Play Book Tag discussion

I read this as a Western to fit another challenge and give it 4 stars. This is a brilliant story based, it says, on a true wagon-train journey in the 1800s but I always thought Picnic on Hanging Rock was true so don't quote me!

All of the main characters in the wagon-train have their reasons for making the journey west to California and they all have their secrets. In stubbornly sticking to their planned route, ignoring warnings of danger, the pioneers find themselves travelling through difficult territory with the added bonus that they're being stalked by something. There are strange disappearances and they come to understand that - spooky music - there's something out there......

In addition to the external threat the travelling party also starts to disintegrate from the inside as, I suppose, is often the case with people forced to spend time together under difficult conditions.

The descriptions of the terrain and of the hardships suffered are beautifully written and add to the suspense and the whole book feels historically accurate so all in all a very enjoyable Western/Horror.

I do not like Westerns but I love your review and it sounds so interesting.

Rachel wrote: "I do not like Westerns but I love your review and it sounds so interesting."

I have never read a Western before so I don't know if this is typical. It seems to me more of a study of human nature with some horror thrown in! It certainly isn't Cowboys v Indians or Sheriff v Outlaw