, stinging our eyes and muddling our senses. I reach for my baby sister and pull her small body close to me. When the sky clears, we are alone on an empty road with no clue which way to go…
Oklahoma, 1935. Fifteen-year-old Faith Wilson takes her little sister Hope’s hand. In worn-down shoes, they walk through the choking heat of the Dust Bowl towards a new life in California. But when a storm blows in, the girls are separated from their parents. How will they survive in a place where just the color of their skin puts them in terrible danger?
Starving and forced to sleep on the streets, Faith thinks a room in a small boarding house will keep her sister safe. But the glare in the landlady’s eye as Faith leaves in search of their parents has her wondering if she’s made a dangerous mistake. Who is this woman, and what does she want with sweet little Hope? Trapped, will the sisters ever find their way back to their family?
California, present day. Reeling from her divorce and grieving the child she lost, Zoe Edwards feels completely alone in the world. Throwing herself into work cataloguing old photos for an exhibition, she sees an image of a teenage girl who looks exactly like her, and a shiver grips her. Could this girl be a long-lost relation, someone to finally explain the holes in Zoe’s family history? Diving into the secrets in her past, Zoe unravels this young girl’s heartbreaking story of bravery and sacrifice. But will anything prepare her for the truth about who she is…?
A devastating, completely captivating story of family torn apart, fighting to be reunited. Fans of Orphan Train, Before We Were Yours and Where the Crawdads Sing will never forget this powerful story of survival.
Oklahoma, 1935. Fifteen-year-old Faith Wilson takes her little sister Hope’s hand. In worn-down shoes, they walk through the choking heat of the Dust Bowl towards a new life in California. But when a storm blows in, the girls are separated from their parents. How will they survive in a place where just the color of their skin puts them in terrible danger?
Starving and forced to sleep on the streets, Faith thinks a room in a small boarding house will keep her sister safe. But the glare in the landlady’s eye as Faith leaves in search of their parents has her wondering if she’s made a dangerous mistake. Who is this woman, and what does she want with sweet little Hope? Trapped, will the sisters ever find their way back to their family?
California, present day. Reeling from her divorce and grieving the child she lost, Zoe Edwards feels completely alone in the world. Throwing herself into work cataloguing old photos for an exhibition, she sees an image of a teenage girl who looks exactly like her, and a shiver grips her. Could this girl be a long-lost relation, someone to finally explain the holes in Zoe’s family history? Diving into the secrets in her past, Zoe unravels this young girl’s heartbreaking story of bravery and sacrifice. But will anything prepare her for the truth about who she is…?
A devastating, completely captivating story of family torn apart, fighting to be reunited. Fans of Orphan Train, Before We Were Yours and Where the Crawdads Sing will never forget this powerful story of survival.
353 pages, Paperback
First published February 7, 2022
2467 people are currently reading
2988 people want to read
About the author
Suzette D. Harrison
14 books277 followersSuzette D. Harrison, is an award-winning author of 10 books celebrating African American life and culture. A native Californian and the middle of three daughters, Suzette grew up in a home where reading was required, not requested. Thanks to a culinary degree in Pastry & Baking, when not busy on her next novel, you might find Suzette whipping up a batch of cupcakes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 300 reviews
October 15, 2022
In a Nutshell: A great read for historical fiction lovers, as long as you can forgive the excessive coincidences in the final quarter.
Story Synopsis:
Where the book worked for me:
❤ The writing is wonderfully descriptive of the era. The era as well as the locales are vividly recreated.
❤ For a change, both timelines kept me equally invested. There’s no repetition of events nor a dip in the pace of the proceedings. There was enough to keep me invested throughout the story.
❤ The characters, especially in the historical timeline, are memorable. I especially love the sisters’ names: Charity, Faith and Hope. Some of the secondary characters are a shade too clichéd but they work for the story.
❤ The story covers many relevant themes such as racism (against Blacks as well as Native Americans), patriarchy, religious zealotry, infidelity, family bonds, and the importance of supportive relationships. Most of these are written wonderfully.
❤ There’s a slight element of magical realism in the historical timeline, and it works brilliantly for the story.
❤ As this is an OwnVoices book, you can rest assured that the representation is outstanding. It is so diligent that even when topics such as favourite music or favourite books come up, the answer is invariably the name of a Black artist. I loved how it provided a stage to those who don’t often get it.
❤ Some of you might have heard of Florence Thomson, the subject of the famous depression-era photograph “Migrant Mother”. I loved how the author wove that photo into the proceedings and cast light on photographer Dorothea Lange's bias. I love it when historical fiction teaches me something I never knew.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
💔 I don’t particularly enjoy it when romance forces its way into historical fiction. Sometimes, it is well done and I let it go. But in the contemporary timeline of this book, the romance felt shoehorned in. Zoe didn’t need to get a man to find happiness once again.
💔 Zoe’s potential love interest was supposedly sexy, and the author won’t let you forget this fact at all. It gets reiterated time and again. I felt like yelling, “I got it! He is sexy! Stop reminding me!”
💔 So many coincidences, especially in the final quarter. You need plenty of suspension of disbelief to accept all the serendipitous happenings without rolling your eyes.
Overall, it was definitely an enjoyable read. If you can discount the unrealistic coincidences, the story will offer a lot with its realistic lead characters and depiction of past events.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Dust Bowl Orphans”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
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My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
1935, Oklahoma. Fifteen-year-old Faith, along with her five-year-old sister Hope and the rest of her family is on her way to California in a bid to escape the heat of the Dust Bowl. When a “black blizzard” comes along their path, the two girls are separated from their parents and brother. As girls of mixed Black-Native American origin, how will they ensure that their skin colour doesn’t endanger them? Will they be reunited with their family?
Present day, California. Zoe Edwards is struggling to mend her heart after the death of her newborn and the infidelity of her soon-to-be-ex husband. As she throws herself into her work cataloguing old photographs for a museum exhibition, she comes across a photo of a teenage girl with a startling resemblance to her. Who is this mysterious girl and why does she resemble Zoe?
The story comes to us in the first person perspectives of Faith and Zoe.
Where the book worked for me:
❤ The writing is wonderfully descriptive of the era. The era as well as the locales are vividly recreated.
❤ For a change, both timelines kept me equally invested. There’s no repetition of events nor a dip in the pace of the proceedings. There was enough to keep me invested throughout the story.
❤ The characters, especially in the historical timeline, are memorable. I especially love the sisters’ names: Charity, Faith and Hope. Some of the secondary characters are a shade too clichéd but they work for the story.
❤ The story covers many relevant themes such as racism (against Blacks as well as Native Americans), patriarchy, religious zealotry, infidelity, family bonds, and the importance of supportive relationships. Most of these are written wonderfully.
❤ There’s a slight element of magical realism in the historical timeline, and it works brilliantly for the story.
❤ As this is an OwnVoices book, you can rest assured that the representation is outstanding. It is so diligent that even when topics such as favourite music or favourite books come up, the answer is invariably the name of a Black artist. I loved how it provided a stage to those who don’t often get it.
❤ Some of you might have heard of Florence Thomson, the subject of the famous depression-era photograph “Migrant Mother”. I loved how the author wove that photo into the proceedings and cast light on photographer Dorothea Lange's bias. I love it when historical fiction teaches me something I never knew.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
💔 I don’t particularly enjoy it when romance forces its way into historical fiction. Sometimes, it is well done and I let it go. But in the contemporary timeline of this book, the romance felt shoehorned in. Zoe didn’t need to get a man to find happiness once again.
💔 Zoe’s potential love interest was supposedly sexy, and the author won’t let you forget this fact at all. It gets reiterated time and again. I felt like yelling, “I got it! He is sexy! Stop reminding me!”
💔 So many coincidences, especially in the final quarter. You need plenty of suspension of disbelief to accept all the serendipitous happenings without rolling your eyes.
Overall, it was definitely an enjoyable read. If you can discount the unrealistic coincidences, the story will offer a lot with its realistic lead characters and depiction of past events.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Dust Bowl Orphans”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
February 7, 2022
**Happy Publication Day**
4.2 Stars
One Liner: A compelling read about a girl’s determination to save her family.
