Kristin Hannah never disappoints. This book, set during the depression in the Dust Bowl ravaged Great Plains, broke my heart over and over again. The story of Elsa, an “ugly duckling” whose family was beyond cruel, is the story of a woman who only wants to be loved. While she was looking in the wrong place, she found a family of her own. And she will do anything for that family.

I will read anything Hannah writes. She is amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s press for this ARC.

Than you NetGalley for the early read!

I wish there was a 4.5 star rating, because I loved this book, but not a perfect 5 for me. I very seldom give 5 stars.
Most of the story kept my interest, but not spellbound. I think the author struggled a little to get all the physical details of the living situation into text. "Boarded Up" was used countless times and it was too much for me personally.......I get it, the town(s) was boarded up. I would have liked Elsa to have become fed up and ready for action much earlier and see what she may have accomplished to build her self confidence instead of the fast realization and an all too soon end.

All and all a great book in brining to life the struggles of the dust bowl and great depression.

I have been struggling with reading lately. Every book I begin, I am in three pages and not a word has entered my unfocused brain. Then along comes Kristin Hannah to wake me up. All I can say is thank you Ms. Hannah. Thank you for reminding me why I love your writing. This time I am feeling the dust in my throat and the sorrow I have often seen in my own mother’s eyes. So if you love a novel that tears at your heart, then Four Winds is what I would recommend.

Beautiful.. Heartbreaking..
Set in the 1930’s Great Depression, Dust Bowl
Such a tragic time in history.
Great characters.
This is a story of hope, resilience and fighting for what is right.
A story of America and the American Dream.
4+ stars

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC!

4.5 stars
“Hope is a coin I carry: an American penny, given to me by a man I came to love. There were times in my journey when I felt as if that penny and the hope it represented were the only things that kept me going.”

Kristin Hannah has written a number of novels and I’ve read several. In my view, her strength lies in historical fiction. This novel depicting the trials of so many people in the Dust Bowl in Texas and other places during the 1930’s, and the Dust Bowl Migration, who endured the horrible effects on their lives, is another example of how she excels in this genre.

Elsa, at twenty three has lived a sheltered having suffered from rheumatic fever as a young girl, treated as an invalid and outsider by an uncaring family. She reads and she’s restless to live and wants more of a life. She does get another life, but it’s a difficult one filled with heartache, unbearable heat and dust you could taste, and a livelihood with her beautiful and loving in-laws that is in peril. In the midst of the Great Depression on top of all of the natural disasters, she takes her two children to California in hopes of a better life. What she finds there is a harrowing existence of poverty, horrible living conditions and slave like working conditions. But she also finds friendship that she never knew, love that she dreamed of, but never thought possible, and a role in the fight for workers’ rights.

Hannah tells us in a note that Elsa is a fictional character, but she represents the resilience and strength in the wake of seemingly uncontrollable circumstances of so many real people who lived through these times. Like most good historical fiction, reading this had me looking for information about this place and time and these events. Hannah has done justice to these times with characters to care about and a captivating story and a realistic portrayal of this slice of American history. Not quite 5 stars because I felt at times it was a little drawn out, but highly recommended for historical fiction lovers, especially. This is a heartbreaking story that had me in tears in the end, but yet the hope of the penny remained.


I received an advanced copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through
Edelweiss and NetGalley

Kristin Hannah nails it!

As a High School Librarian I am always looking for Historical fiction books that tell a story from an angle students haven't seen before. The Four Winds does that! You will ugly cry!

1921: At twenty-five Elsa Wolcott knows how to be alone. She has spent her years as an outsider in her own family trying to earn the love of her parents "There was a pain that came with constant disapproval; a sense off having lost something unnamed, unknown." Things change for Elsa after meeting, Rafe Martinelli, and getting pregnant. Though initially rejected by the Martinelli's she finds the first true love she has ever known with them.

Elsa lives the mantra from her grandfather "Pretend to be brave if you have to." She learns how strong she truly is working alongside Rose and Tony Martinelli who love her as a daughter. But the Dust Bowl takes it's toll on Elsa's family. Looking for a better life she and her children head to California. There they find a United States of America they never knew existed.

This is so much more than a book about the Dust Bowl and migrant workers in California. It is a book about adventure, family, love, and the depths we will go to protect our families.

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to anyone! You experience life through the eyes of a strong female at a time females were not recognized as being strong.

I will recommend this to any students interested in US History that want to feel the real story. FEEL what it was like to live in the Dust Bowl. FEEL what it was like to be a migrant worker. FEEL what it was like to be a woman trying to protect her family.

