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Wildwood
A single mother. An abandoned farmhouse. An epic battle with the northern wilderness.
Broke and desperate, Molly Bannister accepts the ironclad condition laid down in her great-aunt’s will: to receive her inheritance, Molly must spend one year in an abandoned, off-the-grid farmhouse in the remote backwoods of northern Alberta. If she does, she will be able to sell the farm and fund her four-year-old daughter’s badly needed medical treatment.
With grim determination, Molly teaches herself basic homesteading skills. But her greatest perils come from the brutal wilderness itself, from blizzards to grizzly bears. Will she and her child survive the savage winter? Will she outsmart the idealist young farmer who would thwart her plan to sell the farm? Not only their financial future, but their very lives are at stake. Only the journal written by Molly's courageous great-aunt, the land’s original homesteader, inspires her to struggle on.
Broke and desperate, Molly Bannister accepts the ironclad condition laid down in her great-aunt’s will: to receive her inheritance, Molly must spend one year in an abandoned, off-the-grid farmhouse in the remote backwoods of northern Alberta. If she does, she will be able to sell the farm and fund her four-year-old daughter’s badly needed medical treatment.
With grim determination, Molly teaches herself basic homesteading skills. But her greatest perils come from the brutal wilderness itself, from blizzards to grizzly bears. Will she and her child survive the savage winter? Will she outsmart the idealist young farmer who would thwart her plan to sell the farm? Not only their financial future, but their very lives are at stake. Only the journal written by Molly's courageous great-aunt, the land’s original homesteader, inspires her to struggle on.
328 pages, ebook
First published February 24, 2018
29 people are currently reading
1454 people want to read
About the author
Elinor Florence
4 books287 followersMy new historical novel Finding Flora, about women homesteaders on the prairies, was published by Simon & Schuster in April 2025 and became an immediate national bestseller.
My debut novel Bird's Eye View tells the story of a young Canadian woman who joins the air force in World War Two and becomes an aerial photographic interpreter.
My second novel Wildwood is about a single mother from the big city who must fulfill the conditions of her inheritance by living for one year in an abandoned farmhouse in northern Canada.
I grew up on a prairie farm and had a long career in journalism, writing for newspapers and magazines including Reader’s Digest. I even published my own newspaper before turning to fiction.
I have Indigenous heritage, thanks to my Cree ancestors, and I am a card-carrying member of the Métis Nation of B.C.
For the past twelve years I have written a monthly blog titled Letters From Windermere, in which I write about my love of history, and recommend one good book every month. Everyone is welcome to join, and I welcome new followers.
Married with three grown daughters, I now live in the mountain resort town of Invermere, British Columbia. My passions are village life, old houses, and flea markets.
More than you ever wanted to know about me can be found on my website: www.elinorflorence.com. I answer every message!
My debut novel Bird's Eye View tells the story of a young Canadian woman who joins the air force in World War Two and becomes an aerial photographic interpreter.
My second novel Wildwood is about a single mother from the big city who must fulfill the conditions of her inheritance by living for one year in an abandoned farmhouse in northern Canada.
I grew up on a prairie farm and had a long career in journalism, writing for newspapers and magazines including Reader’s Digest. I even published my own newspaper before turning to fiction.
I have Indigenous heritage, thanks to my Cree ancestors, and I am a card-carrying member of the Métis Nation of B.C.
For the past twelve years I have written a monthly blog titled Letters From Windermere, in which I write about my love of history, and recommend one good book every month. Everyone is welcome to join, and I welcome new followers.
Married with three grown daughters, I now live in the mountain resort town of Invermere, British Columbia. My passions are village life, old houses, and flea markets.
More than you ever wanted to know about me can be found on my website: www.elinorflorence.com. I answer every message!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
February 2, 2018
Every once in a while I read a book where the sense of place is so strong, so much a part of the story that you see it and feel it on every page. Elinor Florence has done a fabulous job of taking the reader to this remote place in Northern Canada. It’s cold and the landscape is utterly beautiful and the environment equally brutal at times. We see it through the eyes of Molly Bannister, a single mother who has lost her job and is struggling to insure that her 4 year old daughter Bridget who has selective mutism, gets the medical care she needs. In order to do that Molly must move from Arizona to Northern Canada and live for one year a primitive house without plumbing or electricity in order to get her inheritance of the house and farm land. Financially desperate, Molly accepts the offer in her great aunt’s will, planning to live out the year and sell the property. We also see it from a past perspective through the journals that her great aunt Molly leaves, getting a view of the hardships and joy of homesteading.
The chapters alternate between Molly in the present of 2011 and her ancestor Molly Bannister Lee in 1924. This is one of those novels where the past and the present stories are connected in meaningful ways. The journals not only give Molly an understanding of the place and some actual advice, but guidance, inspiration and strength to manage her circumstances. There is another lovely connection between past and present through the character of Winona, a young Cree girl who Molly befriends and Winona’s great grandmother Annie Bearspaw, a healer, a medicine woman, a good friend of Molly Bannister Lee. This is a story about roots and family, about journeys not just to an unknown place but to that inner place where one discovers who they are.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Dundurn through NetGalley.