Oklahoma, 1935: A fifteen-year-old Faith and her five-year-old sister Hope are on their way to California with their parents and brother. However, a black blizzard separates them from the parents. They somehow manage to reach California but realize that things have taken a turn for worse. Being black in a white country is always a risk.
After countless adventures, tricky situations, and nights with empty stomachs, the sisters seem to have found hope. But can they trust the woman to help them? Does she have a sinister plan for the sisters?
California, Present Time: Zoe has been a museum and art curator for almost all her life. She is no stranger to racism and prejudice. It’s no wonder that she plans an art exhibition to promote black and marginalized artists.
When her work brings her in touch with someone who shares an old picture, Zoe feels her world spinning beyond control. Grieving the loss of her child and marriage are no match for the sudden urge that fills her to trace her roots. Why did a child from the old photograph look exactly like her? How are the two of them related across generations?
With almost no trial to follow, Zoe stumbles ahead, guided by her determination and maybe a little help from the other world. Can Zoe find the truth of what happened all those decades ago? How will her discovery change her future?
How this resonated with me!
What I Like:
• Faith and Zoe are strong in their own way. That made both tracks equally good, though I liked the historical one a tad more.
• Family plays a vital role throughout the book. It's the central theme.
• The characters are quite realistic with strengths and weaknesses. I could understand their decisions to a great extent.
• The story deals with racism without being preachy or over the top. Not surprising since the book is by an African-American woman. Doesn’t get authentic than this.
• Religion plays multiple roles in the book. One, as a way to expose the ultra-orthodox rigidities, and another to support the lead characters when things go wrong.
• There’s some otherworldly stuff in the book. I wasn’t sure how it would work. However, it came together better than I expected. (Still, it’s not for everyone.)
• The second half of the epilogue was a pleasant surprise.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
• The writing was heavy and slow in the first half. Even if it sets the stage, some adjectives and adverbs could go from the historical track.
• A few things seemed too coincidental towards the end. But I was ready to wrap up by then and didn’t mind the ease with which everything was streamlined and presented.
To sum up, The Dust Bowl Orphans is a poignant book with strong women whose love for their families is their biggest asset.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#NetGalley #TheDustBowl
4.2 Stars
One Liner: A compelling read about a girl’s determination to save her family.
Oklahoma, 1935: A fifteen-year-old Faith and her five-year-old sister Hope are on their way to California with their parents and brother. However, a black blizzard separates them from the parents. They somehow manage to reach California but realize that things have taken a turn for worse. Being black in a white country is always a risk.
After countless adventures, tricky situations, and nights with empty stomachs, the sisters seem to have found hope. But can they trust the woman to help them? Does she have a sinister plan for the sisters?
California, Present Time: Zoe has been a museum and art curator for almost all her life. She is no stranger to racism and prejudice. It’s no wonder that she plans an art exhibition to promote black and marginalized artists.
When her work brings her in touch with someone who shares an old picture, Zoe feels her world spinning beyond control. Grieving the loss of her child and marriage are no match for the sudden urge that fills her to trace her roots. Why did a child from the old photograph look exactly like her? How are the two of them related across generations?
With almost no trial to follow, Zoe stumbles ahead, guided by her determination and maybe a little help from the other world. Can Zoe find the truth of what happened all those decades ago? How will her discovery change her future?
In a world obsessed with documentation, I didn't want us to be erased due to lack of it.
How this resonated with me!
What I Like:
• Faith and Zoe are strong in their own way. That made both tracks equally good, though I liked the historical one a tad more.
• Family plays a vital role throughout the book. It's the central theme.
• The characters are quite realistic with strengths and weaknesses. I could understand their decisions to a great extent.
• The story deals with racism without being preachy or over the top. Not surprising since the book is by an African-American woman. Doesn’t get authentic than this.
• Religion plays multiple roles in the book. One, as a way to expose the ultra-orthodox rigidities, and another to support the lead characters when things go wrong.
• There’s some otherworldly stuff in the book. I wasn’t sure how it would work. However, it came together better than I expected. (Still, it’s not for everyone.)
• The second half of the epilogue was a pleasant surprise.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
• The writing was heavy and slow in the first half. Even if it sets the stage, some adjectives and adverbs could go from the historical track.
• A few things seemed too coincidental towards the end. But I was ready to wrap up by then and didn’t mind the ease with which everything was streamlined and presented.
To sum up, The Dust Bowl Orphans is a poignant book with strong women whose love for their families is their biggest asset.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#NetGalley #TheDustBowl
November 19, 2022
The Dust Bowl Orphans by Suzette Harrison took place in 1935 during the largest dust storm (black lizard) Oklahoma had ever seen. After losing the oldest child to a snake bite The Wilson family left to pursue California. As the Black Lizard hit hard the family became separated
This novel was split into two time lines. Present day Zoe is going through a nasty divorce and working on a large project when she came across a picture that looked like her. As she investigates the origins of the picture Zoe and the Wilson family lives intertwine
This book was emotional but end on a good note. The hardships were heartbreaking. The racism angered me. The ending left me full of hope.
This novel was split into two time lines. Present day Zoe is going through a nasty divorce and working on a large project when she came across a picture that looked like her. As she investigates the origins of the picture Zoe and the Wilson family lives intertwine
This book was emotional but end on a good note. The hardships were heartbreaking. The racism angered me. The ending left me full of hope.
Read
November 30, 2021Say hello to my newest novel! Y'all, this one put me through. It has whispers of my family's own story of migration from Oklahoma to California, and is a heartbreaking yet uplifting story. Wait until you meet Faith and Hope, the two little ones gracing the cover. Their journey is amazing, and I hope you'll love them. Now . . . to lay on those final touches!
February 7, 2022
Although the fact that people of colour have faced discrimination over the centuries is well-known, through the story of Faith and her sister the author really brings to life their actual day to day experience in 1930s America: segregation, racial prejudice and discrimination enshrined in law. The book also introduced me to the ecological disaster of soil erosion, drought and intense dust storms that ‘turned daytime skies into midnight’ leaving families like the Wilsons as ‘farmers without produce or product’, forced to migrate West in search of a better life.
Narrated partly from the point of view of Faith starting in 1935 and Zoe in the present day, I particularly loved the voice the author created for Faith and the power of her story. Her sense of responsibility for her young sister, Hope, and the sacrifices she was prepared to make for her were truly heartbreaking even when she was at her wits end, alone in a strange city. ‘I was all Hope had and couldn’t afford to go crazy. I needed all my good sense to keep us safe, and to face whatever came next on this tempestuous journey.’ I admired Faith’s strength of spirit in steadfastly clinging to the belief that she will be reunited with her parents and brother. Faith’s later blossoming as she is able to fulfil her natural talent, made possible through an act of charity, is wonderful to witness.
Although I found myself less engaged with Zoe’s story, I enjoyed the way parallels between the two women’s lives begin to emerge. One of these is their mixed experiences of men. In Zoe’s case, there’s a stark contrast between the behaviour of her estranged husband, Vince, and the man she meets who not only exhibits the tenderness and compassion Zoe needs to heal but provides an important clue in her search for her family’s history. And although Faith is cruelly treated by a man who takes advantage of her desperate situation, she also encounters another man whose actions more truthfully reflect Christian teachings.
I loved following the story of Faith and Hope and the book’s heartwarming conclusion that illustrates the importance and healing nature of family bonds.
Narrated partly from the point of view of Faith starting in 1935 and Zoe in the present day, I particularly loved the voice the author created for Faith and the power of her story. Her sense of responsibility for her young sister, Hope, and the sacrifices she was prepared to make for her were truly heartbreaking even when she was at her wits end, alone in a strange city. ‘I was all Hope had and couldn’t afford to go crazy. I needed all my good sense to keep us safe, and to face whatever came next on this tempestuous journey.’ I admired Faith’s strength of spirit in steadfastly clinging to the belief that she will be reunited with her parents and brother. Faith’s later blossoming as she is able to fulfil her natural talent, made possible through an act of charity, is wonderful to witness.
