I don't think there will ever be a book by this author I don't love, and a lot of it is in the way she is ale to capture nature--in every season, every tilting of the sun, every shadow; not to mention the wildlife. Her stories are never fast paced, preferring instead to bring the reader into moments in time and let us feel all the peace or fear or joy in them. At some points you wonder where the story is going to end because you can't see it clearly, but you trust her to take you there.
The story is rich is the reasons why we love and leave all we know, the deep friendships we form, the childhood bubbles we were raised in, and the vastness of America. Instead of dwelling on the constant misery of the Depression, Hawker shows us hope, courage, and sacrifice, highlighting how everyone has value and deserves to be treated as such.
While many other stories that start out with someone running away wrap up everything neatly at the end, this is one of the few that gave a perfect ending while leaving a lot of what-ifs. And while I doubt Hawker will write a sequel, it would be wonderful to see her heroine become part of the history of the late forties and fifties.

October in the Earth by Olivia Hawker was a nice surprise for me. Going in I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did but it was a really good read. It’s the story of Del Wensley. In the beginning she’s married to the local preacher in Harlan County, Kentucky. Upon learning of his infidelity, she soon realizes his other faults and decides she no longer wants to aide him in his terrible ways. She hops in a boxcar of a slow moving train and that’s when her adventure begins. She becomes a hobo of sorts and meets another young woman after first hopping the train. They become fast friends and the story tells of their adventures and the many hardships they encounter while crossing the country looking for work. This was not only an enjoyable read for me but I really learned so much about what it was like for the people back then during The Depression. Del certainly didn’t live a good life but she found friendship and love amidst it all. There was also heartache in the end that left me with tears in my eyes but her sacrifice for her friends happiness was beautiful. I really enjoyed reading this book, I think it’s one of Hawkers best and I’d recommend it to other readers. I’d like to thank NetGalley for the arc to read and review. I’m giving this a 5 star rating and look forward to reading more by Olivia Hawker in the future.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Pub. Date: October 10, 2023

Although it has an intriguing premise, "October in the Earth" fell flat. The novel takes place in Kentucky during the Great Depression. Del is our heroine. She is a preacher's wife and strictly adheres to his instructions. The book's title comes from the author's phrase, “It was June in the sky, but October in the earth.” I'm assuming this is a metaphor for when things look clear and warm but are actually overcast and cold. Meaning our protagonist has been looking through rose-colored glasses and not seeing reality. But I am just guessing. This novel explores poverty, female friendship, new beginnings, and finding independence.

Del begins questioning her lifestyle after discovering that the preacher has been having an affair. She wants to leave him. Knowing her husband would never allow that, she jumps a coal train to escape him and her rigidly religious town. Jumping trains was a typical sight at that time in America. I enjoy learning in historical fiction. This one taught me that during the Depression, most riders were not hoboes but victims of significant loss. Families with children, couples, men, and women traveled in boxcars from town to town for employment. Del makes friends with another female rider who shows her the tricks to survive homelessness. Her friend becomes a big part of the story. It wasn't necessary to make the story about the strength of female friendship to improve it. The narrative shifted from historical fiction to women's fiction.

The author explores Del’s life as she, too, “rides-the-rails”—as it was called—looking for work. The problem I have with this novel is that it does not read credibly. As a woman of a religion that teaches a wife must submit to her husband, Del's life-changing experiences of jumping from one boxcar to another seem to come too easy for her. It reads as an abrupt and drastic transformation. Plus, I would have preferred an even balance between the genres. Still, I enjoyed the novel's depiction of that era. I am guessing other readers will enjoy this novel more than I did.

Hawker has fast become a favorite author of mine. I have read every book she has written, to date. This one was absolutely brilliant. I loved the characters, the storyline. She does her research.

DNF

The writing is okay, but the way the characters talk & the FMC’s meek, submissive, holy wife outlook are off putting for me. I cannot get interested in the storyline enough to continue reading.

4.25⭐️

Del begins this story as the meek wife of Kentucky preacher, but as she watches his manipulations and hypocrisy, she begins to question him, the church, and everything she’s been raised to believe is right. Further hard truths are revealed and it’s exactly what she needs to finally break free of it all and set out on her own, to find her place and herself.

And what an adventure she takes us on! I loved the unique story that unfolds, and the force that Del becomes. This story definitely kept me engaged to the last page.