The chapters alternate between Molly in the present of 2011 and her ancestor Molly Bannister Lee in 1924. This is one of those novels where the past and the present stories are connected in meaningful ways. The journals not only give Molly an understanding of the place and some actual advice, but guidance, inspiration and strength to manage her circumstances. There is another lovely connection between past and present through the character of Winona, a young Cree girl who Molly befriends and Winona’s great grandmother Annie Bearspaw, a healer, a medicine woman, a good friend of Molly Bannister Lee. This is a story about roots and family, about journeys not just to an unknown place but to that inner place where one discovers who they are.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Dundurn through NetGalley.
January 21, 2018
It is such a joy to find a story that includes so many of the things I love. Cold weather climates, I am fascinated with novels that are set in these climates, how people live and survive. This is set in Juniper, Canada a made up name but meant to represent early colonies such as Peace River, Manning, or Beaver lodge all located in Northern Alberta in Canada.
Early homesteaders, Molly inherits from her great aunt an original house and many farming acres in the above location. The stipulation requires Molly to live there for a year. Disappointed in love, now a single mother with a four year old daughter who has selective mutism and needs intensive therapy Molly cannot afford. Feeling she has little choice they travel to Juniper finding a house that has been boarded up and desperately in need of deep cleaning. A house with no electricity nor plumbing.n
Journals, Molly finds the journal of her great aunt, reading entries here and there throughout the year. Learning about the difficulties and joys she found in this alien land and climate.
Natural medicine and indigenous people. The Cree tribe was invaluable in helping these first settlers survive the long and excessively cold climate. Teaching them the herbs and treatments made from nature, in an area so far from a doctor In the present a young Cree girl, Winona, living on the reservation helps Molly and Bridget, providing company and comfort.
Beautiful descriptions of nature and wildlife. Molly and Bridget will both grow in leaps and bounds as they tackle things they never thought they could. There is danger, this is a wild, untamed land. They will meet other hearty people who make this place their home. A wonderful story, quiet with amazing character development and growth. Very well done.
ARC from edelweiss.
Early homesteaders, Molly inherits from her great aunt an original house and many farming acres in the above location. The stipulation requires Molly to live there for a year. Disappointed in love, now a single mother with a four year old daughter who has selective mutism and needs intensive therapy Molly cannot afford. Feeling she has little choice they travel to Juniper finding a house that has been boarded up and desperately in need of deep cleaning. A house with no electricity nor plumbing.n
Journals, Molly finds the journal of her great aunt, reading entries here and there throughout the year. Learning about the difficulties and joys she found in this alien land and climate.
Natural medicine and indigenous people. The Cree tribe was invaluable in helping these first settlers survive the long and excessively cold climate. Teaching them the herbs and treatments made from nature, in an area so far from a doctor In the present a young Cree girl, Winona, living on the reservation helps Molly and Bridget, providing company and comfort.
Beautiful descriptions of nature and wildlife. Molly and Bridget will both grow in leaps and bounds as they tackle things they never thought they could. There is danger, this is a wild, untamed land. They will meet other hearty people who make this place their home. A wonderful story, quiet with amazing character development and growth. Very well done.
ARC from edelweiss.
February 18, 2018
Molly Bannister's life is unraveling. She has lost her job with an accounting firm in AZ, and her savings is dwindling fast. As a single parent, she is almost in panic mode when she receives word from a lawyer that her great-aunt left her a farm and house in northern Alberta, Canada. The will stipulates that she has to live on the old homestead for a full year before gaining ownership. With money dwindling and no other options, Molly and her 4-year old daughter Bridget move to Canada. The old farmhouse has been watched over by neighbors since her great-aunt went into a nursing home. Other than a lot of dust and cobwebs, it's not in bad shape. But there is no electricity, no indoor plumbing, no internet, no phone, and the closest neighbor is 8 miles away. 365 days -- can they brave an entire year on the old homestead? Molly finds her great-aunt's journal and reads a little bit about her early married life each night before going to bed. She finds strength and wisdom in the pages, and learns a lot about herself as well.
I absolutely loved this book! At first Molly comes to Wildwood out of desperation. She has nowhere else to go. She counts the days until she can sell the farm and return to the United States with plenty of money to live life on her own terms. But, living out at the old homestead without any of the modern conveniences, reading her great-aunt's journal, and learning to survive has such a profound effect on her life and her daughter. She scrubs the house clean, learns to cook, wash laundry by hand and make do with what they have. Along the way, she discovers that she is a stronger person than she ever realized.
Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down! I loved how Molly grew stronger and defeated the demons from her past as the story unfolded. As her mother became a stronger person, Bridget's life and behavior also improved. I enjoyed this story so much that I definitely want to read Elinor Florence's other novel, Bird's Eye View.
