Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's press for the uncorrected digital copy and sincere apologies for the delay in this review. The Four Winds is a celebration of human endurance in the face of nature's adversities. This is a first Kristin Hannah book for me and it is just an epic for ages. What struck me the most was how relevant the book is in the COVID era- be it environmental effects or immigration issues or a pandemic affected society.

The Four Winds is set in the Great Depression Era and the Dust Bowl period, where a loner, unhappy 25-year-old Elsa Wolcott meets Rafe Martinelli and his family by sheer luck and how motherhood, love for her family and determination helps her cross the period. A journey encompassing 2 decades and a journey across Texas plains and a "promising" California, it's a slow hard grind but eventually, you (as readers) come out stronger and enriched by the experience.

The author has put her main protagonist through the worst period and shows how she is able to overcome the challenges. It's sad but definitely uplifting. The initial portions regarding her looks and her brief courtship seemed a bit rushed and the communist portions at the end, though well-intended, seemed forced. I am not fully aware of the history of this period so this might be socially and historically relevant. It's definitely a hard book to read but by no means was it slow. It will make you think. But at the heart of it, this one was a salute to motherhood- be it the relationship between Rose and Elsa or the one between Elsa and her teenage daughter, Loreda and son, Ant. It's a celebration of life and a must-read.

After reading the reviews and watching comments on Facebook about the subject matter of this book, I was hesitant to pick it up! However, Kristin Hannah, is my favorite author and I had to give it a try. I have given this book 5 stars because as depressing as the subject matter was, I kept reading and was connected with the characters in this book. Yes, the subject matter was difficult, yes I cried, but this book will definitely stick with me for awhile. The main character is such a strong and amazing woman, it was hard to not root for her until the bitter end! Read this one when you are in the right mood or frame of mind. I think is is definitely worth picking up! Thanks to St.Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this wonderful read!

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Elsa Martinelli has found a home with her husband's family on their north Texas farm. After years of drought have used up all of their reserves, however, Elsa has to decide whether to stay and continue to wait for rain or take her two children and head west to California where there are tales of jobs.

Kristin Hannah is a master at writing strong women and intergenerational relationships, and this book did not disappoint in that regard. I would not say this is my favorite book by her; there were a few parts that seemed to drag on. However, I very much liked this story. It evoked strong emotions in me; I even cried, which is rare for me when reading books. This is definitely not a book to read if you're looking to escape the crises of the past year in the United States, but it is a story if you want to read about strong women.

Superb! Kristin Hannah never lets me down. Her books always capture the theme she is examining in an all-encompassing way. The story begins in prosperous Texas in 1921. Elsa, the main character, experiences a difficult childhood and is forced to marry. The family she marries into, ultimately shows her the love and acceptance she needs. Then the Great Drought hits the Great Plains.
What's incredible about this story is the author's description of the Great Drought. Every dust storm that preys on the inhabitants of this region is so deftly described that I felt as if I was experiencing Mother Nature in the complete destruction of the land. The despair, lack of basic living accommodations and total desecration of everything, was so deeply written and felt.
Elsa could truly be described as a feminist and woman who decried the inequities and unfairness of life and jobs.
When Elsa is forced to travel to California to save her son's heath, she reminded me of Scarlet O'Hara. I rooted for her when situations demanded and admired her for her determination and gumption to win against the odds.
And win she did!

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah offers impressive details about life during the Dust Bowl. The story is based upon the main character Elsa who carries a heartbreaking child history that she carries from the start to the ending. Elsa, forced to grow up all too quickly, gets married and moves to her husband's family farm with his parents. Life gives and takes during life in Texas during the droughts that limited farm owners to become slaves to their land. As Elsa ventures west to California for a brighter future for herself and her children, she endures hardships she couldn't have imagined. Landowners began treating relocated workers as slaves, took away their rights, and aimed to keep them enslaved with no escape and little pay. The opportunity presents itself for Elsa to do the impossible and make a stand for her rights and everyone else's facing the same fate. This story provides layers of depth to life during this time in our history. Elsa is definitely a character you will continue to carry long after you finished reading.

