2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah.

Pages: 464 pages

Length: 1 month (March)

Participants: Joan, Allison, Carmen, Krysti

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

I really enjoyed this one, but as with all her books, I got so emotional reading this one. Hope you guys love it!

I actually just read the first two chapters. It seems like it will be a quick read.

I've read the first 7 chapters. I'm more caught up in the story than I thought I'd be.

(view spoiler)[It's hard not to feel for Elsa. Kind of got into a mess and it seems that her husband doesn't love her. Her daughter is something else. Sounds like a brat. I'm hoping at some point in this book Elsa will be appreciated. It sounds sad and lonely to say the least. (hide spoiler)]

Hi everyone! Excited to start this one. I've read the Nightingale and the Women and liked them both, so I'm excited to read another Kristin Hannah. Have you guys read others?

Hola, Krysty!
I loved The Nightingale and The winter garden, I also read the series Firefly Lane, and I liked the first one but the second no so much.
I have The four winds in my kindle since March 2022, so it's about time I read it.

This is my first time reading one of her books. I am enjoying her writing. I'm through the first 11 chapters.

I saw Firefly Lane on Netflix and I enjoyed that and it propelled me to read one of her books. I had found The Great Alone at a thrift store for $1 and I found this one in a bargain books section. I actually just found Firefly Lane at Goodwill for a $1 also.

I’ve read The Nightingale and loved it. Have started this one and it’s keeping my interest already…which I wasn’t sure it would since I’m not much for American history.

I didn't really know what the book was about when I bought it. I just knew I wanted to try some of her books. My Mom was born in 1933 in Missouri and I remember her and my grandmother talking about the dust storms. So this book has made me more understand what that was like. They weren't in the worst part of it so it didn't hit them like it did in Texas. I feel more connected to the story though because of it. And I guess I didn't realize all that would go along with the dust storms.

I'm through chapter 16 now. (view spoiler)[ One of the things I didn't think about was how hard it would be to also watch the animals die. I didn't think about the static electricity that would come from all of the dryness. I thought Elsa was going to lose one of the kids from the storms. I can't believe her husband left her. That part was hard to read.

This book is equally depressing as it is interesting to me. I'm hoping she will end up finding some kind of happiness in California if that is in fact where they end up. (hide spoiler)]

I’m up to chapter 15.

(view spoiler)[What a freaking coward Rafe is. Oh boohoo, life didn’t turn out the way you dreamed….yet you have a wife, children, and parents that all love you and depend on you. What a child.

Although Elsa, Girl, you need to SPEAK. Married for 13 years and you can’t reach out to your husband? Um, why?! So you’re “ugly”, big deal. You only get one life and living it the way you have with him hasn’t been working for you, so change something. Anything.

And that little witch of a daughter? I’d take the cow hide to her. (hide spoiler)]

The descriptions of the sand, dirt, and bugs in the house…. 🤢

The descriptions of the mud collected in their nostrils and corners of their eyes….makes me feel dirty and I’m reading in a nice, warm bath right now!

Allison wrote: "The descriptions of the sand, dirt, and bugs in the house…. 🤢

The descriptions of the mud collected in their nostrils and corners of their eyes….makes me feel dirty and I’m reading in a nice, war..."

Oh I know. Makes you realize how horrible it would be. I thought if you just stayed inside you'd be fine.

And I agree on your spoilers!

I've read through chapter 21 now.

(view spoiler)[ Daughter has gotten a little better (hide spoiler)]

I'm really enjoying the book though. I'm a good bit into 1935 and I probably enjoyed the first part of the book more but I'm still drawn into their story.

I’m up to chapter 28: (view spoiler)[Jesus, these people can’t catch a break! I think I needed to read this book at this time….life hasn’t been great for me or fair for the last year, with the last 4 months especially. Just one thing after another, after another. But I have money to spend on crap I don’t need, I can buy whatever I want to eat, I have a roof over my head with carpet under my feet and clean sheets on an actual bed. I need to stop feeling sorry for myself when people were/are still struggling to feed their families and don’t have running water or adequate housing. Thank you for this buddy read. (hide spoiler)]

Joan wrote: "Allison wrote: "The descriptions of the sand, dirt, and bugs in the house…. 🤢

The descriptions of the mud collected in their nostrils and corners of their eyes….makes me feel dirty and I’m readin..."

Right!! I guess it wasn’t really taught in school on what people actual went through….yes, all their farms dried up but the dirt and health conditions INSIDE your homes?! Who knew.

I ended up getting the stomach bug this week but I'll probably finish this book tomorrow. I'm still enjoying it. I've read like 5 pages here and there this week when I was able.

I’ve read a little more but not much since I’ve been too exhausted after work this week. I’m ready for something good to happen to them though….the hardship has been dragged out long enough. It’s a little draining now.

Joan wrote: "I ended up getting the stomach bug this week but I'll probably finish this book tomorrow. I'm still enjoying it. I've read like 5 pages here and there this week when I was able."

I hope you’ve been feeling better. Drink your liquids!

