This historical fiction novel is set in 1856 when Mormon converts from Scotland and England risk their lives to walk 1,300-miles from Iowa City to Zion, the promised land of Salt Lake City pushing handcarts with few supplies, little food, and in a horrible snowstorm, even fording dangerous ice cold rivers. They try to keep their faith and their spirits up but very few survive. This book focuses on four very different women who make this journey.

The book discloses that promises were made that weren’t kept and some bad decisions by church leaders as well put the handcart pioneers in harm’s way. These four incredible women characters made it and changed and grew and leaned a lot about themselves and their faith along the way. I believe the four female characters are fictional but they are fleshed out, very real, and inspirational. It seemed to me there was more narrative than dialogue and I wish that was balanced a bit more. However, the book is well researched and it is an interesting part of American history. The book pulled me in as I had to keep reading to find out what happened to the characters next. It’s an interesting story and I highly recommend, True Sisters.