**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Dundurn via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
I absolutely loved this book! At first Molly comes to Wildwood out of desperation. She has nowhere else to go. She counts the days until she can sell the farm and return to the United States with plenty of money to live life on her own terms. But, living out at the old homestead without any of the modern conveniences, reading her great-aunt's journal, and learning to survive has such a profound effect on her life and her daughter. She scrubs the house clean, learns to cook, wash laundry by hand and make do with what they have. Along the way, she discovers that she is a stronger person than she ever realized.
Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down! I loved how Molly grew stronger and defeated the demons from her past as the story unfolded. As her mother became a stronger person, Bridget's life and behavior also improved. I enjoyed this story so much that I definitely want to read Elinor Florence's other novel, Bird's Eye View.
**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Dundurn via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
September 18, 2018
Wildwood is one of those books that grabbed me as I began reading and pulled me in with the charm and natural feeling of the story. It’s a story about a young mother with a 4 year old daughter, obviously struggling with her life, who decides to uproot their Arizona existence for a never-seen farm in northern Canada. Why is the important factor. Well, apparently her great aunt, who carried the same name, has left her the property if she stays on the land, in the house for one year.
Of course nothing will be easy or there would be no story. And the telling is so well done. Molly and daughter Bridget fly to Juniper and find the house far from town that has been empty for 10 years and is lacking many necessities. What we see over time is work, growth, insight, struggle, and more growth. Molly discovers her great aunt’s diary from her first year on the land which serves as both inspiration and education. This year shows lives full of the gamut of human emotions and a wide range of experiences.
Florence has written a truly inspired book that pulled me in and held me. The descriptions of nature throughout the year are beautiful and powerful. Her exploration and knowledge of the homestead experience in Canada in the early 20th century is very apparent as is her knowledge of diaries of that period. Her care for northern Canada is obvious.
I definitely recommend this book and rate it 4 to 4.5*
A copy of this book was provided by Dundurn Press through NetGalley.
Of course nothing will be easy or there would be no story. And the telling is so well done. Molly and daughter Bridget fly to Juniper and find the house far from town that has been empty for 10 years and is lacking many necessities. What we see over time is work, growth, insight, struggle, and more growth. Molly discovers her great aunt’s diary from her first year on the land which serves as both inspiration and education. This year shows lives full of the gamut of human emotions and a wide range of experiences.
Florence has written a truly inspired book that pulled me in and held me. The descriptions of nature throughout the year are beautiful and powerful. Her exploration and knowledge of the homestead experience in Canada in the early 20th century is very apparent as is her knowledge of diaries of that period. Her care for northern Canada is obvious.
I definitely recommend this book and rate it 4 to 4.5*
A copy of this book was provided by Dundurn Press through NetGalley.
February 13, 2018
3.5 🥧 🥧 🥧
Molly inherits an old farmhouse and its land. In order to gain title she has to live in it for a year. Being currently unemployed and facing eviction leaves little choice but to accept the challenge. Can she make it through the winter without electricity and plumbing with a five year old with issues?
From the book description “A single mother. An abandoned farmhouse. An epic battle with the northern wilderness” I was anticipating more grit and harsh living but this was more sentimental, ala a contemporary Sarah, Plain and Tall perhaps? There is pioneer spirit, quilt making, baking bread and pies, and a single farmer 👨🌾 — and I liked it. The whole scenario, living off the grid with the healing power of nature, has always been my personal epic fantasy.
Easy comfort reading well done that sets the reader down into early Canadian history told by a woman who obviously loves the area and her subject. Not what I was expecting but an enjoyable read nonetheless at just the right time.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn for this egalley.
Molly inherits an old farmhouse and its land. In order to gain title she has to live in it for a year. Being currently unemployed and facing eviction leaves little choice but to accept the challenge. Can she make it through the winter without electricity and plumbing with a five year old with issues?
From the book description “A single mother. An abandoned farmhouse. An epic battle with the northern wilderness” I was anticipating more grit and harsh living but this was more sentimental, ala a contemporary Sarah, Plain and Tall perhaps? There is pioneer spirit, quilt making, baking bread and pies, and a single farmer 👨🌾 — and I liked it. The whole scenario, living off the grid with the healing power of nature, has always been my personal epic fantasy.
Easy comfort reading well done that sets the reader down into early Canadian history told by a woman who obviously loves the area and her subject. Not what I was expecting but an enjoyable read nonetheless at just the right time.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn for this egalley.
October 16, 2019
I really like books set in a cold climate, characters that live off the grid, where nature is the foreboding element rather than people. Because I don’t like camping or roughing it, I find these settings fascinating (from the comfort of my couch).
When Molly, unemployed and down to her last dollars, find out she has inherited a farm from her great aunt it feels like the second chance she has been dreaming of. The stipulations of the inheritance may be a bit unorthodox but with a child needing constant and expensive treatment the dangling carrot of a farm she can sell in 1 year is just too alluring to give up. How hard can it be to stick it out on a backwater farm in Canada?
From the start I felt convinced that the majority of little Bridget’s anxiety stemmed not from any real psychological problems but from her own mothers anxiety projected on her daughter.
I liked the sense of community this little Canadian town portrayed and the inclusion of characters from the native Canadian Indian community.