Although I found myself less engaged with Zoe’s story, I enjoyed the way parallels between the two women’s lives begin to emerge. One of these is their mixed experiences of men. In Zoe’s case, there’s a stark contrast between the behaviour of her estranged husband, Vince, and the man she meets who not only exhibits the tenderness and compassion Zoe needs to heal but provides an important clue in her search for her family’s history. And although Faith is cruelly treated by a man who takes advantage of her desperate situation, she also encounters another man whose actions more truthfully reflect Christian teachings.
I loved following the story of Faith and Hope and the book’s heartwarming conclusion that illustrates the importance and healing nature of family bonds.
June 22, 2023
This was a great story and I loved the development of the plot and the characters. I don’t know much about The Dust Bowl era, so this was a wonderful introduction.
January 8, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book has a great story that alternates between the family leaving during the Dust Bowl time and heading to California and the here and now with Zoe trying to price together her family tree. I like the way the two intertwined and each gave it's one set of clues as to that was going on. Overall, it is a concept that worked well for this book.
This book has a great story that alternates between the family leaving during the Dust Bowl time and heading to California and the here and now with Zoe trying to price together her family tree. I like the way the two intertwined and each gave it's one set of clues as to that was going on. Overall, it is a concept that worked well for this book.
January 23, 2022
I don’t’ even know where to begin with this story. There is so much emotion wrapped up from the first chapter to the last that it’s extremely hard to put it into words. This was a story that brought to life a story that I personally never thought about. True most people’s idea of the Dust Bowl is what they saw in the movie The Grapes of Wrath or the book, but it was so much more and there are people we never considered were part of the expansion west also.
Suzette D. Harrison has written an emotional, beautiful book about a period in history that needs more written about it than what is out there now. The research it must have taken to write this incredible story had to have been overwhelming and Harrison skillfully brought this story to life.
Thank you to #netgalley and #bookouture for allowing me to read this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.
Suzette D. Harrison has written an emotional, beautiful book about a period in history that needs more written about it than what is out there now. The research it must have taken to write this incredible story had to have been overwhelming and Harrison skillfully brought this story to life.
Thank you to #netgalley and #bookouture for allowing me to read this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.
February 7, 2022
The Dust Bowl Orphans is the story of the Wilson Family during the western migration caused by the severe drought in 1935, and in present day when Zoe Edwards (nee Wilson) comes across a picture of a teenager that could be her twin. The story in 1935 is told by Faith Wilson. It begins when her family suffers one final tragedy before her father finally agrees to leave their farm in Oklahoma. Shortly after leaving home, one of the biggest dust storms ever, called a "Black Blizzard" separates the family. Fifteen year old Faith and her five year old sister. Hope, are rescued by a white family, the Owenslees and taken to Los Angeles, California where they hope to be reunited with her parents and brother. Their time in LA is not what they were expecting. Sadness, tragedy, poor treatment and racism affect their lives, but everyone is not bad. In present day, Zoe becomes obsessed with finding out who is in the picture and what is their tie or relationship. The clock is ticking as grandparents who might have the answers are in their 90s and their memories are not what they used to be.
This is the second book I have read by author Suzette D. Harrison and I have enjoyed them both. I have also read other stories set during this timeframe, but this is the first that dealt with African Americans that were also involved in this migration. The characters in the story were well-developed and had me caring very much what was going to happen to them. I felt for Faith and Hope and wanted them to be reunited with their family. There were some twists in their story, both good and not so good, that had my jaw dropping. All the secondary characters added much to the story and I liked how they all made their marks. I have to say, I enjoyed the storyline from the past a bit more, but I was also invested in Zoe's story. She was a museum curator who was putting together an exhibit to showcase what the African American migrants dealt with and that they were part of this story. I liked the comment Zoe made about the reason behind her exhibit, "in a world obsessed with documentation, I didn't want us to be erased because of lack of it." The stories were told in alternate chapters and both times intertwined well. This is a story about hardship, family, protecting those you love, perseverence, identity and hope. I always like a story that teaches me something as well as making me care about the characters. This book does both and I don't hesitate to recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.
This is the second book I have read by author Suzette D. Harrison and I have enjoyed them both. I have also read other stories set during this timeframe, but this is the first that dealt with African Americans that were also involved in this migration. The characters in the story were well-developed and had me caring very much what was going to happen to them. I felt for Faith and Hope and wanted them to be reunited with their family. There were some twists in their story, both good and not so good, that had my jaw dropping. All the secondary characters added much to the story and I liked how they all made their marks. I have to say, I enjoyed the storyline from the past a bit more, but I was also invested in Zoe's story. She was a museum curator who was putting together an exhibit to showcase what the African American migrants dealt with and that they were part of this story. I liked the comment Zoe made about the reason behind her exhibit, "in a world obsessed with documentation, I didn't want us to be erased because of lack of it." The stories were told in alternate chapters and both times intertwined well. This is a story about hardship, family, protecting those you love, perseverence, identity and hope. I always like a story that teaches me something as well as making me care about the characters. This book does both and I don't hesitate to recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.
February 16, 2022
Last year it was The Girl at the Back of the Bus that proved to be my favorite book of the year, and so far this book, The Dust Bowl Orphans, is right up there filling that spot. In this book, families became refugees during the black blizzard of the night during the 1930s. For Faith Wilson and her family, they struggled to survive the most difficult of times.
This incredibly engaging read by Suzette D. Harrison reminded me of a book that I read last year by Kristin Hannah, The Four Winds. We have a different set of protagonists in this book, as our characters were Black and their drama seemed all that more intense considering the prejudices that pressed those in even harsher ways than other people suffering the effects of the dust storms of the 1930s.
Faith and Hope lost their parents in the storm. The girls struck out on their own and headed to the land of plenty, California. Faith did whatever she could to protect Hope every step of the way. Although they started off with their brother and parents, they were seperated, leaving Faith and Hope on their own. Being Black at such a time only increased their trials. In fact, a hundredfold compared to what many went through.
The story shifted to the present with Zoe, an art curator who discovered an old picture of a child that could have been her twin. Who was in this picture and why does Zoe resemble her so much? Zoe is determined to trace her past, to discover the source of the picture, and to try and rebuild her life after experiencing great personal loss.
This story slowly connects Faith and Hope's past with Zoe's present. Faith's story was utterly heartbreaking, and just so compelling, that this book was impossible to put down. As the story unfolded Harrison seamlessly blended these stories together, bringing in more than one surpise along the way. Some of the issues in this book were truly shocking, including the religious zealots that played a role in Faith's life. Strength, courage, drama and emotion all played pivotal roles in this powerful story.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
This incredibly engaging read by Suzette D. Harrison reminded me of a book that I read last year by Kristin Hannah, The Four Winds. We have a different set of protagonists in this book, as our characters were Black and their drama seemed all that more intense considering the prejudices that pressed those in even harsher ways than other people suffering the effects of the dust storms of the 1930s.
Faith and Hope lost their parents in the storm. The girls struck out on their own and headed to the land of plenty, California. Faith did whatever she could to protect Hope every step of the way. Although they started off with their brother and parents, they were seperated, leaving Faith and Hope on their own. Being Black at such a time only increased their trials. In fact, a hundredfold compared to what many went through.
The story shifted to the present with Zoe, an art curator who discovered an old picture of a child that could have been her twin. Who was in this picture and why does Zoe resemble her so much? Zoe is determined to trace her past, to discover the source of the picture, and to try and rebuild her life after experiencing great personal loss.
