Julia Whelan was the perfect narrator for this novel. Even when there was strife, I never doubted the love they held for each other. The author’s grasp of the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship was profound. Most of the story is told from Elsa’s point of view, but a few chapters are told from her Loreda, her daughter. Again and again history repeats from sharecroppers to unfair wages and working conditions. The story resonates with current news stories surrounding low wages, affordable housing, discrimination and more. I knew very little about what happened to folks who headed west to California during this time. In 1934, Elsa travels west with her young children in search of a job. I could hear the dust and feel the desperation of these hardworking folks.
Families starved and succumb to the harsh environment. We bear witness to the tragic events surrounding the Dust Bowl, which pushed the US into an economic depression and displaced many. I connected with Elsa, understood her and admired her. The author did a splendid job of giving the listener background and helping us understand our protagonists’ beginnings from the daughter of a wealthy businessman to the wife of a farmer. What follows shares her life story from hardships to triumphs as the US faces turmoil. The story begins when we meet young Elsa, a shy, book-loving and awkward young girl who meets a young Italian farmer. I’ve read several books about the Dust Bowl and Great Depression but learned new things as Hannah takes the listener from the hardships of a Texas farm to the promises of a better life in the state of milk and honey. Hannah brought the events, hardships, and characters to life with vivid imagery. I laughed, cried, was ashamed, and found aspects relevant to today’s headlines. I love historical fiction based on actual events, and when I saw Julia Whelan was narrating The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah, I knew I had to dive in.
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