The book does romanticizes homestead living just a little and it plays it safe with the disasters that can befall the characters but overall I really enjoyed the experience. It’s an easy read that would go down well as a holiday pick.
When Molly, unemployed and down to her last dollars, find out she has inherited a farm from her great aunt it feels like the second chance she has been dreaming of. The stipulations of the inheritance may be a bit unorthodox but with a child needing constant and expensive treatment the dangling carrot of a farm she can sell in 1 year is just too alluring to give up. How hard can it be to stick it out on a backwater farm in Canada?
From the start I felt convinced that the majority of little Bridget’s anxiety stemmed not from any real psychological problems but from her own mothers anxiety projected on her daughter.
I liked the sense of community this little Canadian town portrayed and the inclusion of characters from the native Canadian Indian community.
The book does romanticizes homestead living just a little and it plays it safe with the disasters that can befall the characters but overall I really enjoyed the experience. It’s an easy read that would go down well as a holiday pick.
February 22, 2018
If you are looking for a whizz bang, thrill a minute story then WILDWOOD is not going to be for you. However, if you are looking for a story that draws you in from the very first page and gradually immerses you in a struggle for survival – then Bingo! You’ve found your book.
The main character is single mum Molly Bannister and she is at the end of her tether, as she has lost her job and unable to pay her rent so facing eviction. Out of the blue she gets a letter from a lawyer informing her she has inherited her great-aunt’s abandoned, off-the-grid farmhouse in the remote backwoods of northern Alberta. The farmhouse was abandoned when her great-aunt voluntarily admitted herself to a nursing home when she came down with Alzheimer’s – neighbours have been keeping an eye on it for years and it is exactly as she left it – fully furnished and sound. In order to fully take ownership of it Molly must live there for a year. Molly accepts the challenge with the plan of selling the house and land and move back to the USA once the year was over. Her daughter, Bridget, suffers from select mutism so she wants the money to pay for her daughter’s treatment.
What a contrast for this city dweller – Canadians drive on the ‘wrong’ side of the road and the cabin has no running water, no electricity and an outdoors drop toilet. With just $400 a month to live on, along with a 2 hour drive to Jupiter to get the money and supplies, Molly finds that cooking, cleaning, heating the house, washing their clothes and keeping clean in the back of beyond to be a huge challenge.
Fortunately she is not totally alone, out in the wilds neighbours look out for each other rather than ignore each other and she soon gets to make friends – and her great-aunt has left books behind. Including her diary about her first year homesteading in the cabin. Reading how her ancestor coped in the past – helped Molly survive in the present. There are other connections – including the fact her great-aunt had a close friend, Annie, who was a medicine woman from the local Cree community and now Annie’s granddaughter, Winona, is friends with Molly. This is a wonderful thread within the story.
The descriptions of the settings – the house, the land, the cold, the wild forests and animals are astounding and certainly gave me a sense of place. The characters just came alive on the pages and there is so much growth in the characters of Molly, Bridget and Winona. The author, Elinor Florence, also managed to subtly introduce some of the issues facing the farmers out there – not just the bitter winters, short growing season and isolation; but fraud, mining exploration and fracking.
With thanks to Dundurn Publishers and the author via Netgalley for my copy to read and review.
The main character is single mum Molly Bannister and she is at the end of her tether, as she has lost her job and unable to pay her rent so facing eviction. Out of the blue she gets a letter from a lawyer informing her she has inherited her great-aunt’s abandoned, off-the-grid farmhouse in the remote backwoods of northern Alberta. The farmhouse was abandoned when her great-aunt voluntarily admitted herself to a nursing home when she came down with Alzheimer’s – neighbours have been keeping an eye on it for years and it is exactly as she left it – fully furnished and sound. In order to fully take ownership of it Molly must live there for a year. Molly accepts the challenge with the plan of selling the house and land and move back to the USA once the year was over. Her daughter, Bridget, suffers from select mutism so she wants the money to pay for her daughter’s treatment.
What a contrast for this city dweller – Canadians drive on the ‘wrong’ side of the road and the cabin has no running water, no electricity and an outdoors drop toilet. With just $400 a month to live on, along with a 2 hour drive to Jupiter to get the money and supplies, Molly finds that cooking, cleaning, heating the house, washing their clothes and keeping clean in the back of beyond to be a huge challenge.
Fortunately she is not totally alone, out in the wilds neighbours look out for each other rather than ignore each other and she soon gets to make friends – and her great-aunt has left books behind. Including her diary about her first year homesteading in the cabin. Reading how her ancestor coped in the past – helped Molly survive in the present. There are other connections – including the fact her great-aunt had a close friend, Annie, who was a medicine woman from the local Cree community and now Annie’s granddaughter, Winona, is friends with Molly. This is a wonderful thread within the story.
The descriptions of the settings – the house, the land, the cold, the wild forests and animals are astounding and certainly gave me a sense of place. The characters just came alive on the pages and there is so much growth in the characters of Molly, Bridget and Winona. The author, Elinor Florence, also managed to subtly introduce some of the issues facing the farmers out there – not just the bitter winters, short growing season and isolation; but fraud, mining exploration and fracking.
