Author: Allan Wolf
Publication Date: 8 September 2020
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Page Count: 416
Reading Method: Physical ARC
Synopsis:
In 1846, a group of emigrants bound for California face a choice: continue on their planned route or take a shortcut into the wilderness. Eighty-nine of them opt for the untested trail, a decision that plunges them into danger and desperation and, finally, the unthinkable. From extraordinary poet and novelist Allan Wolf comes a riveting retelling of the ill-fated journey of the Donner party across the Sierra Nevadas during the winter of 1846-1847. Brilliantly narrated by multiple voices, including world-weary, taunting, and all-knowing Hunger itself, this novel-in-verse examines a notorious chapter in history from various perspectives, among them caravan leaders George Donner and James Reed, Donner’s scholarly wife, two Miwok Indian guides, the Reed children, a sixteen-year-old orphan, and even a pair of oxen. Comprehensive back matter includes an author’s note, select character biographies, statistics, a time line of events, and more. Unprecedented in its detail and sweep, this haunting epic raises stirring questions about moral ambiguity, hope and resilience, and hunger of all kinds.
Review:
The story follows the fateful trip of the Donnor Party as they attempt to make their way to California. There are many different POV that can be a bit tricky to get sorted in the beginning. Some are told in verse, others through prayer. However, each person has a unique way of telling their story, and the flow quickly becomes much easier to follow.
Everyone knows the Donner Party is famous for resorting to cannibalism, but this book really takes us through the journey of how they got to that point. It’s a stressful, heartbreaking, and haunting story that kept me engaged throughout.
I really loved that at the end of the book, the author includes little briefs of history for each character and a bunch of statistics about the group on their journey.
You can purchase a copy of The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep here