This book is one hundred percent love. It comes with pain, heartbreak, anger, fear, but at the heart of it all this story is about love. The kind of love that fuels us when everything in the world is lining up to make us quit. Elsa is a true warrior. She's fierce even when she doesn't see herself as such and it's love that gives her the bravery she needs to save the lives of her family. Loreda, her daughter, has more of a visible fire in her and little Anthony brings so much light to the story. I don't remember the last time I rooted for a set of characters more. I cried, I laughed, I felt my heart break and mend, all within 400 pages.

Hannah's writing is a true treasure. Her grasp of the truth of the human experience and the way we share it with others takes my breath away with every new novel she shares with the world. In The Four Winds, there's a message that so many need to hear in this current moment: We are survivors. We are strong. We have been here and risen above, better than before, and we can do so again as both individuals and as a wider community. I would absolutely recommend this stunning book to any reader.


Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

Loved loved loved.
I read this book as we were driving through Oklahoma and North Texas which really added to the ambience. This is a time period I new little to nothing about. As a historical fiction lover, this hit all the right notes: great setting, depth of character, dynamic situation, heartache, hard time, and love!

4.5 stars.

The newest novel from Kristin Hannah, The Four Winds, proves that sometimes being tough is the only choice you have.

At 25, Elsa’s family has told her that she is too old and too ugly to ever find a husband, which in Texas in 1921 is the only path for a woman. So she’s expected to not make a fuss, stay out of the way, and live an uneventful life until the time comes when she must care for her parents.

But that’s not an acceptable option for her, and when she meets Rafe Martinelli, she makes a decision that changes the course of her life. When she finds herself shunned by her family and forced out of her home, her only choice is to marry a man she barely knows and move onto his family’s farm.

Thirteen years later, in the midst of the Great Depression and an unprecedented drought, the farm is dying. While Rafe is desperate to move to California where opportunities are rumored, his parents don’t want to leave their farm, and Elsa is determined to help them keep fighting. This causes friction in their marriage and with their older daughter, Loreda, who wants out of the relentless drought and dust storms, too.

When it gets to the point where the survival of her children are at stake, Elsa summons every last ounce of bravery she has and drives to California with them. Yet what they find when they get there, the lives they must pursue, will change each of them.

This is a beautifully written, emotional piece of historical fiction. Hannah once again proves herself an impeccable storyteller. Elsa is an exceptional character and her story is one of courage and exceeding what everyone has always told you that you could accomplish.

At times the darkness and emotions of this story feel a little relentless even though it’s fact-based, and I’ll admit I found Loreda’s character difficult to like. But this is definitely a book that moved me and once again made me thankful to those who came before.

NetGalley and St. Martin's Press provided me with a complimentary advance copy of The Four Winds in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

Kristin Hannah never fails to weave an emotional narrative and make you care deeply about her characters. The Four Winds takes place during the Great Depression of the 1930s and follows a family on their journey from Texas to California. I enjoyed the historical aspects and how this time period was brought to life. This story was both devastating and hopeful in the best of ways.

The Four Winds was a heartbreaking and heroic tale that takes you to the dry farms of Texas to the plight west in search of a better life. I really enjoyed this book even though at times, the desperation of the characters was too much to bear.

The main protagonist, Elsa, was a character to root for and remember. I’m writing this review months after I read the book and still, she’s stayed with me. She was a hard-working, brave woman who was emotionally stunted due to her parent’s lack of love for her. At her first chance at love, she jumps deep and thankfully, she finds the protection of familial love, if not romance.

Hannah, a master storyteller, has covered many genres in her career, but I think her historical fiction work is the best. You can tell that her research was extensive and because of that the story was richer and well nuanced. At many times I stopped to google more info about the dust bowl. Had I not read I Will Send Rain, I would’ve had very little intimate knowledge about this era.