With thanks to Dundurn Publishers and the author via Netgalley for my copy to read and review.
December 17, 2017
AUTHOR REVIEW -- I just sat down and read my Advance Reading Copy of Wildwood, seeing it in book form for the first time after not looking at the manuscript for several months. Reading the novel with fresh eyes, I was pleasantly surprised that there were no glaring errors or hideous plot inconsistencies! I still love my characters Molly and her little daughter Bridget, although I don't feel that any novel could really do justice to the brutal hardships experienced by our early Canadian homesteaders. Nevertheless, I did my best and I hope readers will enjoy Molly's journey into the past.
November 2, 2017
This was great! Look for it to come out in February 2018. It was like a modern day Susanna Moodie. Good story, satisfying ending.
March 5, 2018
I enjoyed the unfamiliar world that Molly and Bridget walked into. Molly assumed that she had walked into prosperity while Bridget knew that she had tottered into agony when the two of them arrived in Alberta, their new home for the next 365 days. The isolated farmhouse cast off a terrifying chill as they took in their surroundings. It would be tough to live without some of life’s modern conveniences but in the end, the title to this valuable piece of property was worth a fortune and Bridget’s doctors cost about that much.
Molly was a city girl and moving into the country with her four-year-old daughter was a chance that she was willing to take. Molly needed money for Bridget’s doctors. Molly believed that taking this year off to live in this remote countryside was the best option for the both of them. Molly knew nothing about country living nor did she know about her great aunt and uncle who left her this property. Molly knew she needed the money and she knew they only needed to stay one year, that really wasn’t a long time, was it?
The townfolk were welcoming and they reach out to the new family. As Molly navigates her new life, she finds one of her great aunt’s diaries in the house. I liked these journal entries just as much as Molly did. I felt that they helped her not feel so isolated in the struggles that she has having living on the estate. The similarities of these two women were striking although the time periods were many years apart.
Bridget is a shy child when they set foot onto the estate but as time moves on, she changes. There were times I wondered if Molly notices what was happening with her daughter as they get caught up in everyday life. It’s hard for these two as they go from a clean, tidy lifestyle to a lifestyle where dust and dirt are a part of life.
Molly is constantly counting down the days till she can go back to Arizona and get Bridget back into treatment. Each day is a new set of challenging yet as I read, I saw something growing between Molly and her daughter. The struggles and the victories aren’t forgotten but they become their own journal and now there are other individuals joining in.
This was a fantastic novel with an entertaining, engaging story that I truly enjoyed. It was one of those novels where I became vested in the lives of the characters and I truly cared how things played out. 4.5 stars
I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley and Dundurn in exchange for an honest review.
Molly was a city girl and moving into the country with her four-year-old daughter was a chance that she was willing to take. Molly needed money for Bridget’s doctors. Molly believed that taking this year off to live in this remote countryside was the best option for the both of them. Molly knew nothing about country living nor did she know about her great aunt and uncle who left her this property. Molly knew she needed the money and she knew they only needed to stay one year, that really wasn’t a long time, was it?
The townfolk were welcoming and they reach out to the new family. As Molly navigates her new life, she finds one of her great aunt’s diaries in the house. I liked these journal entries just as much as Molly did. I felt that they helped her not feel so isolated in the struggles that she has having living on the estate. The similarities of these two women were striking although the time periods were many years apart.
Bridget is a shy child when they set foot onto the estate but as time moves on, she changes. There were times I wondered if Molly notices what was happening with her daughter as they get caught up in everyday life. It’s hard for these two as they go from a clean, tidy lifestyle to a lifestyle where dust and dirt are a part of life.
Molly is constantly counting down the days till she can go back to Arizona and get Bridget back into treatment. Each day is a new set of challenging yet as I read, I saw something growing between Molly and her daughter. The struggles and the victories aren’t forgotten but they become their own journal and now there are other individuals joining in.
This was a fantastic novel with an entertaining, engaging story that I truly enjoyed. It was one of those novels where I became vested in the lives of the characters and I truly cared how things played out. 4.5 stars
I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley and Dundurn in exchange for an honest review.
June 16, 2025
Canadian author 🇨🇦
3.5*
I really enjoyed the author's recent novel, Finding Flora, and wanted to learn more about Alberta's pioneering past. I was fortunate to chat with the author (she reads every email), and I was very lucky to obtain a signed copy of this book! Elinor's writing style is easy to read, and she vividly describes scenes. However, I didn't quite enjoy this novel as much as the previous one I read. Wildwood is her debut novel. Despite being a solid debut, I felt there were some missed opportunities with the story development. It is very well researched tho and I learned a lot about Alberta. Who knew you could buy a house from T. Eaton's catalog?! Reading books like this makes me nostalgic for simpler times.
