Can I recommend you a book? Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

[AgentPidge]

It's set in the 1920s and '30s in the US dustbowl and is a sort of family saga. It is an awesome book.
It was a book club choice, and I wasn't thrilled, because a) I've read something before by her and didn't like it much (something about women pilots in Afghanistan), and b) I'm not interested in American novels as a rule.
But I found it un-putdownable. The writing is very skilful. Its style is spare - no word is wasted. It touches on man-made climate change, migrants (unwanted in the place they migrate to), the workers' rights movement, and above all, family relationships. It made me re-think my relationship with my mother and made me cry (twice!). It sounds like a misery-fest but it isn't totally - lots of unexpected twists and is ultimately uplifting, and I learnt loads. I'm glad I got it in hardback (from the library) because it is long!

I have this on my TBR pile. I have found Kristen Hannah a brilliant writer. Years and years ago I read her book on Mystic Lake it was the first book that really made me cry. I recommended it to everyone. More recently I enjoyed The Women. I think she writes really well, conveys emotion, and that her story telling has matured. I am sure if I read Mystic again it would seem overly emotional and saccharine as it appealed to me as a teen. But the newer novels are brilliant in my opinion.

Agreed, loved it .... I think her previous Book you mentioned is The Women? It's about Army Nurses in Vietnam....

Try The Nightingale - loved that too!

I have only just discovered her books via a Kindle 99p offer on The Great Alone, which I loved. And just finished The Women which I also really enjoyed. This can be next on my list, thank you!

I loved Four Winds (almost comparable to the Grapes of Wrath which, given that's my favourite book of all time, is saying something) and The Great Alone, but I felt The Women was superficial (despite obviously being thoroughly researched) and repetitive and I'm about to give upon True Colours - also repetitive and a completely unbelievable love interest.

Made me think of the grapes of wrath, which I enjoyed. So I will give it a try.

I've read The Wonen and thought it was really good. I'm old enough to remember the horris of the Vietnam War and the demonstrations against it but there was a lot I didn't know. I will make a note of Four Winds. (I have read The Grapes of Wrath and seen the film)

I loved The Four Winds and I loved The Nightingale even more.

Oddly enough this is the only one of her books I really couldn’t get into 🙈😳 I absolutely adored the Nightingale and can’t wait for the film of that to come out.

Is The Great Alone set in Alaska?

@squashyhatjust seen that you mention The Great Alone too. I read a book by Kristin Hannah whilst on holiday. I got it from the book swap shelf at the resort & returned it there once I’d read it, so I’m not sure of the title. It was about a woman who moved to Alaska with her daughter. Her husband returned from Vietnam a changed man. Was it “The Great Alone”? It was very good. I remember thinking I’d definitely read more by Kristin Hannah.

I loved this one too.

Yes. Great saga. Twists and turns. Slow start but stick with

I struggled to get involved with this book, and found it a real slog. The Nightingale is incredible though. One of my favourites.

Noo I hated this book so depressing one slog of misery after another and I like a lot of Kristin Hannah’s book.

I Liked the nightingale and also agree that The Women was superficial.

My recommendation of hers is ‘Home Front’. I absolutely adored it. The only book I’ve ever cried at. Brilliant.

I hated this book. Was the most miserable thing I’ve read in along time, right up to the bitter end. I find her writing lacks depth. I really struggle to get the adulation re her books.

I loved it and then read Before Dorothy in a similar vein. Really interesting historically.

I absolutely loved this too!

I have only read The Winter Garden by her. Normally not my sort of book, but beautifully written and really gripped me.

I really enjoyed this book for the historical element, and it really piqued my interest in the Great Depression and devastation of the dust bowl. I thought her description of the facts and way of life was very good, but I found her writing style basic at times. I tried another novel of hers and just couldn’t get past the first few pages; the female characters all seemed to be the same to me. I’ve now started the grapes of wrath and hope it lives up to the hype!

Thanks. I just read the Nightingale
Tough read in parts

I fell in love with her books after reading The Nightingale, followed it with The Women and then Home Front, that last one affected me so much as I was in Iraq at a similar time and it triggered things for me that I didn’t even realise was there to be triggered (I was there the year after the book was based and was coming up to 20th anniversary of my time there, which started, and ended with 2 awful incidents, and many in the middle. I’ve not read another of hers yet so may give this one a go.

Totally re the basic style. It just makes me think of a McDonald’s meal. Has all the makings of a filling meal but I always feel hungry afterwards. There is no depth to the characters or writing.

Oh, I must try that! Thanks.

I'm pretty sure that's the one I read. Iraq rather than Afghanistan? My mistake. I didn't like it. But there you go! I've loved other books and my book group didn't like them at all.

I liked it, although The Women is my favourite of her books that I've read so far.