This story slowly connects Faith and Hope's past with Zoe's present. Faith's story was utterly heartbreaking, and just so compelling, that this book was impossible to put down. As the story unfolded Harrison seamlessly blended these stories together, bringing in more than one surpise along the way. Some of the issues in this book were truly shocking, including the religious zealots that played a role in Faith's life. Strength, courage, drama and emotion all played pivotal roles in this powerful story.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
December 28, 2021
Great story told with dual timelines that finally merge in a heartwarming story of Faith, Hope, and love. The Dust Bowl of the 30's drove families from the Midwest to California, mine included. But the Black Experience was shown in this story as two young girls are separated from their family and make their way across the country. Their story is researched in the present with the help of some unseen angels. I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and voluntarily provided an honest review
January 30, 2022
I am now officially a fan of Ms. Suzette D. Harrison. After reading two historical fiction books by her (THE GIRL AT THE BACK OF THE BUS last year and THE DUST BOWL ORPHANS this year), she's an instant buy when it comes to her historical fiction novels. Truly, she pens books with such finesse and magnificence, I'm at awe of her. The heroines in both her books are amazingly strong and brilliant women who may not have been immortalized in history, but they deserve to be.
A book that celebrates Black women's strengthen, resilience, humanity, vulnerabilities, and desires. This anti-Black world, both in the past and at the moment, tries a lot to bend them, break them, bite them. But Black women don't bow, don't bend, don't break. Black women, with their humanity and quiet will-power, stand tall and create more Black people like them. Both Ashlee and Mattie have human desires and wishes. But this cruel world would rather make them dance to its horrible tune. But the two women and their mothers and their sisters and their community protect them always and prepare them for the onslaught of ugly racism and sexism. Like Miss Rosa Park, they also inspire others, just in smaller scales.
The aforementioned paragraph was my review of THE GIRL AT THE BACK OF THE BUS. It's a book that starts with an important moment in the Black American history that inspires Matty, a teenage girl, on her way to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. However, seeing Miss Rosa Parks standing her ground helps Matty find her own footing in life. Parallel to her story is one of her descendants who too feels lost and adrift in both her personal and professional life. The two women's lives are connected by a manuscript penned by one of them that inspires the other. In the same vein, Ms. Harrison pens her recent book, THE DUST BOWL ORPHANS. Here, she brings up an unforgettable event in the American history where the Black folks were once again erased and forgotten. We all know about the Depression era. Some of us know about the Dust Bowl too thanks to The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. However, the dust bowl is overwhelmingly narrated by the whites, not the Black folks. How this event changes the lives of this new book's two protagonists is a tale worth gobbling up past your bedtime.
In THE DUST BOWL ORPHANS, Ms. Harrison brings two protagonists again. One in the past, one in our contemporary times. In 1935, fifteen-year-old Faith Joy Wilson and her impoverished, grieving family, set an exodus across the countryside, after droughts, economic depression, and a recent death in the family force them to pack up their rural life in Oklahoma and head for the Golden Coast. But on the way, Faith and her five-year-old sister, Hope Ann Wilson, get separated from their family because of a black storm, aka a vicious dust storm. Rescued by a religiously zealous, racist white family, Faith and Hope journey for the west in hopes of finding their family. But on their way, they become victims to many greedy, treacherous people who try to exploit their innocence and good-heartedness. Through it all, the two sisters hold on and hold onto each other in the faith and hope that one day, they'll find their Mama, Papa, and only brother.
Parallel to Faith's story is the story of a thirty-nine years old arts curator, Zoe Noelle Edwards, recently separated from her cruel, unapologetically unfaithful husband who, through his wanton womanizing ways, cost her their child and caused her infertility. While preparing for a private gallery show that features the Black migrants of the Dust Bowl, she meets JeShaun Halsey, whose grandma's collection of photos introduces Zoe to a possible ancestor (and doppelganger), who turns out to be Faith herself. Determined to unearth this puzzle of ancestor history, Zoe goes on a journey of both external revelations and internal epiphanies. The two Black women, connected by their facial resemblances and a possible sharing of DNA, find faith, hope, and courage during some of the most trying times of their lives. What they find in the end, just like Matty and Ashlee from THE GIRL AT THE BACK OF THE BUS, are extraordinary in nature and priceless in their worth.
I'm a little biased when it comes to Faith. Compared to Zoe, she had it rougher, although I shouldn't compare because what Zoe went and still goes through are tough. But compared to Zoe's storyline, Faith's one is more eventful and jagged. Zoe's journey is more internal acceptance and letting go, while Faith's one is more overcoming external obstacles and coming out stronger than before. The tenacity and ferocity Faith shows while tackling the racist, sexist world of the 1930s America are laudable. I'm truly in awe of her.
What ties THE GIRL AT THE BACK OF THE BUS and THE DUST BOWL ORPHANS is the underlying theme of Black motherhood. The market is oversaturated with books about what motherhood means from a white lens. Not as many for women of color and certainly not for Black women. Here, Ms. Harrison tries to remedy the situation with her stunning stories of Black motherhood. In THE GIRL AT THE BACK OF THE BUS, Matty faces teenage pregnancy and what it means to be a teen mother whose illegitimate child is fathered by a white boy. For her descendant, Ashlee, motherhood is less as apparent on the page and more a background, underlying event. But both women face motherhood in one way or another by the end. In THE DUST BOWL ORPHANS, motherhood is once again explored in shadows and absence. Faith is no mother throughout most of the book, but she acts like a mother toward her five-year-old sister, protecting her and caring for her the way a mother cares for her brood. In the end, Faith doesn't get to experience motherhood in the traditional sense, but she's a mother nevertheless. You don't need to conceive a child to be a mother. Similarly, conceiving a child doesn't make you a mother and we see it be explored in the section where Faith faces a manipulating woman. Meanwhile, Zoe's storyline is more prominent on motherhood. As stated above, she's no more physically capable of becoming a mother. However, that doesn't stop her from envisioning it, yearning for it, and envying others for it. But she's a mother and we see it the way she holds close memories of her unborn son to the point swallowing cruelty from her toxic ex. Here, we find a mother in shadow and a mother in grieving, a mother in madness and a mother in loss. Thus, Ms. Harrison not only gifts us Black mothers but Black mothers in many shades and shapes of motherhood.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
A book that celebrates Black women's strengthen, resilience, humanity, vulnerabilities, and desires. This anti-Black world, both in the past and at the moment, tries a lot to bend them, break them, bite them. But Black women don't bow, don't bend, don't break. Black women, with their humanity and quiet will-power, stand tall and create more Black people like them. Both Ashlee and Mattie have human desires and wishes. But this cruel world would rather make them dance to its horrible tune. But the two women and their mothers and their sisters and their community protect them always and prepare them for the onslaught of ugly racism and sexism. Like Miss Rosa Park, they also inspire others, just in smaller scales.
The aforementioned paragraph was my review of THE GIRL AT THE BACK OF THE BUS. It's a book that starts with an important moment in the Black American history that inspires Matty, a teenage girl, on her way to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. However, seeing Miss Rosa Parks standing her ground helps Matty find her own footing in life. Parallel to her story is one of her descendants who too feels lost and adrift in both her personal and professional life. The two women's lives are connected by a manuscript penned by one of them that inspires the other. In the same vein, Ms. Harrison pens her recent book, THE DUST BOWL ORPHANS. Here, she brings up an unforgettable event in the American history where the Black folks were once again erased and forgotten. We all know about the Depression era. Some of us know about the Dust Bowl too thanks to The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. However, the dust bowl is overwhelmingly narrated by the whites, not the Black folks. How this event changes the lives of this new book's two protagonists is a tale worth gobbling up past your bedtime.
In THE DUST BOWL ORPHANS, Ms. Harrison brings two protagonists again. One in the past, one in our contemporary times. In 1935, fifteen-year-old Faith Joy Wilson and her impoverished, grieving family, set an exodus across the countryside, after droughts, economic depression, and a recent death in the family force them to pack up their rural life in Oklahoma and head for the Golden Coast. But on the way, Faith and her five-year-old sister, Hope Ann Wilson, get separated from their family because of a black storm, aka a vicious dust storm. Rescued by a religiously zealous, racist white family, Faith and Hope journey for the west in hopes of finding their family. But on their way, they become victims to many greedy, treacherous people who try to exploit their innocence and good-heartedness. Through it all, the two sisters hold on and hold onto each other in the faith and hope that one day, they'll find their Mama, Papa, and only brother.