Thank you Olivia Hawker, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

<b>Hawker's newest historical fiction gives a wonderfully evocative peek into a gritty period, as her main protagonist escapes a bad marriage to ride the rails during the Depression and reinvents herself completely.</b>

I <i>love</i> Olivia Hawker's books (see links to my other reviews below), and her newest historical fiction is set in Depression-era Kentucky.

Adella (Del) Wensley is the wife of the showy, prosperous, revered local preacher. She's learned to bite her tongue, and she feels like the poor treatment her husband shows her may be deserved, as after eight years of marriage, they haven't conceived a child. Her life's purpose is meant to be made up of motherhood, catering to her husband's needs, and keeping house, after all.

But when her husband pushes her too far with abhorrent behavior, Del hops a train and dives into the transient community riding the rails in search of work and survival.

Hawker offers a wonderfully vivid, gritty, sobering, often surprisingly hopeful--but never too easy--peek at Depression-era desperation, forged loyalties, shedding of expectations, and new, hard-fought identities and priorities.

The two women at the heart of the story are tough as nails but vulnerable with each other. Their deep friendship is poignant in its beginning and its end. Whew, a heartbreaker!

Olivia Hawker is also the author of <a href="https://www.bossybookworm.com/post/review-of-the-fire-and-the-ore-by-olivia-hawker/"><i>The Fire and the Ore,</a></i> <a href="https://www.bossybookworm.com/post/review-of-the-ragged-edge-of-night-by-olivia-hawker/"><i>The Ragged Edge of Night,</a></i> and <i>One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow,</i> which I mentioned in the Greedy Reading List <a href="https://www.bossybookworm.com/post/six-great-historical-fiction-stories-set-in-the-american-west/">Six Great Historical Fiction Stories Set in the American West.</a>

I received a prepublication edition of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.

<b>To see my full review on The Bossy Bookworm, or to find out about Bossy reviews and Greedy Reading Lists as soon as they're posted, please see <a href="https://www.bossybookworm.com/post/review-of-october-in-the-earth-by-olivia-hawker/"><i>October in the Earth.</a></i></b>

Olivia Hawker tugged at my emotions, made me ask how much do I love my friends, and what would I do for those I absolutely love.

In “October in the Earth” Hawkers lead character, Del, evolves emotionally and gets to know her herself and a new best friend better than she ever knew her no-good, lying, cheating S.O.B. husband — also the prestigious preacher in the valley — during an adventurous tale on the trains during the Great Depression.

Del leaves that no-good S.O.B. and learns more about herself and the entire world in one summer than she ever could have imagined. Along her path she makes a new friend, and together they form a bond of love as deep as any around in Great Depression.

This pleasant book is filled with vivid details, beautiful scenery with deep characters, imminent danger and ever-looming danger of riding the rails.

♦︎REVIEW♦︎ The Great Depression, a failed marriage, & an accidental friendship!

In early 1930s Depression-era Kentucky, Del Wensley, the wife of a renowned preacher, faces a strained marriage. Learning of her husband's infidelity pushes her over the edge. To regain her self respect and seek freedom, she leaves her familiar life behind, embarking on a journey by hopping on a coal train. During her travels, she joins a community of hobos, particularly forming a close friendship with Louisa Trout. Louisa teaches Del the way of life on the rails and survival skills. However, as they face hardships, their bond is tested. Del must find strength and faith as she explores this risky adventure filled with one unknown to the next.

It was a unique story that starts off clearly depicting Del’s life as a devoted wife before the rails showing why the decision to go was so courageous. The brainwashing of women during that time was honestly eye opening to read. I was nervous for her to leave her “comfortable” life, but also cheering her on when she fled!

On the rails, I learned so much! I enjoyed all the little details the author included to bring this time period to life including daily search for jobs, hopping trains, hobo code, strikes, dust storms, and more. It was centered around the unexpected friendship formed between the two women as they traveled cross country which I loved. Louisa's determination really added to their experience.

Thank you Olivia Hawker and Netgalley for the gifted copies. Opinions expressed here are completely my own.

Depression era.. early 1930’s..Kentucky…
Del is the wife of a fire and brimstone, snake handling, preacher in a town that is so poor, mostly a town of miners who are striking.
She lives very comfortably in a beautiful home, in a town where others have little.. then finds her husband has been chasing many women… she flees and takes to the rails… becomes a hobo and meets a woman hobo, Louisa who teaches her the boxcar ways and they move forward together making their way west to find jobs.
A very hard way to live but Del left to maintain some self respect and live life an honest way.
This was more of a 3.5 read for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!

