Prairie Song by Mona Hodgson

Post-War Transitions

Overview

The end of the American Civil War reopened the floodgates for humanity headed west. Men and women hungered for land and business opportunities to help them rebuild their Civil war-torn lives and families. Prairie Song chronicles the beginning of the overland journey for the westbound Boones Lick Road Company, a wagon train setting out from Saint Charles, Missouri in the spring of 1866. The captain of the caravan, Garrett Cowlishaw, lived through the war, while Caroline Milburn agonized at home, fearing that her missing husband was not destined to return. Trail hand Caleb Reger carries a crushing secret from the battlefield to the road west and Anna Goben knew she could lose her brother to the war, but hadn't imagined the ruin the loss could bring to her household. Encounter these few among the families and individuals, many from the Saint Charles Quilting Circle, who have set out looking for their Promised Land. On a road marked with more suffering, will they learn that the promise remains alive in their hearts, no matter the circumstances?

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About the Author

Over the last twenty-five years, Mona Hodgson’s publishing credits have grown to include nearly thirty children's books, contributions to more than ten books for adults, and four historical novels, including her debut, Two Brides Too Many inThe Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series. Mona is a popular speaker for women's groups, schools, and educators’ and writers’ conferences. She lives in Arizona with her husband and has two daughters and several grandchildren.

http://monahodgson.wordpress.com/

My Review ~

The year is 1866 and the Civil War battles have ended but the anguish over lost loved ones has not yet faded. Several St. Charles, Missouri families seek new beginnings by joining a wagon train bound for California. Seeking new opportunities provides hope for a future of promise and purpose. A number of plots and subplots run throughout this story of trials and hope, and numerous lives are blended in the quest for fresh beginnings. The main characters have been introduced in prequels to this story. In order to adequately understand the characters in this book, it would be helpful to read those prequels. Numerous topics are broached, including grief, alcoholism, family dynamics and secrecy. Faith in God, hope, trust and love become the catalysts toward becoming a team of travelers. Leaving everything behind in the quest for a better future also carries an abundance of adversity and stress. 

The author has written a comprehensive story of relationships through difficult circumstances. These relationships play adominant role in this story of challenge and misfortune. There are several families of differing ethnicities, which bring about challenges in their own right. The changing scenery is pictorial and descriptive. I had some difficulty keeping all of the characters straight, and had to backtrack a few times, but overall this book is well written, and recreates an adventurous wagon trail experience familiar to many.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Random House, Inc. through the Blogging For Books program for the express purpose of my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.