Parallel to Faith's story is the story of a thirty-nine years old arts curator, Zoe Noelle Edwards, recently separated from her cruel, unapologetically unfaithful husband who, through his wanton womanizing ways, cost her their child and caused her infertility. While preparing for a private gallery show that features the Black migrants of the Dust Bowl, she meets JeShaun Halsey, whose grandma's collection of photos introduces Zoe to a possible ancestor (and doppelganger), who turns out to be Faith herself. Determined to unearth this puzzle of ancestor history, Zoe goes on a journey of both external revelations and internal epiphanies. The two Black women, connected by their facial resemblances and a possible sharing of DNA, find faith, hope, and courage during some of the most trying times of their lives. What they find in the end, just like Matty and Ashlee from THE GIRL AT THE BACK OF THE BUS, are extraordinary in nature and priceless in their worth.
I'm a little biased when it comes to Faith. Compared to Zoe, she had it rougher, although I shouldn't compare because what Zoe went and still goes through are tough. But compared to Zoe's storyline, Faith's one is more eventful and jagged. Zoe's journey is more internal acceptance and letting go, while Faith's one is more overcoming external obstacles and coming out stronger than before. The tenacity and ferocity Faith shows while tackling the racist, sexist world of the 1930s America are laudable. I'm truly in awe of her.
What ties THE GIRL AT THE BACK OF THE BUS and THE DUST BOWL ORPHANS is the underlying theme of Black motherhood. The market is oversaturated with books about what motherhood means from a white lens. Not as many for women of color and certainly not for Black women. Here, Ms. Harrison tries to remedy the situation with her stunning stories of Black motherhood. In THE GIRL AT THE BACK OF THE BUS, Matty faces teenage pregnancy and what it means to be a teen mother whose illegitimate child is fathered by a white boy. For her descendant, Ashlee, motherhood is less as apparent on the page and more a background, underlying event. But both women face motherhood in one way or another by the end. In THE DUST BOWL ORPHANS, motherhood is once again explored in shadows and absence. Faith is no mother throughout most of the book, but she acts like a mother toward her five-year-old sister, protecting her and caring for her the way a mother cares for her brood. In the end, Faith doesn't get to experience motherhood in the traditional sense, but she's a mother nevertheless. You don't need to conceive a child to be a mother. Similarly, conceiving a child doesn't make you a mother and we see it be explored in the section where Faith faces a manipulating woman. Meanwhile, Zoe's storyline is more prominent on motherhood. As stated above, she's no more physically capable of becoming a mother. However, that doesn't stop her from envisioning it, yearning for it, and envying others for it. But she's a mother and we see it the way she holds close memories of her unborn son to the point swallowing cruelty from her toxic ex. Here, we find a mother in shadow and a mother in grieving, a mother in madness and a mother in loss. Thus, Ms. Harrison not only gifts us Black mothers but Black mothers in many shades and shapes of motherhood.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
January 30, 2022
Oklahoma - 1935. The farm lands have turned to dust and the people who live in Oklahoma are plagued with dust storms. The land no longer produces crops and the farmers and their families are hungry. They hear that there are jobs in California and many residents pack up their households and head toward the promised jobs.
The Wilson family can no longer endure their life and head to California. There are the parents, one son and two daughters. When a huge storm blows in, the two girls - 15 year old Faith and her five year old sister Hope get separated from their family. They hide in the cellar of an abandoned house and when they finally get out (with the help of two boys), they have no idea where their parents are. So they decide to head to go to LA and find their parents. They ride in the wagon of a white family and are treated poorly because they are black. When they get to LA, they are constantly looked down on because of their race. Will they ever find their family again?
Zoe's story is present day. She is a museum and art curator and is back in California leaving behind her ex-husband in Boston, to work on an exhibit about black people who emigrated from Oklahoma during the dust bowl years. As she is reviewing pictures, she finds a picture of a girl who looks exactly like her. There have always been some bare branches on Zoe's family tree because her mother was adopted and knew nothing about her birth family. Zoe decides to find out more about the girl in this picture hoping to find a long lost relatives. The story of Faith and Hope slowly unravels through Zoe's hard work...but will it reveal the answers to the questions that Zoe has about her family?
Both of the stories in this dual time line novel are exciting and emotional. Prejudice towards black people plays a large role in both narratives. The author has done considerable research into the exodus from Oklahoma to California during these years. The characters are well written and the setting is well described - especially during the dust bowl part of the story. This book is an emotional look at two women who have a connection with each other that has been forgotten over the years. It's the story of family and love, faith and hope but most of all it's the story of two strong women who continue to try their best to help their families.
I got pulled into this story on page one and my concern for the characters lasted until the end. I will advise you to have some tissue close at hand. I cried several times during the story but they were tears of happiness. for these families.
Thanks for Bookouture for a coy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
The Wilson family can no longer endure their life and head to California. There are the parents, one son and two daughters. When a huge storm blows in, the two girls - 15 year old Faith and her five year old sister Hope get separated from their family. They hide in the cellar of an abandoned house and when they finally get out (with the help of two boys), they have no idea where their parents are. So they decide to head to go to LA and find their parents. They ride in the wagon of a white family and are treated poorly because they are black. When they get to LA, they are constantly looked down on because of their race. Will they ever find their family again?
Zoe's story is present day. She is a museum and art curator and is back in California leaving behind her ex-husband in Boston, to work on an exhibit about black people who emigrated from Oklahoma during the dust bowl years. As she is reviewing pictures, she finds a picture of a girl who looks exactly like her. There have always been some bare branches on Zoe's family tree because her mother was adopted and knew nothing about her birth family. Zoe decides to find out more about the girl in this picture hoping to find a long lost relatives. The story of Faith and Hope slowly unravels through Zoe's hard work...but will it reveal the answers to the questions that Zoe has about her family?
Both of the stories in this dual time line novel are exciting and emotional. Prejudice towards black people plays a large role in both narratives. The author has done considerable research into the exodus from Oklahoma to California during these years. The characters are well written and the setting is well described - especially during the dust bowl part of the story. This book is an emotional look at two women who have a connection with each other that has been forgotten over the years. It's the story of family and love, faith and hope but most of all it's the story of two strong women who continue to try their best to help their families.
I got pulled into this story on page one and my concern for the characters lasted until the end. I will advise you to have some tissue close at hand. I cried several times during the story but they were tears of happiness. for these families.
Thanks for Bookouture for a coy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
January 11, 2022
After reading The Girl At The Back of the Bus, by the same author, I was excited to receive the ARC of her latest novel, The Dust Bowl Orphans, set during the Great Depression time.
The story is told from the perspectives of two women--Faith is a fifteen year old girl from a poverty ridden farm town in Oklahoma who with her little sister Hope tries to move to California to start a new life, set during 1935 and back in the present day, a woman named Zoe in California is trying to work out her own family tree when someone claims that she looks like a mirror image of Faith.
Though the story is fictional, the story is based on true events, set during the Great Depression time when many farmers from Oklahoma migrated to California in the hopes of better future. Reading about the Faith's story actually brought tears into my eyes--the hardships she went through living in poverty, how she had to bear responsibility of looking after her younger sister Hope and all the racist chants she had to face when segregation was still in place at that time. I also like how Faith's own life was rebuilt when she migrated to California, where she soon found her love and became a singer. I do like her relationship with her baby sister, Hope and also her friendship with the white boy named Micah.
I also liked reading Zoe's part as well. Zoe is clearly a likable character, going through an ugly divorce and working as a curator. After discovering the picture of Faith who looks like the mirror image of herself, Zoe sets about to find answers of her own family. DNA testing, how her family supported during her hard time when she is going through the divorce and the slow budding romance between her and the photographer, Shaun.
The writing was great, captivating and the author did a good job drawing the reader into the story and making the reader feel like they are a part of the story. It was too heartbreaking and emotional, and tear jerking reading Faith's story, and despite the fact that it was fictional, I couldn't help but feel, this must be how African-Americans felt and lived in the life of poverty like that. I was glad how things ended for Faith. The ending was great and I kind of expected that time of ending.