3.5*
I really enjoyed the author's recent novel, Finding Flora, and wanted to learn more about Alberta's pioneering past. I was fortunate to chat with the author (she reads every email), and I was very lucky to obtain a signed copy of this book! Elinor's writing style is easy to read, and she vividly describes scenes. However, I didn't quite enjoy this novel as much as the previous one I read. Wildwood is her debut novel. Despite being a solid debut, I felt there were some missed opportunities with the story development. It is very well researched tho and I learned a lot about Alberta. Who knew you could buy a house from T. Eaton's catalog?! Reading books like this makes me nostalgic for simpler times.
March 22, 2018
What a glorious novel! With flawed and relatable characters, gorgeous description, and a loving but realistic look at a difficult lifestyle, Wildwood satisfies on every level. Through Molly’s modern eyes, we see the fortitude of pioneers in a refreshing way—and see our comfortable and rushed lives in a new way as well. Uplifting and thought-provoking, this is a novel to savor.
January 15, 2018
Most Americans are familiar with the Little House in the Prairie books, which was an idealized version of Laura Engles Wilder's life. Most Canadians, I would hope, are familiar with Susanna Moodie and her books such as Roughing it in the Bush, where she tells what life is really like as a pioneer.
This book is more like Susanna, then Laura, but they both share the love of the beauty of the wilderness. You get to look at this quiet, isolated farmland and all its beauty, through a year of basically roughing it in the 21st Century.
I really enjoyed reading this, and seeing the world through Molly's eyes. There was a few things that got to me, such as phrases she might not have known, that were very Canadian, since she was from Arizona, but they were far and few between.
The language is lovely. This is a description of the Northern Lights:
Molly sometimes seemed very naive, as well, and she frustrated me at times. I grew up in a warm climate too, but I know that ice is slippery.
And although the author writes very well about the Cree, there is one fact that bothers me, when she says that they get free college tution. According to the CBC news, it is not true, or it is not as easy as that. They do get money from the government, but often not enough to pay for all students who want to apply, because the funding is capped. Otherwise, she writes very lovingly, espcially about the problems of the aftermath of the Residency Schools system.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
This book is more like Susanna, then Laura, but they both share the love of the beauty of the wilderness. You get to look at this quiet, isolated farmland and all its beauty, through a year of basically roughing it in the 21st Century.
I really enjoyed reading this, and seeing the world through Molly's eyes. There was a few things that got to me, such as phrases she might not have known, that were very Canadian, since she was from Arizona, but they were far and few between.
The language is lovely. This is a description of the Northern Lights:
...the northern lights fell like fine sheets of applegreen rain, tinged with pink and mauve, shimmering curtains of silk shaken by giants hands. We could even hear them hissing and humming. The Indians believe that they are the spirits of all the people who have passed away,
dancing in the heavens.
Molly sometimes seemed very naive, as well, and she frustrated me at times. I grew up in a warm climate too, but I know that ice is slippery.
And although the author writes very well about the Cree, there is one fact that bothers me, when she says that they get free college tution. According to the CBC news, it is not true, or it is not as easy as that. They do get money from the government, but often not enough to pay for all students who want to apply, because the funding is capped. Otherwise, she writes very lovingly, espcially about the problems of the aftermath of the Residency Schools system.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
March 16, 2018
Wildwood by Elinore Florence
Molly is down on her luck with time running out when a fortuitous inheritance finds its way to her. The only glitch is that she has to live on the land for a year. Where is the land? Way up north in Canada where it gets very very cold indeed! Living in a home built in the early 1920’s might not sound horrible BUT the house has not been lived in for decades, has no indoor plumbing, is without electricity and relies on wood for heating and cooking. Molly has four year old daughter with issues but still…she believes that living in the house is her only recourse so…off she goes.
This is a story of hardship in the present interwoven with the diary entries of Molly’s great aunt who actually moved to the land and settled it with her husband nearly 100 years before. The difficulties both faced were often similar and Molly took courage from what she read in her aunt’s journal.
I have always liked stories of the past, what it was like to live in such times and how people managed. I once asked my mother what it must be like to be a pioneer and she told me that living in a country with unreliable electricity, water supply and such put me on par with people living in the past…at least part of the time.
The story is well told and done in a way that the reader almost feels they are there. The issues faced were real and made me wonder “what if” – I enjoyed the story and was thankful that all worked out for Molly and her daughter in the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dundurn for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
Molly is down on her luck with time running out when a fortuitous inheritance finds its way to her. The only glitch is that she has to live on the land for a year. Where is the land? Way up north in Canada where it gets very very cold indeed! Living in a home built in the early 1920’s might not sound horrible BUT the house has not been lived in for decades, has no indoor plumbing, is without electricity and relies on wood for heating and cooking. Molly has four year old daughter with issues but still…she believes that living in the house is her only recourse so…off she goes.
This is a story of hardship in the present interwoven with the diary entries of Molly’s great aunt who actually moved to the land and settled it with her husband nearly 100 years before. The difficulties both faced were often similar and Molly took courage from what she read in her aunt’s journal.