There are many themes running through this book, such as courage, friendship, trust, environmental issues, survival during the Great Depression, motherhood, self-image, romance and hope. The author’s note was especially good as it alluded to today’s pandemic and how it relates to past traumatic historical events.

Book clubs unite! This one has tons to talk about.

This is my favorite book by Kristin Hannah. It was interesting reading all details of life during the depression & dust bowl.

After families went to promised land of California, and the dangers & hardships getting to what people thought was a new prosperous life, only to find a new set of hardships. In stead of dust & drought finding discrimination & despair.

The authors draws parallels between depression & our current situation, at end of book.

I will leave 5 star Amazon review under name of Connie
Thanks for granting me access to this book.

This was probably the most depressing book I’ve ever read. It was very well written, and I learned a lot about a time in history that I previously knew little about. Elsa was a very strong character, and it was heartwarming to see her become outspoken and learn to love herself and be loved, but her insecurity and low self-esteem was frustrating to me at times, as was her daughter Loreda’s behavior. I liked the ending and found it to be a satisfying conclusion, but still not happy!

A sweeping historical novel that is especially poignant during this pandemic time. It is a reminder of the strength of the human spirit - and an excellent picture of what less fortunate families have gone through during difficult times. Kristin Hannah has created real and believable characters with a story that allows us to become part of this journey as this family lived through the Dust Bowl and became migrant settlers. A grim reminder of how much we still have to do to equalize our journeys, this book also allows us to feel hope, and see that we must have courage to work toward a better way for all.

“The children’s lives would never be the same after today. Their opinions of everything would change, but especially their opinions of themselves, of the durability of love and the truth of their family. They would know forever that their father hadn’t loved their mother–or them–enough to stay with them through hard times.”

THE FOUR WINDS
I have read The Great Alone and Comfort and Joy by Kristin Hannah. The Great Alone was really good but not the best book I have ever read and let’s not talk about Comfort and Joy. BUT we really need to talk about The Four Winds. It was just released on February 2nd, and it needs to be added to your TBR list! It begins in the 1920s in Texas. The economy is booming and women are expressing their individuality. Elsa has been sheltered her whole life due to a childhood illness. Her parents were cruel and emotionally and mentally abusive. One night, she gets the courage to go out and meet a man, and her life changes forever. Elsa becomes a farmer’s wife and has 2 children Loreda and Ant. The depression hits and if that isn’t bad enough, the rain has stopped. The fields are dry and The Dust Bowl has begun. It is not only impossible for anything to grow but people are suffering from dust pneumonia. In order to save her family, Elsa packs up her family and they head to California in hopes of jobs, shelter, and food. However, the migrants from the Mid-West are not welcome and must suffer through backbreaking work. Elsa, Loreda, and Ant must stick together in order to survive. This novel is filled with tragedy, poverty, and sacrifice but mostly… a mother’s love.

Kristin Hannah knocked this book out of the park. She brings to life the suffering and torment in the backdrop of the Dust Bowl. This book is special to me because this book is about my family. Not Elsa, Loreda, and Ant. But my great-grandmother (who I called Nannie), my great-grandfather, and my grandfather were migrants that came from Oklahoma. My grandfather was born a month after the stock market crash in 1929 and they were farmers in Oklahoma. Then leaving their home, they went to Arizona where they would pick cotton. Eventually, in 1941, they came to California. My Nannie lived to be 101 and died in 2012. She was one of my favorite people in this world. This book made me feel close to her. I think Kristin Hannah really did a wonderful job at showing the little choices these people had during this time. People were desperate and hungry. The history is so spot on and her portrayal of decent, hardworking citizens trying to make it through all the hardships is really well done.

