This book is amazing on so many levels. First, it sheds light on some history that I wasn’t aware of. The author’s note about this is not to be missed. Second, the story drew me in from the beginning, rooting for a child who fights to survive in creative and ingenious ways and for a woman who struggles with grief and wants to prove that she is capable of doing her job. Third, the dual time periods were equally engaging, which is not something that is often done successfully.
The story is told from two points of view in two time periods. The first is 1909 and Olive, otherwise known as Ollie. She’s a vulnerable 11 year old who escapes an abusive household after one of the family’s charges, a 13-year-old Native American named Hazel, disappears. Suspecting her stepfather, and missing her father who died and her mother who’s addicted to opium, Ollie runs away, taking Hazel’s six year old sister with her. The story explores the tragic truth of homeless children in the woods in that era and Ollie’s determination to overcome and build a new town for them called Shelterwood. She’s sure her stepfather, however, is looking for her.
In 1990 we meet a park ranger named Valerie who, after the unexpected death of her husband, is starting over with her young son in a new national park. She has challenges being a woman in a male-dominated profession, but befriends a Native American tribal policeman. Valerie encounters a freak accident in the park, a runaway teenager with secrets, and remains of children buried in a cave. There seems to be something going on that no one wants to investigate.
Lisa Wingate weaves these two threads together while leading the reader on a journey that is both educational and suspenseful. As I was reading I was amazed at all the details that the author included. I thought she must have done a ton of research as she taught me many things I never knew about the early advocates for Native American children, the early statehood of Oklahoma, the duties of National Park law enforcement and more. How she learned all these things is throughly explained at the end of the story.
This was a 5-star read for me. Don’t miss it!
Reviewed by Cindy Thomson http://www.CindysWriting.com
I received an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley. This is my unbiased opinion.
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