I have always liked stories of the past, what it was like to live in such times and how people managed. I once asked my mother what it must be like to be a pioneer and she told me that living in a country with unreliable electricity, water supply and such put me on par with people living in the past…at least part of the time.
The story is well told and done in a way that the reader almost feels they are there. The issues faced were real and made me wonder “what if” – I enjoyed the story and was thankful that all worked out for Molly and her daughter in the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dundurn for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
September 26, 2023
I loved this book, my second 5 star read in a row. If anyone is familiar with the Peace River area of northern Alberta and British Columbia, you too will enjoy this book .
Our protagonist, Molly, becomes a modern day pioneer, moving from Arizona, to accept the challenge to gain the deed to her inheritance. It is a delightful story, so well written by Canadian author Elinor Florence who also has a rich family heritage of pioneers. I have read a lot of these types of fiction books, pioneer women were a strong and determined lot and were able to learn so much from the indigenous families as well. So glad to see that positive spin in the book. Also mentioned is the autobiographical book "Wheat and Woman", by Georgina Binnie published in 1913, her first 3 years in the prairies, sounds very interesting. Will be adding that to my tbr list and as well the other fiction book written by Ms. Florence, Bird's Eye View. Would love a sequel to Wildwood please.
Our protagonist, Molly, becomes a modern day pioneer, moving from Arizona, to accept the challenge to gain the deed to her inheritance. It is a delightful story, so well written by Canadian author Elinor Florence who also has a rich family heritage of pioneers. I have read a lot of these types of fiction books, pioneer women were a strong and determined lot and were able to learn so much from the indigenous families as well. So glad to see that positive spin in the book. Also mentioned is the autobiographical book "Wheat and Woman", by Georgina Binnie published in 1913, her first 3 years in the prairies, sounds very interesting. Will be adding that to my tbr list and as well the other fiction book written by Ms. Florence, Bird's Eye View. Would love a sequel to Wildwood please.
January 8, 2018
What a fascinating and entertaining read!
If you really want to experience the early days of Canadian homesteads then this is a great book to start. You get to live and breathe each and every experience with the characters and it was a really interesting way to discover early Canadian history and to see just what difficulties people in those times had
Full review to follow
If you really want to experience the early days of Canadian homesteads then this is a great book to start. You get to live and breathe each and every experience with the characters and it was a really interesting way to discover early Canadian history and to see just what difficulties people in those times had
Full review to follow
September 22, 2018
As a child I read all the stories I could get my hands on about pioneering. I wished that I had been born earlier so I could ride on the wagon trains heading out West. Time and maturity have since cured me of that desire. For example, I like having a dentists and doctors that use modern methods of treatment and pain relief.
This story took me back to those memories of what pioneering life would be like, and superimposed that experience in the modern day. Molly's life is unraveling. She has one chance to try to knit it back together. If she and her young daughter can survive for a year on her great-aunt's homestead in northern Alberta, then the homestead will be hers. Once it's in her possession she plans to sell it to get the funds to pay for her daughter Bridget's medical care.
The plot unfolds in alternating storylines from Molly's present-day experiences, and those of her aunt's told from the perspective of her journal entries. Both women find strength in doing things on their own, and grow to appreciate the gifts of nature, and the lessons that local First Nation women teach them. I loved seeing how the past informs the present. I rooted for Molly and Bridget to make it through the year, and loved how the women on both stories coped with the situations that they found themselves in.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Dundurn through NetGalley. Thank-you to them and the author for providing the book in exchange for an honest review.
This story took me back to those memories of what pioneering life would be like, and superimposed that experience in the modern day. Molly's life is unraveling. She has one chance to try to knit it back together. If she and her young daughter can survive for a year on her great-aunt's homestead in northern Alberta, then the homestead will be hers. Once it's in her possession she plans to sell it to get the funds to pay for her daughter Bridget's medical care.
The plot unfolds in alternating storylines from Molly's present-day experiences, and those of her aunt's told from the perspective of her journal entries. Both women find strength in doing things on their own, and grow to appreciate the gifts of nature, and the lessons that local First Nation women teach them. I loved seeing how the past informs the present. I rooted for Molly and Bridget to make it through the year, and loved how the women on both stories coped with the situations that they found themselves in.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Dundurn through NetGalley. Thank-you to them and the author for providing the book in exchange for an honest review.
October 29, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. The writing was so descriptive and flowed nicely. It made me realize how lucky I am to live on my beautiful acreage.
March 26, 2022
Will write review soon
March 19, 2018
Wildwood, Elinor Florence's second novel, tells the tale of Molly Bannister, a single mother in a serious bind after losing her job. Molly is unexpectedly the recipient of a bequest of her Great Aunt Mary Margaret's farm in a remote area of Alberta, near the town of Juniper. The only catch is that in order to have the land titled in her name, she must live on the property for a full calendar year. With her young daughter Bridget tow, Molly pulls up stakes in Arizona and moves to Wildwood. The story of her year is intertwined with the journal of her Great Aunt, Mary Margaret Bannister Lee, recounting her first year of married life living with her husband George Albert Lee. Mary Margaret, born in County Cork, Ireland, had been visiting with friends when she met George at a dance in Juniper and they married. The hard life of homesteading in northern Alberta in the 1920's is recounted and heartens Molly's stay through a number of harrowing events. She and Bridget survive the harsh winter as they struggle with food security, survive being stranded in a snowstorm, and even a terrifying encounter with a grizzly and her cub.