I felt emotionally wrung out after finishing this book; anger, fear, disbelief, sadness, hope, love. You will feel them all as you live the life of Elsa Martinelli.

One word always comes to mind when I think of Kristin Hannah’s historical fiction novels: Epic. Hannah’s gift for creating multi-dimensional characters, intricate detail, and a deeply researched plot are spot on in The Four Winds.

The story of Elsa Martinelli’s will and spirit to fight for her family throughout the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl is heartbreaking yet beautifully written. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Well written historical fiction. Shared with my mom for her insight as well as in her words- sad story but historically accurate and true to the time. We both really enjoyed it

The Four Winds is very easy to love, but sadly just as easy to loathe. Of course you'll love The Four Winds-Kristin Hannah is the author-for many that's all you need to know. The writing is spectacular-you'll literally feel the wind in your hair as she describes dust storms that come roaring across the Great Plains with little warning. Your heart will break for all the characters endure-unspeakable living conditions, back breaking work for little pay, and brutal discrimination no one should ever experience. The Four Winds holds up a mirror to life in depression era America-and what is reflected there is devastating to read. These are the parts you may loathe. Many of the things we take for granted-indoor plumbing, electricity, access to clean water and decent food- are as elusive as rain during a drought. What's even worse is the way people treat each other. But what shines brightest from The Four Winds is the power of unconditional love (especially the love of a mother for her children), and the triumph of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable loss and betrayal. Although The Four Winds is set nearly a century ago, many of its themes are just as relevant today. Kristin Hannah's passion for her characters and their pursuit of the American dream spring from the pages. What she has accomplished with The Four Winds is nothing less than magnificient

A total riveting read from start to finish. From the dust bowl of Texas to the cotton picking farms of California and all the despair that goes with it, this novel will take you on a journey of a tough woman who beats all the odds and takes her children in search of a better life. Kristin Hannah brings the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era days to life in this story of Elsa Martinelli, a tough as nails main character who will occupy your thoughts the entire time your reading this book. This is one of the best books I've read this year with engaging characters and vivid descriptions. I didn't think a book could beat The Great Alone but here it is - Kristin Hannah can't wait for your next book!

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.

Kristin Hannah, you have done it again! I've read almost everything written by Ms. Hannah and I can say without a doubt that her books hit me right in the feels every time. I ugly cried in the first half of the book. The relationship between Elsa, the main character, and her daughter Loreda remind me of some rough years between my own mother and I - fighting and feeling like we could not get on the same page until I had grown up enough to see her for who she truly was; my biggest champion, my best friend, the catalyst for who I would become as an adult. I think anyone who is a daughter will understand the relationship between these two.

I'm embarrassed to say that I don't know all that much about this time frame of the Great Depression but this book opened my eyes to a truly terrible time in our US history. I appreciated how much this book exposes the trials that these families went through and I immediately started doing my own research after reading the author's note. Based on other books by Hannah, like The Great Alone and The Nightingale, I certainly expected a well-researched book but this was epic. It truly paints a picture of how difficult this period was for people in this area of the country and the limited resources at their disposal to change the situation. It was also a poignant reminder of what is currently happening in our country today with Americans treating other Americans like they shouldn't have the same rights as everyone else. Hannah points this out herself in her author's note by recognizing how timely this publication is.

If you're looking for a book filled with happiness and positivity, this ain't it. But, if you're looking for something thought-provoking, with characters you can't help but love or hate, and a story line full of hope, this is definitely the book for you.

A week after finishing this book, I'm still thinking about it. Fascinating look at 1930's Midwest during the depression and dust bowl and then the migration to California that ensued.. There are clear parallels to what is happening to farm workers in pandemic America with lockdowns and servitude through mechanisms like the company store. It gave me a new appreciation of the migrant workers that are picking our food and a desire to improve conditions for them. This book was heartbreaking but hopeful in the sense that we did come through this period as a country. Strong female characters and family relationships helped put the reader into the family's dusty shoes.
Thank you to Bookclub girls and Netgalley for advanced review copy of this book.

I loved Kristin Hannah's books and this book was not a disappointment. It isn't my favorite of her books but it is close to the top. I would definitely recommend reading this book as I was really drawn to the book so I could learn more about the characters. I found myself drawn into the story and once again, by the end of the book, I was in tears. I love books in which you find yourself drawn into the character's lives.