There are so many themes in this book that I want to talk about and I don’t know if I will have the time to get to them all. The main theme is a mother’s love, her sacrifice. Elsa was kicked out of her family but welcomed into her husband’s home. As time passes, Loreda is strong and fierce and sees her mother, Elsa as passive and at times, a coward. What she doesn’t see is Elsa’s broken heart and the endless work that she does to support them. However, Loreda and Elsa grow together leading up to a critical moment in the book. No spoilers. Then there is Elsa’s insecurity about her abilities and her looks. She believes no one could ever truly love her due to the emotional abuse she experienced growing up. But those moments when she does stand up for herself and her children are PERFECT. There is one scene that had me screaming because she just radiated intensity. Then lastly, there is the politics at the time. People were so fearful of communism that they were willing to sacrifice people who were suffering just because they didn’t want to give out handouts. Sound familiar? As they say, we can learn from our history or doomed to repeat it.

Be prepared. I cried myself to sleep after reading this book. It hit every emotion. I fell in love with the story and the characters. Out of all the Kristin Hannah books that I have read so far, this one is the best, by far. 5 out of 5 stars!

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah is the latest novel by one of my favorite authors. This one requires at least a box of tissue, or even two, as the story will tug at every single last heartstring you have. The Four Winds is the story of Elsa Martinelli and her children, all of whom lived during the 1930s Texas on a farm with her in-laws. Out of literally nowhere, the dust bowl comes and life becomes devastating. Elsa makes a tough decision to take her two children and move to California. This is not a book to read hoping for happiness, it simply is not part of this story. This is a haunting story that you will not soon forget.

This is actually the first Kristin Hannah book that I have read but won't be the last. The story is so strong, you feel the despair and inner feelings of the characters even as the plot moves very quickly. The Four Winds is set in Texas during the 1920s and 30s and then moves to California. The main character is names Elsinor Martinelli and later her daughter becomes a secondary main. The bulk of the narrative takes place during the Great Depression and accurately describes the terrible droughts and dust storms in the Texas Panhandle as well as the crop failures and poverty. Elsa, as she is known, and her family endure hardship after hardship without giving up, finally trekking to California in search of a better life away from the dust. But once there, the odds are still stacked against them and the prejudice of the townsfolk toward migrants is palpable. The book eventually strays into the unionization of migrant workers against the greed of large-scale growers in the area. Overall one of the most striking things about this book is its portrayal of poverty and discrimination towards Midwestern migrants during this era.

Kristin Hannah has a knack for making a reader ugly cry. I knew going in that this was going to be a sad book. I mean how can a book about the great depression not be sad. What I did not expect was how emotionally invested I would get. Like Elsa, I kept hoping and praying that something would go their way. That they would get the break they so desperately needed. My heart is broken. The epilogue was powerful too. Written during the pandemic, drawing comparisons, yet still we are so grateful for what we still have. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

Kristin Hannah has done it again. Another book that is so beautiful and will leave you with a serious book hangover. Incredible characters and a breathtaking story.

I have enjoyed Kristin Hannah's books in the past and just had to buy her new book. I started it as soon as UPS dropped it at my door and didn't do much else until I finished it. It's one of the best books that I've read in a long long time. It's a story about poverty, love and family that I will long remember.

It's 1934 in Texas and the recession and drought have drastically changed the lives of the farmers. Instead of the crops they had in the past, they now have dry fields that don't yield anything and dust storms that make their lives and their farms even more brutal. Many farmers are losing their farms and equipment to the banks and the federal government is doing nothing to help their plight. They've heard that California has jobs and life will be good for them there. Many of them pack up their household goods and start the trek to California. When they got there, they find a way of life much worse than what they left. They are forced to live in unsafe conditions and paid a pittance for helping the rich farmers pick their crops.

Elsa has to decide whether to take her children to California for a better life or stay in Texas on the family farm. Her husband has left her and his parents are struggling to keep the farm profitable. When her son gets sick from the dust, she feels that she has no choice and leaves to find a better life. What she finds is a camp full of people who can barely earn the money to feed their children. She also finds prejudice and dislike from the Californians. Elsa never gives up in trying to keep her children healthy and fed. She'd never felt strong or brave in her entire life but she showed bravery and love every day to try to find a better life for her family.