October in the Earth is truly one of the best books I’ve read this year. Seen through the eyes of a preacher’s wife on the run, we are reminded that true kindness and charity are about the actions themselves, not the words. Again and again we see Del and her younger companion dive in and out of scrapes while they hop trains and zigzag the country. Selflessness is found in the least likely of places, and usually those with the least to share are the most generous. It’s a fascinating story and study in human behavior with themes that transcend the decades. I recommend it most highly.

Married to the most celebrated preacher in Harlan County, with a beautiful house and everything provided, Adella (Del) Wensley should be happy and content with her life - let’s face it, this being Depression era Kentucky, most folk are suffering terribly. However, behind his hell fire and brimstone sermons, strutting across his stage, writhing serpent in his fist, her husband Irving doesn’t practice what he preaches, and his repeated infidelities drive a wedge between them that Del can no longer tolerate.

Del decides to leave him and takes to the rails living the life of a hobo. It’s there that she meets Louisa Trout, who’s desperately trying to earn money to send back to her uncle who’s looking after her son Eddie. Louisa teaches Del all the skills needed to live an itinerant lifestyle, and they become great friends, with Del vowing to earn enough money to get Louisa back to her son Eddie.

Follow Del and Louisa and feel the pain and abject poverty that came with the Great Depression, (not easy believe me) whilst also witnessing a beautiful friendship developing between two women from completely different sides of the track.

Del Wensley is the wife of the most influential preacher in all of Harlan County. It would seem she has the ideal life of luxury in Kentucky, but when Del learns of her husband’s chronic infidelity she feels as though her life is nothing but a sham. Unable to come to terms with his lack of respect for her, especially after eight years of barrenness, Del impulsively hops a train headed out of town.

The life of a Depression-era hobo is not exactly what Del expects, but meeting Louisa Trout who helps guide her makes it more bearable. Louisa teaches Del about the hobo code and to seek out “jungles” in each city as they look for work. Always threatening to leave the deadweight behind, Louisa dishes out tough love to Del, who didn’t know how good she had it. Eventually the two women open up, and Louisa discovers Del’s life, though physically cushy, was mentally tortuous. Del in return learns of Louisa’s son left behind as she tries to earn enough money to return home to him.

Del and Louisa’s tale is a poignant one, illustrating how friendship can make even the harshest of conditions endurable. The two women offer a snapshot into the hobo lifestyle that many were forced to suffer during the Great Depression. The hardships they faced riding the rails across the country were eye-opening, for someone who admittedly has never suffered as these two women have. Despite the heavy themes, the story inspires hope. I particularly appreciate the realistic ending, rather than a sappy happy ever after.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and the author Olivia Hawker for the advanced copy of the book. October in the Earth is out now. All opinions are my own.

This author has written a beautiful book here. It's sad, happy, funny, tragic and yes sad again. But also hopeful. The author of the wonderful ONE FOR THE BLACKBIRD, ONE FOR THE CROW, and a few others, knocked another one out of the literary park.

Del is married to the county's most beloved minister Ian. He's the minister of the Church of God with Signs Following. Everyone thinks he is the most wonderful loving god fearing man ever. Del knows a different side to him though. When she can't seem to deal with his going astray she hops a train to get away from him and everything she is sick of. She meets Louisa Trout and learns the way of life as a hobo. They have rules and I was surprised by this. The things they won't do for fear of ruining things for other hobos coming that way.

Louisa is working her way to the West coast to pick apples. She needs the money so she can go back and take care of her son. The Great Depression is at it's worse and she did what she had to to keep him alive. He's her one true love. The thing she would die for. Louisa wants a good life. She yearns for a better way. When she meets Del she's a bit puzzled at first that Del would give up a life so filled with luxury to live life jumping trains and working at whatever you can find. She finally learns why and tells Del her secret also. They become the very best of friends.

This story takes you through many states. Small towns with descriptions to help you see what life was like back in the beginnings of the 1930s. How poor people were. How mean some could be. How judgmental a preacher could be. When the bible says to help the poor and yet Ian runs them away. Calls them lazy without even trying to find out what or who they are. You get to know Del and Louisa very well. The love they share. The depths of their journey. All they go through. How they always come back for each other....

A couple of my favorite lines:

"The day I met Louisa Trout, it was June in the sky but October in the Earth." (I love that).
"You came back for me." (A very important line.)