Overall, this was an emotional roller coasted ride, that will make you cry and laugh at the same time. This is an unputdownable historical fiction that will take you back to the life during the Great Depression and make you feel like you are a part of that life--worth five stars!
Many thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
The story is told from the perspectives of two women--Faith is a fifteen year old girl from a poverty ridden farm town in Oklahoma who with her little sister Hope tries to move to California to start a new life, set during 1935 and back in the present day, a woman named Zoe in California is trying to work out her own family tree when someone claims that she looks like a mirror image of Faith.
Though the story is fictional, the story is based on true events, set during the Great Depression time when many farmers from Oklahoma migrated to California in the hopes of better future. Reading about the Faith's story actually brought tears into my eyes--the hardships she went through living in poverty, how she had to bear responsibility of looking after her younger sister Hope and all the racist chants she had to face when segregation was still in place at that time. I also like how Faith's own life was rebuilt when she migrated to California, where she soon found her love and became a singer. I do like her relationship with her baby sister, Hope and also her friendship with the white boy named Micah.
I also liked reading Zoe's part as well. Zoe is clearly a likable character, going through an ugly divorce and working as a curator. After discovering the picture of Faith who looks like the mirror image of herself, Zoe sets about to find answers of her own family. DNA testing, how her family supported during her hard time when she is going through the divorce and the slow budding romance between her and the photographer, Shaun.
The writing was great, captivating and the author did a good job drawing the reader into the story and making the reader feel like they are a part of the story. It was too heartbreaking and emotional, and tear jerking reading Faith's story, and despite the fact that it was fictional, I couldn't help but feel, this must be how African-Americans felt and lived in the life of poverty like that. I was glad how things ended for Faith. The ending was great and I kind of expected that time of ending.
Overall, this was an emotional roller coasted ride, that will make you cry and laugh at the same time. This is an unputdownable historical fiction that will take you back to the life during the Great Depression and make you feel like you are a part of that life--worth five stars!
Many thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
February 4, 2022
I received an advanced reader copy of The Dust Bowl Orphans in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this opportunity.
As it seems, so far I am the odd one out who isn’t absolutely in love with this book. And that’s good, because there were so many great things about it! What drew me to this book in the first place was the title. I read Kristin Hannah‘s The Four Winds last summer and absolutely adored it, so I was really excited to read another work of fiction about the same topic more or less!
The first 40% or so of the book really dragged for me. I was actually close to DNFing because the two time lines alternated so randomly and weren’t knit together well in my opinion. Also, Zoe‘s chapters were so much tell and almost no show and that just didn’t work for me at all.
The book really did pick up though and I liked how the two time lines were woven together more and more tightly. There were so many aspects of Faith‘s character that were mirrored in Zoe which was beautifully done in my opinion. I cried at several points throughout the last chapters.
However, I feel like despite being 350 pages long, the book didn’t manage to do justice to either main character. Whenever the POV switched, I felt a bit cheated out of forming a deeper connection with either Faith or Zoe. There were just so many jumps and gaps that I would have liked to be explored / filled. I think that already something so simple as having events/pictures/situations trigger the switch in POV would have made the whole story much more harmonious.
What I really enjoyed a lot, however, were the healthy and loving relationships between many of the characters. Obviously Faith‘s story was very emotional, but so was seeing Zoe get to terms with her past and growing so much within those couple of weeks. And I do love a (re-)found family! The book just touched upon so so many different topics and that was really beautifully done.
Anyway, that does not manage to make up for how hard I had to fight through the majority of the first half for the book, so my overall rating is
3/5 stars.
As it seems, so far I am the odd one out who isn’t absolutely in love with this book. And that’s good, because there were so many great things about it! What drew me to this book in the first place was the title. I read Kristin Hannah‘s The Four Winds last summer and absolutely adored it, so I was really excited to read another work of fiction about the same topic more or less!
The first 40% or so of the book really dragged for me. I was actually close to DNFing because the two time lines alternated so randomly and weren’t knit together well in my opinion. Also, Zoe‘s chapters were so much tell and almost no show and that just didn’t work for me at all.
The book really did pick up though and I liked how the two time lines were woven together more and more tightly. There were so many aspects of Faith‘s character that were mirrored in Zoe which was beautifully done in my opinion. I cried at several points throughout the last chapters.
However, I feel like despite being 350 pages long, the book didn’t manage to do justice to either main character. Whenever the POV switched, I felt a bit cheated out of forming a deeper connection with either Faith or Zoe. There were just so many jumps and gaps that I would have liked to be explored / filled. I think that already something so simple as having events/pictures/situations trigger the switch in POV would have made the whole story much more harmonious.
What I really enjoyed a lot, however, were the healthy and loving relationships between many of the characters. Obviously Faith‘s story was very emotional, but so was seeing Zoe get to terms with her past and growing so much within those couple of weeks. And I do love a (re-)found family! The book just touched upon so so many different topics and that was really beautifully done.
Anyway, that does not manage to make up for how hard I had to fight through the majority of the first half for the book, so my overall rating is
3/5 stars.
December 21, 2021
A compelling read about two young girls who get separated from their family during a dust storm. Harrison sets her newest novel in the depths of the Great Depression and a family that is broken. She interconnects with the contemporary story of Zoe, who discovers she has an uncanny resemblance to a young girl in a picture from the 1930s. I liked all the family history, which spanned a good deal of US history. I thought the writing was poignant and on point for era. Historical fiction is based on realism and the author hit it out of the park, dealing with sensitive topics. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the early copy.
March 17, 2024
Wow, this is a MUST READ.
This book was a beautiful portrayal of perseverance, the bond & unconditional love of siblings, found family, & black excellence.
This story had me SOBBING multiple times. I could not put this book down. The story was told from two different women from two different eras & it was perfect.
As the oldest sibling in my family who would do absolutely anything for my younger brothers & sisters this book felt close to my heart.
I enjoyed the 1930s storyline more than the present day storyline & would read a whole series about Faith & her siblings.
This is simply stunning.
This book was a beautiful portrayal of perseverance, the bond & unconditional love of siblings, found family, & black excellence.
This story had me SOBBING multiple times. I could not put this book down. The story was told from two different women from two different eras & it was perfect.
As the oldest sibling in my family who would do absolutely anything for my younger brothers & sisters this book felt close to my heart.
I enjoyed the 1930s storyline more than the present day storyline & would read a whole series about Faith & her siblings.
This is simply stunning.
January 18, 2023
3+ stars
This dual-timeline novel highlights one of the hidden parts of African American history--black farmers who had to leave their homes and farms in during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Zoe, present day, is an art curator who is doing an exhibition of Depression era black history. When someone sends her a copy of a 1935 photo with a teen who looks just like her, her curiosity is peaked. Faith is the teen and her story starts at the family farm in Oklahoma shortly before her family has to go. She and her youngest sister are separated from her family during a bad dust storm. The blurb says more, so this is all I'll put on that.
It was also interesting to read about how the Wilson's first got the land because they'd been slaves of Native Americans and the problems they had as the result of that. While there were some black slaves of Native Americans there were also many blacks that became part of Native American groups, but I can't recall reading about this land situation in Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage, although it's possible it was mentioned and I've forgotten since I finished reading that in September.
I love the musical aspects of the Wilson family, since music is in my family as well.
There were a lot of coincidences toward the end of the book and I am not the biggest fan of paranormal fiction, but overall I liked this book.
This dual-timeline novel highlights one of the hidden parts of African American history--black farmers who had to leave their homes and farms in during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Zoe, present day, is an art curator who is doing an exhibition of Depression era black history. When someone sends her a copy of a 1935 photo with a teen who looks just like her, her curiosity is peaked. Faith is the teen and her story starts at the family farm in Oklahoma shortly before her family has to go. She and her youngest sister are separated from her family during a bad dust storm. The blurb says more, so this is all I'll put on that.