Allison wrote: "I’ve read a little more but not much since I’ve been too exhausted after work this week. I’m ready for something good to happen to them though….the hardship has been dragged out long enough. It’s a..."

I just got through chapter 28 and read your spoiler. I couldn't agree more.

(view spoiler)[They really can't catch a break and yes I've been feeling more appreciative of what I have reading this book. It's also made me look at some of my purchases differently. Do I really need that? We acquire so much unnecessary stuff.

Why doesn't Elsa buy what she can in town for food since it's cheaper? Can she not get back to town? I would think she should buy a portion of what she can there so she doesn't have to put everything on credit.

I'm hoping at some point there will be a happy ending but I'm starting to not think so. (hide spoiler)]

I'm in the middle of chapter 34 and:

(view spoiler)[I have to admit all of the communist and labor striking is boring me but I still care about Elsa and the kids. I'm glad someone finally loves Elsa! And so sad about Jean but I had a feeling something was going to happen to her. (hide spoiler)]

Ok I've finished it. I didn't notice that she put pictures in the back of the book. I found that interesting.

(view spoiler)[I was thinking with the amount of pages left that Elsa was going to die. I didn't know how it all could be wrapped up otherwise. I enjoyed her journey. The end did slow down for me a bit. I enjoyed reading about the dust bowl more. I still rated it four stars. I learned a lot about the California migrant workers too - I just wasn't as interested in that part but I was still invested in Elsa and the kids. I thought her stupid husband would show back up but now I'm glad he didn't. (hide spoiler)]

I finished this today too and we’ve been pretty much in agreement on everything throughout the whole book.

(view spoiler)[I thought we’d see the stupid husband too!! I also lost interest once all the “Red Commie” talk and workers strikes started. By then the book was too long. I am surprised but not shocked (or the other way around?), I knew something drastic had to happen and it made sense for Elsa to die just as she was being brave and starting to “live”. I’m glad Jack drove the kids home to their grandparents farm and in the end, Elsa got what she wanted most with Loreda going to school and Ant healthy again and happy. (hide spoiler)]

Would have been 4 stars but got bored at the end and was just a tad too long so 3.5 stars. I’m interested in the author’s newest book but queues for that at the library are loooonnnnggggg.

I guess I went with a 4 star just because I felt like I learned a lot and I don't think this will be one of the books that I look at later and go - What was that about? I think the book will stick with me.

Looking forward to reading The Great Alone next month but am a little worried by how long it is.

I am a harsh rater….3 stars is good from me.

I've just finished right now.
(view spoiler)[
Except for the part set in Texas, from the moment they leave for California, The Four Winds is a bad, melodramatized copy of The Grapes of Wrath.
Despite all Hannah's efforts to emotionally manipulate the readers to become watering cans, throwing upon Elsa's shoulders every bad thing that could happen to her, it all feels completely false to me. The last straw was the final scene in the hospital 🙄 (hide spoiler)]

Carmen -
(view spoiler)[ I can definitely see your point. It's been a long long time since I read Grapes of Wrath which is why I didn't draw the similarity. I did kind of feel like everything was going to happen to Elsa. I thought it could have been a little worse though in that regard. I was waiting for her and her daughter to get raped or something. The part in Texas was definitely my favorite part of the book. The part in California just felt dragged out but I guess historically that happened to a lot of people from that area.
I remember my Grandma talking about feeding the beggars and how dirty they were. You could tell there was that kind of tone with the Okies. Hopefully my grandparents were not nasty to them. I wouldn't think so because my Grandma came from a pretty poor family. She had to marry my Grandfather in secret at first. (hide spoiler)]

Sounds like I'm a little behind, but I just finished chapter 15.

(view spoiler)[ I feel so sorry for Elsa, but also insanely frustrated with her at the same time. Her parents certainly did a number on her.

Thank goodness she has a good relationship with her mother in law, I feel like that's all that's saving her right now.

I really thought Rafe was going to kill himself, but I like the plot beat that he ran away better. I'm dying to know if they ever cross paths again. I want to judge him harshly, but am also trying to remember he was only 18 when everything started. No excuse, but still.

Elsa spoke a lot about how she feels Rafe and Loreda don't lover her, but I will she would/could focus more on how Rose, Tony, and Ant seem to. She's still talking like no one loves her. (hide spoiler)]

Finally finished! (view spoiler)[ what a sad ending! I was into it the whole way, but definitely had similar thoughts of "what else can possibly go wrong". I wonder how realistic it was, or if it was a bit more of a melodrama in terms of everything bad happening. Definitely didn't like this one as much as The Women or The Nightingale, but it still held my attention. She's really good at writing characters you care about, even if the plot starts to go awry. (hide spoiler)]

Krysti wrote: "Finally finished! [spoilers removed]"

I agree with you review. I'm interested in how The Great Alone will compare. I remember a lot of people saying that it was good.

Krysti wrote: "Finally finished! [spoilers removed]"

Awesome!

Will you be reading The Great Alone with us in April?