One that makes you stop and see exactly how women were and many times are treated by men. Religious men in particular:

"But what did God have to say to the women of His church? Repent, you sinners-you ingresses of evil, you wellsprings of lust and disgrace. Be meek, be silent, and let Man guide you, guard you, tell you how to think, tell you how to speak, tell you how to live." (This truly makes me sick. So many women believe they are not above this.)

You have to read this book if you have read any of Olivia Hawker's books and loved them. If you haven't you still should grab a copy of this and devour it. It's so good. Yes it will make you cry. But it will give you so much more. It's just that good y'all..

Be sure and read the Author's note. You'll learn a bit about Tin Moan and how this book came to be. It's very interesting. Or was to me.

Thank you #NetGalley, #OliviaHawker, #LakeUnionAuthors for this ARC. This is my true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars. Read it with a few kleenex handy. Enjoy. I know you will.

𝗣𝗨𝗕 𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪

Happy pub day Olivia Hawker @thelibbiegrant and thank you for sending me a copy of October in the Earth (plus all the other special surprises) ❤️ And thanks to Lake Union & NetGalley for the accompanying eARC.

𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵
𝗢𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗛𝗮𝘄𝗸𝗲𝗿
𝟭𝟬/𝟭𝟬/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

📖 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁: Kentucky, 1930s: Adella Wensley has been a submissive, dutiful wife to her beloved preacher husband. But when his many misdeeds (both the manipulation of his congregation, and his repeated infidelities) become more than Del can stomach, she makes the impulsive decision to hop a coal train and leave her life behind. From here, Del embarks on a transformative journey of self-discovery and liberation, meeting the nomadic Louisa along the way. The two women form a fast friendship that carries them across a post-depression America.

💭 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: This was just as captivating and wonderful as I hoped it would be! I love depression-era historical fiction, and Hawker's novel provides a unique perspective. Del is such a compelling protagonist: first, as a woman who escapes the confines of her oppression, and in hindsight recognizes the hypocrisy of that life. But also, because of the exploration of hobo culture and lifestyle, which was so prevalent during the Depression years. I knew next to nothing about this, and learned a ton through Hawker's meticulous research. I loved the friendship between Louisa and Del, and felt pulled into this dangerous and exciting adventure with them. October in the Earth is moving, descriptive, and beautifully written, with great pacing and high stakes. And though it's historical, there are subtleties that make it rather timely. 👀

🎧 With October being such a huge pub month, I have been relying on audiobooks more so than ever before. I was about 50% into this one when I snagged the audiobook first thing this morning and finished it up throughout the day. Narrator Jackie Zebrowski is incredible! Just a showstopper of a performance! I highly recommend this book in either format.

📌 Available on Kindle Unlimited (with audio included)

*PUB DAY review posted to my IG on 10/10*
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I received a complimentary electronic copy of this exceptional historical novel from Netgalley, author Olivia Hawker, and publisher Lake Union. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read October in the Earth of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am always excited to read Olivia Hawkins - she writes a powerful tale with personable folks you want to know and takes you there with her beautiful words.

And this is one you will want to read well into the night, seeking closure. Taking place beginning in 1930 in Tennessee, we will travel across this great land with Del, wife of a local preacher and daughter of a Cumberland miner, and her friend Louisa, mother of little Eddie, as they make their way on the hobo rails to the state of Washington, and the apple harvest that will save them both from the effects of the "Emergency" that was the depression. And by the end of the pre-WWII year of 1940, you will find a smile waiting that will make your heart lighter than air.
pub date October 10, 2023
rec September 28, 2023

October in the Earth is historical fiction that takes place during the Great Depression in the early 1930s. Narrated by Del Wensley, she flees her life as a preacher’s wife, taking to the rails. During one of her first experiences on the rails, she meets Louisa Trout, a woman who takes it upon herself to teach Del the skills she’ll need to survive the itinerant lifestyle. As the story progresses, we learn of tenant farmers forced off their lands, drought and dust storms that ruined crops, and the abject poverty of those people unable to farm their land under those extreme conditions. But mostly, it’s a story of friendship as Del and Louisa care for each other as they work their way north and west to Wenatchee, Washington where their goal is to earn money picking apples.

This is the first book I've read by Olivia Hawker whose descriptive prose and imagery make the story come alive on the page.

In a Nutshell: A riveting historical fiction about two women who, for certain reasons, opt to become hobos and live life on the rails in the post-depression era. Liked the unusual perspective, even though the story become over-dramatic at times.

