I think this book is popular back in the days and I just read this book like, now. Well, as the saying goes, better late than never right?
Genre : Historical Fiction
Page : 464 pages
Published :2nd February 2021
Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance.
In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.
“A warrior believes in an end she can’t see and fights for it. A warrior never gives up. A warrior fights for those weaker than herself. It sounds like motherhood to me.”
The Four Winds — Elsa Martinelli, a mother of two struggles to raised her children in the midst of Dust Bowl and Great Depression.
I think I’m addicted to history nowadays ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and this title grab my attention. I love the whole nuance this book is oozing. Like, calm? But deep down I know, this book is more than just a ‘calm history’
The story begins with Elsa- an outcast young girl in her family. She’s often deemed as unwell and fragile by her family.
The beginning of the story feels like ordinary fantasy story, where the good sister’s bullied by the bad. I think it’s similar to Elsa’s story. Elsa’s often compared to her sisters and belittle by her own mother which saddens me. Alas, growing up, Elsa’s convinced she’s lacking in many ways. Poor Elsa ༼ಢ_ಢ༽
Isn’t this intro enough to make you want to read the book? At this point, I’m quite invested with Elsa.
The story progressed as she met Rafi. A man she doesn’t even know that well but seems like the one who could offers Elsa a tad of attention more than others.
And Elsa’s pregnant ༼ಢ_ಢ༽
And this is where Elsa’s journey truly begins.
Elsa try her best to be a good mother of two, a good daughter in law and a good wife to Rafi who doesn’t even care that much for Elsa.
From the moment this book introduce Elsa, I have love her shy tendency and strong resolve. It feels like there’s a shell covering the whole Elsa and I can’t wait for it to unvail. To see her truly lives and truly love herself.
At the beginning, this is a coming of age story of Elsa. But as time passed, slowly yet surely, with Elsa’s stubborn and yet supportive children, this becomes a story of survival, of Elsa and every victims of Dust Bowl and Great Depression.
I’m baffled and I can’t imagine how could a person live with conditions like that. Endless dust-storm and no hint of rain for years. Also, it’s hard to even survive, let alone, earning money.
And this book amazingly portrayed Elsa so well as a daughter, mother, wife, friend and accomplice. I deeply admire her and my heart quench for her. How much love she could give and how much fighting spirit she could fight for the sake of the people she love.
Even if she is denied, Elsa never give up hope and oh my god, I don’t even know how to describe her humble personality. I just love her a lot. I hate there’s so much pain going on in her life.
Another thing I love about the book, it covers parental dynamic between Elsa and her children. Especially Elsa and Loreda, her firstborn.
For the book, I think the pace is pretty okay, as I am willing to stay up late reading. It’s not a massive page turner but it pretty suck me in. It’s pretty engaging and I truly enjoy the flow of the story.
Elsa’s motherhood journey is also one of the main highlight in the book. And I love this mini family bonding too. The love they shared as a family, the struggle of surviving, the fight and build up stress due to the depression, the rebellion and the immense love they have for each other.
Also, I love how real this book portrayed the events leading to Great Depression and during the period of the Great Depression.
It felt so real and I can’t even imagine how to fight back up if I’m the one residing in those condition.
This book is a story of survival and warriors. It took me time to finish the book, but it truly worth the time.
“It wasn’t the fear that mattered in life. It was the choices made when you were afraid. You were brave because of your fear, not in spite of it.”
Author: Celine
celinelingg 