The Four Winds tells the story of a woman who faced many challenges in her lifetime. It begins with a family that never really loved her, a husband who didn't love her but rather was forced to marry her, and also physical hardships faced by her and her children. I didn't know much about this part of history - the dust storms and drought in Texas and then the "Okies" that found themselves never really fitting in to life in California.

If you love Kristin Hannah's books or enjoy Historical Fiction, I highly recommend you read this book.

Rheumatic fever left Elsa sickly and completely discounted by her family. Frustrated she goes out one night and meets Rafe, who showers her with affection. When she becomes pregnant, her family disowns her and Rafe’s family embraces her. The dustbowl and collapse of the farm, the dying animals, and loss of hope drives Rafe to drinking and leaving his wife and two children behind. Elsa’s son Anthony nearly dies from ingesting so much dust, so they leave for California and a promise of the American dream. This book is rich with characters, Hannah makes you feel the dirt on your clothes, the need to sweep inches of dust out each day, and so much dust one cannot breathe. Once they arrive in California, the conditions of the camp and those who are struggling to feed their families are heartbreaking. Big business and the Welty cotton plantation who barely pays them and makes them indebted to Welty is cruel. This book is wonderful, full of rich stories about the trials of the dustbowl and those who tried to make a difference.

After a bout of childhood fever which weakened her heart, Elsa is forced to retreat into herself and her bedroom and finds refuge in books. Deemed unmarriageable by her parents and believing herself to be unpretty, she fears that she will be alone forever. Encouraged by the memory of a supportive late uncle, Elsa dares to venture out where she meets Rafe Martinelli. An unexpected pregnancy leads to a shotgun wedding and an unhappy marriage. Postwar posterity ends as Texas plunges into draught and dust storms unlike the world has ever seen engulf the region. Elsa must find courage in order to save her children from the deadly storms and hunger. She ventures out across the country to find the American Promise in California, but soon learns that class status continue to keep her down. Essentially a re-telling of the Grapes of Wrath with strong female leads, The Four Winds mirrors Hannah's previous works and focus deeply on motherhood and survival

This book was a let down as I usually really like her books. The first 10% was depressing picturing a life without love growing up in a home where you are not attractive, not healthy therefore not loved or paid attention to. The next 10% was how dry the land was and how depressing that must have been, I'm sure, but I didn't need 10% of the book to drag on with how depressing it was.
Then I gave up. I was finding myself angry at the wasted time spent reading depressing stuff and decided instead of that, I'd just stop reading. Instantly feeling better, I moved on to another book. Maybe this one gets better later on, but I won't waste any time waiting for that.
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 Stars
This is novel #17 for me. Yep I am a fan.
I read "Firefly Lane' back in early 2008 when it came out but I wasn’t on Goodreads at that time. I kept book journals with notes but never reposted.
Anyway I went into this story blind as I love this author. Her stories are typically sad
Although historical fiction, the characters are so real. You will love the Elsa; so want her to find happiness.
Story is on the top on the sad scale! In fact, this novel should come with a warning.
“Be prepared to cry and not sleep at night!”.

I always enjoy reading the “Author’s Notes’ which typically give us the background of the authors motivation for their story. I encourage readers be sure to why Ms. Hannah has to say.

Here is a bit of what she wrote:
She started this novel three years ago about hard times in America. She states, “Never did I
imagine the Great Depression would become so relevant in our modern lives.”
She goes on to say
We’ve gone through bad times before and survived, even thrived, History has shown us the
strength and durability of the human spirit.

She also offers a resource about the Dust Bowl years and/or the migrant experience in California on her web site KristinHannah.com

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for professional review purposes only. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 23, 2021

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for my review. I don't know how Kristin Hannah does it! Her books are always well researched, well written and are so unique! There is never a formula to her writing. This book is another great example of Hannah's diverse topics. This one follows the life of Elsa Martinelli, a woman defined by her choices and her inability to settle. This is her story of life during the Great Depression and dustbowl that threatened to take away everything, but she had the courage to push for something more and find something better for herself and her family. This book, although set in the 1930's, has a very modern and timely feel. I haven't found many modern books set in this time period so I found it fascinating! A great story!

My second favorite Kristin Hannah book!! While reading I was able to visualize everything I was reading. Gave me lots of feels

The whole story in this book seems forced. While I think it could have had wonderful potential the characters just don't come to life. The mother trying her hardest while thinking she's a lover. The daughter who wants to rebel against what her mother is like. The saccharine life lessons. It's just not good.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this.