Story Synopsis:
1931. Kentucky.
Thirty-year-old Adella has been married to Irving since eight years. Irving is a reputed preacher in Harlan County, and Adella has been the dutiful wife in every way except one – she hasn’t borne Irving any kids, a fact that is creating a lot of stress in her and on their marriage. When Adella discovers that Irving has been cheating on her, she snaps. Packing just some essentials, she leaves her comfortable home behind, and hops onto a coal train passing through. Thus begins a new chapter in Adella’s life, but can a preacher’s wife who has known only comforts adapt to life on the rails? Bumping in Louisa during one rail journey turns out to be a stroke of luck as Louisa has been a hobo for longer than Adella. But even her training isn’t enough against the travail of the depression and its aftermath.
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Adella.


Bookish Yays:
🚂 The initial section that depicts Adella’s life with Irving is quite distinct from the rest of the book as it is more focussed on Irving’s religious work in their community and Adella’s wife as a preacher’s wife. The brainwashing that women went through in those days, where even a husband’s infidelity is the wife’s fault, is clearly depicted. It’s a world where men are right, no matter what they do, so Adella’s decision to break free is a brave decision for her character. Her pre-hobo personality is established well through these chapters.
🚂 Louisa Trout, the woman who becomes Adella’s best friend on the rails and teaches her the ways of the hobos, is another stellar character. Strong in sprit though lithe in frame, she embodies the essence of grit and determination.
🚂 The friendship between Louisa and Adella is a great representation of how mutually beneficial female friendships can be. For a moment, I thought that the author would force in a lesbian angle to their relationship. Thankfully, though this direction is touched upon in one scene, it never moves ahead. (I am not against Sapphic relationships. I simply don’t want every single female friendship in fiction to turn Sapphic just because.)
🚂 I’ve never read any book about women living as hobos. I loved the little details that made their situation come alive, right from the train hopping to the daily quest for wages, to the unofficial hobo code. It was a very different and interesting look at the post-depression years in the USA.
🚂 There is a strong undercurrent of realism throughout the story, thanks to the insertion of historical events such as miners’ strikes and evangelical revival services to pray for the end of the depression in the initial section, and later, the impact of the depression on tenant farmers, hobos, and landowners. The author’s words capture the atmosphere of 1930s USA perfectly, right from the emotional despondency of the people to the dust and heat of the land.
🚂 Despite the intensity of this situation, the book is a comfortable read in terms of its writing. It isn’t bogged down by frivolous prose, though it doesn’t compromise on descriptions.
🚂 I loved the ending – not too happy, not too sad. Just right. Perfect for such a plot.

Bookish Nays:
☠ The story drags a little in the middle, as the women’s lives become quite repetitive. The plot feels slightly episodic at this point, with them going from one (mis)adventure to another.
☠ There are many convenient coincidences in the storyline. Some scenes are also needlessly dramatic.
☠ In the initial section, Adella often breaks the fourth wall and addresses the reader. This is forgotten in the latter part of the book. I’d have preferred her narration to stick within the confines of the plot as her foreshadowing and personal comments didn’t work in favour of the story.
☠ Considering that Adella came from a small town and was fairly uneducated, some of her vocabulary was too highbrow for her background.

Bookish Confusion:
👀 I didn’t understand the significance of the title! It is mentioned in the book once, but there’s no context. Did anyone who read the book get what it indicates?

All in all, despite some issues, I liked this plot. I have never read such a story with woman living the hobo lifestyle, so this experience was informative in many ways.

A compelling story for historical fiction readers.

3.75 stars.

My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “October in the Earth”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Del has no idea what's ahead of her when she impulsively leaves her husband in Harlan County and hops a train-she's not even sure where the train is going. It's the middle of the Depression and hobos are on the move, riding trains and looking for work. She grabs the hand of Louisa, who is running from a man with a knife and thus their story, a story of friendship begins. These women come from different places but they're both determined- Louisa needs to make money and Del needs to keep away from her husband who will eventually offer a reward for her return. It's an atmospheric novel about two women as well as about conditions during the period. As always in Hawker's novels, these are strong, dynamic characters. Don't miss the afterword (bet you'll agree this was a better pair than the original proposal). Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Very good read.

An absolutely lovely read. A few cliches contained inside but they work well. The story flowed naturally and I found the ending satisfying instead of abrupt.