From 'Charlotte's Web' to 'Pretty Birds,' all the best books are bittersweet slices of life that make readers laugh and cry. Lynn E. Lisarelli's 2005 novel 'Prairie Storm' is one of those books.
The time is 1890. The place is a little farmhouse at the edge of the woods near Sutter's Ford, a small town in Kansas. The way the characters live is not quite as rustic as the world of 'Little House on the Prairie.' Though life is simply and work is hard in this book, the time period is not so far removed from our own. Indeed, much of the action in this novel could be happening on a farm in Kansas right now.
When readers first meet Ann Johnson, she's running for her life from an angry posse. Independent since she lost her job as a schoolmistress, Ann happened to be in Sutter's Ford the night a young girl was murdered. She was falsely accused of the horrific crime and escapes only with the help of widowed farmer Devorah Lee.
Devorah never got over the loss of her young husband, Billy, who died when the mule kicked him. He left her with a young daughter, Melissa. Though she learned to raise the corn and wheat crops by herself (with hired hands), she longs for someone to fill the hole in her heart left by Billy. Slowly, Devorah begins to realize she wants to be more than friends with Ann.
A child's killer is still on the loose, though. Ann witnessed the aftermath of the crime, but repressed the memory so deeply she can't identify the killer. He's never far from Sutter's Ford, and his path is destined to cross with that of Ann and Devorah with tragic results.
Author Lynn Lisarelli does many things well in this compulsively readable historical novel. Her description of the Lee property and the woods that surround it are pure, sensual poetry, making the reader feel she is there. She allows the romance between Ann and Devorah to open slowly, like the petals of a rosebud. This not only makes for a compelling read, but also allows the reader to feel some of Ann's frustration. The plot is strong. This book is especially hard to put down after the reader gets to Chapter 14. The last paragraph of the book is weep-out-loud beautiful.
The time is 1890. The place is a little farmhouse at the edge of the woods near Sutter's Ford, a small town in Kansas. The way the characters live is not quite as rustic as the world of 'Little House on the Prairie.' Though life is simply and work is hard in this book, the time period is not so far removed from our own. Indeed, much of the action in this novel could be happening on a farm in Kansas right now.
When readers first meet Ann Johnson, she's running for her life from an angry posse. Independent since she lost her job as a schoolmistress, Ann happened to be in Sutter's Ford the night a young girl was murdered. She was falsely accused of the horrific crime and escapes only with the help of widowed farmer Devorah Lee.
Devorah never got over the loss of her young husband, Billy, who died when the mule kicked him. He left her with a young daughter, Melissa. Though she learned to raise the corn and wheat crops by herself (with hired hands), she longs for someone to fill the hole in her heart left by Billy. Slowly, Devorah begins to realize she wants to be more than friends with Ann.
A child's killer is still on the loose, though. Ann witnessed the aftermath of the crime, but repressed the memory so deeply she can't identify the killer. He's never far from Sutter's Ford, and his path is destined to cross with that of Ann and Devorah with tragic results.
Author Lynn Lisarelli does many things well in this compulsively readable historical novel. Her description of the Lee property and the woods that surround it are pure, sensual poetry, making the reader feel she is there. She allows the romance between Ann and Devorah to open slowly, like the petals of a rosebud. This not only makes for a compelling read, but also allows the reader to feel some of Ann's frustration. The plot is strong. This book is especially hard to put down after the reader gets to Chapter 14. The last paragraph of the book is weep-out-loud beautiful.
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