It was also interesting to read about how the Wilson's first got the land because they'd been slaves of Native Americans and the problems they had as the result of that. While there were some black slaves of Native Americans there were also many blacks that became part of Native American groups, but I can't recall reading about this land situation in Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage, although it's possible it was mentioned and I've forgotten since I finished reading that in September.
I love the musical aspects of the Wilson family, since music is in my family as well.
There were a lot of coincidences toward the end of the book and I am not the biggest fan of paranormal fiction, but overall I liked this book.
January 23, 2023
It was wonderful, absolutely wonderful! I thought about this story when I was cooking, cleaning, and listened to it while I went walking. Now I am sorry to have come to the end of the Wilson story. It had the added pleasure of being two stories in one using dual time narrative. There were parts while reading “back in the day” that made me cringe and cry and put it down until I could strengthen up. The present day sections were certainly entertaining in a very different way. The present day antics made me realize that people are just going to be trifling no matter what. But the present day was a walk in the park compared to the 1930s. I highly recommend.
January 28, 2022
Black Blizzard
Amazing story of a families love and how they tried to find each other after being separated on their way from the Oklahoma Dust Bowl to California in 1935.
Hope and Faith are walking behind following their parents wagon when a black blizzard dust storm overtakes them. Racing to an abandoned house they hide in the cellar until the storm is over. Now they have to find a way to get to California and find their parents.
The trials along the way for these two young girls of color are very challenging. From the white pastor that gives them a ride to California to the horrible events with his son Henry and finally sleeping on the streets with her baby sister Faith Joy Wilson is a courageous girl protecting her baby sister at all costs while all the time searching for her brother and her parents.
She thinks she has found a solution when she lands a job as a maid in a manor house, but the lady that is her boss appears to dislike her immensely while loving her sister and pampering her. She soon finds that what she thought was a sanctuary is anything but.
There is a dual storyline, which was well written and part of the story, but not so interesting to me. It was about Zoe, an art curator that is looking for her past relatives. She sees a picture of Faith and she is the splitting image of her and works at finding a connection.
Zoe is putting together an exhibit of the people of color that traveled west during the great depression and the dust bowl exodus from the south to California. A photographer Shaun she meets helps her with her research and helps heal her heart from her broken marriage and loss of her son.
Zoe worked really hard to put together her research, not only to try and find past family, but also to bring light on the people of color during the depression and how they also suffered and had to start their lives anew.
I really enjoyed reading this story and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Suzette D. Harrison for writing a wonderful book, to Bookouture for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me.
Amazing story of a families love and how they tried to find each other after being separated on their way from the Oklahoma Dust Bowl to California in 1935.
Hope and Faith are walking behind following their parents wagon when a black blizzard dust storm overtakes them. Racing to an abandoned house they hide in the cellar until the storm is over. Now they have to find a way to get to California and find their parents.
The trials along the way for these two young girls of color are very challenging. From the white pastor that gives them a ride to California to the horrible events with his son Henry and finally sleeping on the streets with her baby sister Faith Joy Wilson is a courageous girl protecting her baby sister at all costs while all the time searching for her brother and her parents.
She thinks she has found a solution when she lands a job as a maid in a manor house, but the lady that is her boss appears to dislike her immensely while loving her sister and pampering her. She soon finds that what she thought was a sanctuary is anything but.
There is a dual storyline, which was well written and part of the story, but not so interesting to me. It was about Zoe, an art curator that is looking for her past relatives. She sees a picture of Faith and she is the splitting image of her and works at finding a connection.
Zoe is putting together an exhibit of the people of color that traveled west during the great depression and the dust bowl exodus from the south to California. A photographer Shaun she meets helps her with her research and helps heal her heart from her broken marriage and loss of her son.
Zoe worked really hard to put together her research, not only to try and find past family, but also to bring light on the people of color during the depression and how they also suffered and had to start their lives anew.
I really enjoyed reading this story and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Suzette D. Harrison for writing a wonderful book, to Bookouture for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me.
December 25, 2021
I received an e-ARC copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.
“The Dust Bowl Orphans” by Suzette D. Harrison is a dual timeline historical fiction book. In the past, the story is about Faith and Hope Wilson, who end up separated from their parents in Oklahoma. They know that their family was to meet up in Los Angeles at the train station, so when a family says they’re traveling to LA and offers to take them along, Faith and Hope go - though a bit unwillingly. Upon their arrival in LA, things aren’t so wonderful in California, and through some twists and turns, Faith and Hope end up befriending a much kinder woman, though her female boss is another story. In the present timeline, we follow curator Zoe, who is going through some difficulties of her own. A photographer from an exhibit shows Zoe an old photograph that a relative had taken, and it’s the spitting image of Zoe herself as a teenager. The book weaves the two stories together in a wonderful way.
I enjoyed the way the author told this story and also how the story unfolded. There’s a bit of spiritualism in this book that wasn’t my taste, but I can see how it would be both comprehensive and enjoyable to others - not my cup of tea. I preferred Faith’s story to Zoe’s (except toward the end - it’s a spoiler, but I felt everything fell together too easily). I did enjoy Zoe’s frustrations with an ancestry site (I’ve had the same regarding spelling). Faith and Zoe both had spunk and I admired both women for that. I also liked the way that the author had both Faith and Zoe be strong, yet also obviously care about their families - Faith protected Hope and Zoe didn’t want to do anything that might hurt her grandfather regarding his past.
“The Dust Bowl Orphans” by Suzette D. Harrison is a dual timeline historical fiction book. In the past, the story is about Faith and Hope Wilson, who end up separated from their parents in Oklahoma. They know that their family was to meet up in Los Angeles at the train station, so when a family says they’re traveling to LA and offers to take them along, Faith and Hope go - though a bit unwillingly. Upon their arrival in LA, things aren’t so wonderful in California, and through some twists and turns, Faith and Hope end up befriending a much kinder woman, though her female boss is another story. In the present timeline, we follow curator Zoe, who is going through some difficulties of her own. A photographer from an exhibit shows Zoe an old photograph that a relative had taken, and it’s the spitting image of Zoe herself as a teenager. The book weaves the two stories together in a wonderful way.
I enjoyed the way the author told this story and also how the story unfolded. There’s a bit of spiritualism in this book that wasn’t my taste, but I can see how it would be both comprehensive and enjoyable to others - not my cup of tea. I preferred Faith’s story to Zoe’s (except toward the end - it’s a spoiler, but I felt everything fell together too easily). I did enjoy Zoe’s frustrations with an ancestry site (I’ve had the same regarding spelling). Faith and Zoe both had spunk and I admired both women for that. I also liked the way that the author had both Faith and Zoe be strong, yet also obviously care about their families - Faith protected Hope and Zoe didn’t want to do anything that might hurt her grandfather regarding his past.
February 21, 2022
This book was iffy until around 60% and then it raced to an amazing climax and a page turning conclusion. It was a bit of a slow burn but I ended up REALLY liking it. This is a great novel for fans of historical fiction, the Great Migration and genealogy fans. There’s a little bit of a romance that seems… out of place? But it’s a very thin thread in the thick fabric of the novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2022
Historical fiction
I loved this book,the characters ,the story line in past and present and how it all ties in together.
Definitely will read more by this author
I loved this book,the characters ,the story line in past and present and how it all ties in together.
Definitely will read more by this author
August 3, 2022
The characters come to life and leave your heart reeling with every emotion. Such a great read. Happy page turning.
May 26, 2022
Historical Fiction. Romance Fiction.
This was my first read by this author; She didn't disappoint. This may seem like a slow one but it's a winner (so stick it out).
Out of nowhere life can turn your sunshine into rain. (1935)Fifteen year-old Faith Wilson can testify to this when life's hardships hits her family. A struggle of poverty and pain. There's a saying, "Life will grow you up real quick" but there's also God's promise "I won't leave you nor forsake you" (evidence of God's promise is provided in this story).
