Thought I would share with you a review I did for a book that was released early this past spring. River of the Arms of God was written by Irene Sandell, who is a retired Texas History teacher in the Dallas area. This is her second novel, and it was just nominated for the 2009 Willa Award, given by Women Writing the West.
River of the Arms of God is a story of two women held against their will in the harsh Texas frontier. Sarah is held by Eli along the Butterfield Stage Line in the mid 1800s, and a hundred years later Kate is the emotional prisoner of a rancher in those same Texas plains. She thought Colby loved her, but he only wanted her to bear him a son. When she failed to provide him one, he lost interest in her.
Against great odds, Sarah manages to survive in the isolated cabin for almost two years and makes a daring escape with her son, Edward. She leaves behind a diary and some stone carvings that Kate eventually finds. Reading about Sarah’s courage gives Kate the courage to demand a divorce.
As the story unfolds, the parallels between the two women become more obvious, as does the emotional connection that Kate makes to Sarah. It is written in a style that captures the look and feel of cattle country in Texas, and the characters are well-drawn and endearing. In introducing Kate, the author explains how she came to call herself that. “The people in Wheeler, Texas, would have been shocked to know that shy Kathryn Rowley had defied her father and chosen her own name. It was her secret and an uncharacteristically rebellious decision on her part. It hinted at strength that even she could not imagine.”
This is an enjoyable tale of two strong women who fight against all odds to escape the tyranny of their men and their circumstances.
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Ms. Sandell is a fourth-generation Texan and has written and produced 16 documentaries on Texas history.
7 comments:
Very nice review. :) Sounds like a great read.
ginger
Clearly, Ms. Sandell knows her history, so I can imagine that this novel is seeped in it. And who wouldn't love a Texas historical?
Helen
Straight From Hel
Thanks for the comments. Glad you liked the review, and yes, the book is very well written and the history is so integral to the plot it doesn't come across as a history lesson.
I enjoyed the book review. Very interesting...I love books with history.
Hawk
Then you would definitely like this book, Houston. Thanks for stopping by my blog and reading the review.
Hi Maryann, Irene's book sounds really good. I keep hearing so much about Women Writing the West and the Willa Award that I think I'll take a look at past winners and add them to my TBR list. Thanks for the good info.
That's a good idea, Patricia. I keep hearing about Women Writing the West and thinking I should join the organization. You don't have to be writing historicals to belong, just books set in the west. At least I think that's true. :-)
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