The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

I found this book in an article published by Business Insider because apparently, my Goodreads feed is just not enough (???) and I needed more from an external site. However this article was also based on Goodreads’ published list, only I didn’t see it from before and now I’m dozens if not hundreds beyond my TBR. Anyway, hello, friends. This blog is about my newest favorite book and author, The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. Okay, can’t say she’s my fave author because I haven’t read other works of hers yet, but this book really got me excited to know Hannah more.

Title: The Four Winds
Author: Kristin Hannah
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction
My Review Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
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.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes an epic novel of love and heroism and hope, set against the backdrop of one of America’s most defining eras—the Great Depression.

The Four Winds follows the story of Elsinore, a.k.a. Elsa. She grew up with comfortable lifestyle in the 1920s, except she wasn’t treated well as a daughter. But she has easy access to the library and she has a loooot of time to spend in her bedroom being bored, soooo… However she didn’t want that life. She had dreams, she wanted to study. But women that time were seen and expected to ONLY be a housewife and a mother, doing ONLY house chores, serving their families and husbands. Uhuh, I’m glad, I’m a busy career woman and mother now. She met this young lad who said “wants her” the n she got pregnant but then her parents saw her as a “ruined” child so they kicked her out the house and forced her to marry the young lad she had sex with the first night they met. Uhuh. They got a family of their own, still under the roof of the guy’s parents, Rose and Tony. Good God, the in-laws loved her and loved her more when their own son ran away from the family and responsibility. He had his reasons though. Because of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, the Black Sunday whatever the disasters are that decade, made him weak and sought life from other part of the state or country or planet or universe, we don’t actually know. Elsa was left as a single mom, and her daughter blamed her for it. Actually all, including her father’s drama.

Months after Elsa had no choice but to leave the farm to save her children’s lives. Along with the kids she went west and realized life was cruel everywhere they went. Natural disasters, cruel men, disgusting systems. During their “exploration”, they encountered a loooot of good and bad things and people, which is true in real life. When you’re traveling, meeting new people and discovering the mess of a world we’re living in, that’s real life. Sadly, no matter how much you scream, the big guys won’t listen. All for their own gain.

I loved that the book talked about not just the people’s experience during the Great Depression. It also touched the important topics of disgusting politics among the rich people and how they control the economy, the lives of the workers, and even the government and the system. The book talked about the unending issue and a very disgusting thing we can’t rid of now matter how high we raise our voice, there’s still people who are makapal ang muka and people who are just going with the flow afraid of not having food on the table no matter how tiny the food is for seven ten people. The book talked about the limited rights of the women, and how we needed to fight for it in order to get it. It talked about love, motherhood, and how much we influence our kids and family and how much they influence us. It talked about hardships and sacrifices and more hardships and sacrifices when we stand back up from trials and failures.

If you already have read this (possible, because this has been on the top list since first half of 2021), I know your favorite character is of course our warrior Elsa. But let us take a moment and appreciate Rose. Loreda’s grandmother is unbelievably tough – losing her kids, staying home serving her family, just saying yes to her husband supporting him (good thing Tony’s also a good guy), son being engaged to a girl she didn’t know, facing the embarrassment of cancelling a wedding because his son got another woman pregnant, same son running away, living her faith with God through a coin. Here’s one quote I loved pointing to Rose:

"She can sense when the sadness rises in me; some days she gives me space with my grief, some days she takes my hand. I don't know how but she always knows which I need."

Kristin Hannah, The Four Winds

I am very much touched by this book, it easily became my fave for the year. Congratulations, Kristin Hannah for creating another masterpiece. This book deserves all the awards and praises and attention it’s getting.

The book was written very well, easy to understand, a page-turner. I wouldn’t put it down if it’s just me, but I’m also a mom and a worker. I have more time reading at night which makes it even more sad when I read the sad part. I cried. SOOOOO DAAAMN MUCH. I couldn’t even think of any downsides from this book, except the annoying growing-up-issues of our teenager, Loreda. But kids are kids. Been there but never done that though. All parts and almost all pages made me feel different emotions – love, anger, disgust, joy, fear, pride. Thank you again, Hannah for this wonderful work.

view my vlog reading the four winds!

characters

atmosphere

writing

plot

intrigue

logic

enjoyment

I am using the CAWPILE rating system, though please remember a reader’s taste may change from time to time, so I’m not sure if you can trust me here unless this was a recent read. Leaving my ratings anyways because this was totally how I felt the time I read this book. *winks*

I was in Tagaytay when I read most parts of this book. We spent our two days there celebrating my friend’s wedding, enjoying coffee, foodtripping, and of course, a little bit of cold away from Manila. One perfect place to enjoy reading (and yes coffee).

affiliate links!

Please do keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and opinions. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you, our readers and viewers, make the best choice for you. Oh, and our links and commissions won’t cost you additional $, by the way!

Amazon Kindle Basic 10th Generation (2019) | Kindle matte screen protector | Kindle ultra-slim protective case (black leather) | Kindle ultra-slim protective case (almond blossoms)