This novel is so well researched and written that I could feel the pain of Elsa and her children. I admired Elsa and all of the other parents who did back- breaking work to help their families in this terrible time in American history. I'll warn you that this is not an easy book to read. I cried more reading this book than any other book that I've read recently. At the end the overwhelming feeling is one of admiration of Elsa as a strong and brave woman and strong hope for the future.

This is a novel that I will keep and re-read sometime in the future. It's a book that I am so glad the Kristin Hannah wrote full of characters that I won't ever forget.

This is a “meet you in the middle” kind of review. An “I liked it, but I didn’t love it” review.

And unfortunately, it’s a “Hannah had me for the first 75% and then blew it with the ending” review.

Yep. It’s THAT type of review. (Hangs head.)

In “The Four Winds,” Kristin Hannah’s latest novel of historical fiction, we travel back to the harrowing years of the Great Depression – one of the most challenging eras in America’s history.

It is 1934, and Texas and the Great Plains have been crippled by the Dust Bowl. Farmers are facing economic ruin due to years of endless drought. Crops refuse to grow as the ground shrivels and cracks. And violent and terrifying dust storms are striking the Plains, burying the land in dust.

Elsa Martinelli has a torturous decision to make. Should she and her family remain in Texas to fight for the home and land they love? Or should they head west to California in the hope of starting anew?

Confronted with the most difficult choice of her life, Elsa must somehow find within herself the courage and will to survive.

Undoubtedly, Kristin Hannah is a gifted writer. And she is a writer who has very much come into her own over the last five or six years, now that she’s found her niche writing historical fiction.

There are a few things that Hannah is REALLY good at:

1. Creating likable, brave, and resilient female characters
2. Running her female characters through the wringer, multiple times over
3. Depicting the joys and sorrows of motherhood
4. Evoking readers’ emotions and inducing tears

And “The Four Winds” displays her skill set to maximum effect. The novel is engrossing, poignant, and unapologetically heart-wrenching. Hannah’s writing is more elegant than it has ever been, and her descriptions of the Great Plains and the dust storms are absolutely spectacular. And she has given her all to Elsa, allowing her to become the heart and soul of the novel.

Elsa’s life during the Dust Bowl is filled with nothing but hardship and strife. She faces trial after trial, tribulation after tribulation, and she perseveres, time and again, pushing aside all fear and pain. For she has no choice but to survive – she has two children, Loreda and Ant – and their lives are dependent upon her. Elsa displays remarkable courage over the course of the novel, and it’s nearly impossible to not care for her welfare.

But “The Four Winds” is about more than just survival. It’s a beautiful and realistic tribute to motherhood – the good, the bad, and the ugly of it. Through Elsa, Hannah vividly captures not only the unconditional love of mothers and their fierce instinct to protect their children, but also the insurmountable joy, pride, worry, and pain that motherhood encompasses.

And the story is heartbreaking. More than once, tears burned my eyes for Elsa. She is put through SO much more than any one person should ever have to bear, and it is extremely hard to be an observer of it.

This then brings me to my first criticism – it’s TOO much. All the obstacles, the suffering, the storms . . . it wears on the reader and begins to feel unrealistic. It’s as if Hannah takes every single fact and event she uncovered in her research and throws it all at Elsa. And while I have no doubt that what Elsa experiences in “The Four Winds” did actually happen to those who lived during the Dust Bowl, it’s unbelievable that all of it could happen to one person.

But still, my incredulity did not interfere with my enjoyment of the story. At least not until the ending.

Which is nothing short of a disappointment.

Why? Because it’s pure melodrama. It’s schmaltzy, over-the-top, and emotionally manipulative. My eyes rolled more than they cried, and the unnecessary sappiness made me a bit ill.

In one fell swoop, Hannah lost me. And I knocked a full star off my review.

So, here you go – here is my “meet you in the middle” review of “The Four Winds.”

Three stars for the ending. Five stars for everything else.

Four stars, overall, feels just about right.


My sincerest appreciation to Kristin Hannah, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own.