(Present) Zoelle "Zoe" Edwards is an art exhibitionist who's dealing with a failed marriage and grief. A historical photo is presented to her which sends her on a journey of connect the dots.
I loved how the author hid things from the reader so the reader couldn't predict many things in the story. She revealed what was to be revealed when it was time and then I was hooked--I couldn't put the read down.
This novel will touch your heart. I never knew I could be interested in historical fiction. As they say, "Don't knock it until you try it".
This was my first read by this author; She didn't disappoint. This may seem like a slow one but it's a winner (so stick it out).
Out of nowhere life can turn your sunshine into rain. (1935)Fifteen year-old Faith Wilson can testify to this when life's hardships hits her family. A struggle of poverty and pain. There's a saying, "Life will grow you up real quick" but there's also God's promise "I won't leave you nor forsake you" (evidence of God's promise is provided in this story).
(Present) Zoelle "Zoe" Edwards is an art exhibitionist who's dealing with a failed marriage and grief. A historical photo is presented to her which sends her on a journey of connect the dots.
I loved how the author hid things from the reader so the reader couldn't predict many things in the story. She revealed what was to be revealed when it was time and then I was hooked--I couldn't put the read down.
This novel will touch your heart. I never knew I could be interested in historical fiction. As they say, "Don't knock it until you try it".
February 23, 2023
Definitely Unputdownable!!! I laugh, cried and had to reach out to my family members after reading this book. So well written and now I am ready to go down a rabbit hole to learn more.
May 24, 2022
Outstanding
I can admit I was a bit hesitant to purchase this book, but boy am I glad that I did. It was so engaging that I was hooked from the first paragraph to the last word. The author did a wonderful job of transitioning from the past to the present, weaving a tale of lost and found love, hopes and dreams for the future. The characters are well written and complex. Some characters are a little too tidy, but I totally understand as they were more for dimension, not meant to muddle the story. I’d highly recommend this book and will be reading more titles from the author in the future.
I can admit I was a bit hesitant to purchase this book, but boy am I glad that I did. It was so engaging that I was hooked from the first paragraph to the last word. The author did a wonderful job of transitioning from the past to the present, weaving a tale of lost and found love, hopes and dreams for the future. The characters are well written and complex. Some characters are a little too tidy, but I totally understand as they were more for dimension, not meant to muddle the story. I’d highly recommend this book and will be reading more titles from the author in the future.
January 1, 2023
4.5*
Thank you net galley & publisher for my e arc of "The Dust Bowl Orphans", by Suzette D. Harrison
About: "Fifteen-year-old Faith Wilson takes her little sister Hope’s hand. In worn-down shoes, they walk through the choking heat of the Dust Bowl towards a new life in California. But when a storm blows in, the girls are separated from their parents. A story of family torn apart, fighting to be reunited. Fans of Where the Crawdads Sing & The Four Winds will love this dust bowl story of survival from a Black perspective. California, present day. Zoe Edwards feels completely alone in the world. Throwing herself into work, she sees an image of a teenage girl who looks exactly like her,. Could this girl be a long-lost relation, someone to finally explain the holes in Zoe’s family history..."
I highly recommend this dust bowl story. American Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres and underrepresented is American HF, especially Black HF. I just loved this survival story and the part of finding lost family. I don't like books to flip between 2 stories and timelines, so I primarily read every detail of faith/hope's story and skimmed the future story of Zoe. I prefer if the author does a duo and does the first story & then the last because of my attention being divided I always like one and skim the other. I can say the one I focused on was excellent and the other at least good. I will defiantly being reading more Suzette D. Harrison novels and loved her story. Thank you Suzette D. Harrison for this emotional historical adventure via Faith, my favorite character in this novel.
Thank you net galley & publisher for my e arc of "The Dust Bowl Orphans", by Suzette D. Harrison
About: "Fifteen-year-old Faith Wilson takes her little sister Hope’s hand. In worn-down shoes, they walk through the choking heat of the Dust Bowl towards a new life in California. But when a storm blows in, the girls are separated from their parents. A story of family torn apart, fighting to be reunited. Fans of Where the Crawdads Sing & The Four Winds will love this dust bowl story of survival from a Black perspective. California, present day. Zoe Edwards feels completely alone in the world. Throwing herself into work, she sees an image of a teenage girl who looks exactly like her,. Could this girl be a long-lost relation, someone to finally explain the holes in Zoe’s family history..."
I highly recommend this dust bowl story. American Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres and underrepresented is American HF, especially Black HF. I just loved this survival story and the part of finding lost family. I don't like books to flip between 2 stories and timelines, so I primarily read every detail of faith/hope's story and skimmed the future story of Zoe. I prefer if the author does a duo and does the first story & then the last because of my attention being divided I always like one and skim the other. I can say the one I focused on was excellent and the other at least good. I will defiantly being reading more Suzette D. Harrison novels and loved her story. Thank you Suzette D. Harrison for this emotional historical adventure via Faith, my favorite character in this novel.
February 26, 2022
There were thousands of families whose lives were changed forever during the Dust Bowl migration. the photos and stories were mostly of whites with little, if any, notes of African Americans who were also caught up in this migration. The story begins in Oklahoma in 1935 with Faith and Hope Wilson who were traveling with their family until they were separated by "black blizzard." Faith was a teenager when she and Hope who was only five years old were rescued by a white family. While they had some protection there was always the threat that they were saving the girls. They finally escaped after a threat from the oldest white boy. They found California to be a frightening and unfamiliar place.
The story moves back and forth to Presents Day and the story of Zoe who is a talented artist and recognized curator. She is stunned to see a casual photograph taken of Faith and Hope in Oklahoma. It was incredible to realize that she looks like the teenaged girl. Most of the book moves back and forth between Faith and Zoe and their lives in the ensuing years. Both Faith and Zoe were very talented and recognized in their own lives. The move back and forth as their lives are unveiled and the revelations that reveal that Faith and Zoe are actually related. Eventually, Zoe goes to Oklahoma where she is reunited with Hope and her extended family.
This was a moving and interesting story that kept me engaged from the first page. Highly recommended for any reader.
The story moves back and forth to Presents Day and the story of Zoe who is a talented artist and recognized curator. She is stunned to see a casual photograph taken of Faith and Hope in Oklahoma. It was incredible to realize that she looks like the teenaged girl. Most of the book moves back and forth between Faith and Zoe and their lives in the ensuing years. Both Faith and Zoe were very talented and recognized in their own lives. The move back and forth as their lives are unveiled and the revelations that reveal that Faith and Zoe are actually related. Eventually, Zoe goes to Oklahoma where she is reunited with Hope and her extended family.
This was a moving and interesting story that kept me engaged from the first page. Highly recommended for any reader.
February 7, 2022
THE DUSTBOWL ORPHANS is a masterpiece of storytelling that chronicles an African American family’s journey of survival. Talented writer, Suzette Harrison, tells this fascinating story through the eyes of two characters who are members of the same family, one from the past, and one from the present. Faith Wilson,1935, and Zoe Edwards, present day, are the main characters who guide us through this “completely heartbreaking and unputdownable historical”. The Oklahoma Dust Bowl of 1935 is the starting point, and reminds us that many African Americans fell victim to the horrible dust storms that caused people to flee from that state heading West.
The storyline is smooth, seamless and coherent from start to finish. For the romantics in the house, Faith and Zoe certainly have their moments.
THE DUST BOWL ORPHANS is an outstanding example of brilliant writing, documented historical research, masterful pacing, and memorable complex characters. I highly recommend this book. It’s a captivating story. As we acknowledge Black History Month, what better way than to purchase a copy of THE DUST BOWL ORPHANS for your reading pleasure.
The storyline is smooth, seamless and coherent from start to finish. For the romantics in the house, Faith and Zoe certainly have their moments.
THE DUST BOWL ORPHANS is an outstanding example of brilliant writing, documented historical research, masterful pacing, and memorable complex characters. I highly recommend this book. It’s a captivating story. As we acknowledge Black History Month, what better way than to purchase a copy of THE DUST BOWL ORPHANS for your reading pleasure.
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