Florence, who hails from Saskatchewan, has a clear love of the remote Canadian wilderness and that shines through. Her character depictions, while perhaps not as polished as those in Kristin Hannah's recently released The Great Alone, a book to which American reviewers are likely to compare Wildwood, are engaging. The story itself, including a subplot with a romance, was a bit predictable, I still enjoyed the book because of the interplay between Mary Margaret's life and her namesake Molly's. I was initially taken aback by Florence's depiction of a somewhat illiterate Cree youth who lives near Wildwood, but in the end, the character is drawn as so smart in all the ways Molly isn't. An interesting read!
I received a Digital Review Copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Florence, who hails from Saskatchewan, has a clear love of the remote Canadian wilderness and that shines through. Her character depictions, while perhaps not as polished as those in Kristin Hannah's recently released The Great Alone, a book to which American reviewers are likely to compare Wildwood, are engaging. The story itself, including a subplot with a romance, was a bit predictable, I still enjoyed the book because of the interplay between Mary Margaret's life and her namesake Molly's. I was initially taken aback by Florence's depiction of a somewhat illiterate Cree youth who lives near Wildwood, but in the end, the character is drawn as so smart in all the ways Molly isn't. An interesting read!
I received a Digital Review Copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 15, 2018
A must-read magnificent novel inspired by her own life and ancestry in Canada
I did not want this book to come to an end as it is so incredibly beautifully written. Her passionate inspiration to write the book oozes through each page abundantly full of history, hardship, sadness, joy, relationships and courage.
From the modern day urban United States to Canada’s northernmost agricultural area and the last area to be settled by homesteaders, Elinor Florence takes her readers through history from 1924 using a journal inspired by her research on pioneer memoirs. Her heroine, Molly, inherits a homestead from an aunt she never knew and the condition for the inheritance is that Molly lives for one year like her aunt did, without plumbing or electricity. This came at a very opportune time for Molly and her daughter Bridget who had communication issues. They arrive in the remote wilderness with no experience whatsoever of surviving in this harsh remote environment.
Elinor inspiringly weaves the courage Molly needs to overcome obstacles every day with the journal she finds of how her aunt survived as a courageous Irish descent homesteader. Molly meets fascinating characters and interesting relationships are forged including with indigenous people. This aspect makes the book feel autobiographical.
Elinor’s passion for the strong women who helped develop her beloved country comes through clearly. Molly and her daughter also prove to be strong and courageous.
Go to Elinor Florence to find out more about this fascinating author, particularly if you love the history of Canada.
BonnieK
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
I did not want this book to come to an end as it is so incredibly beautifully written. Her passionate inspiration to write the book oozes through each page abundantly full of history, hardship, sadness, joy, relationships and courage.
From the modern day urban United States to Canada’s northernmost agricultural area and the last area to be settled by homesteaders, Elinor Florence takes her readers through history from 1924 using a journal inspired by her research on pioneer memoirs. Her heroine, Molly, inherits a homestead from an aunt she never knew and the condition for the inheritance is that Molly lives for one year like her aunt did, without plumbing or electricity. This came at a very opportune time for Molly and her daughter Bridget who had communication issues. They arrive in the remote wilderness with no experience whatsoever of surviving in this harsh remote environment.
Elinor inspiringly weaves the courage Molly needs to overcome obstacles every day with the journal she finds of how her aunt survived as a courageous Irish descent homesteader. Molly meets fascinating characters and interesting relationships are forged including with indigenous people. This aspect makes the book feel autobiographical.
Elinor’s passion for the strong women who helped develop her beloved country comes through clearly. Molly and her daughter also prove to be strong and courageous.
Go to Elinor Florence to find out more about this fascinating author, particularly if you love the history of Canada.
BonnieK
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
July 1, 2020
I absolutely loved this book! I could not put it down. It has a wonderful fish out of water story as the main character, Molly, leaves her urban fast paced life in Arizona, to an off the grid family homestead in Northern Alberta. There is also a story within a story when Molly discovers her great aunt's diary.
There is such a strong sense of place in this book. You can really appreciate how hard the original Canadian homesteaders had it when they arrived. I consider it roughing it when we have a 2 day power outage at our family cottage, but this gave me a new appreciation of what life without modern conveniences really looks at it.
There were some cute moments where I smirked at the "Canadianisms" that were smattered into the book such as Molly's frustration with the metric system, and her appreciation of our multi-colored money. I think the author's bias came through when Molly discovers that Tim Horton's coffee was the best coffee she ever had!
There is such a strong sense of place in this book. You can really appreciate how hard the original Canadian homesteaders had it when they arrived. I consider it roughing it when we have a 2 day power outage at our family cottage, but this gave me a new appreciation of what life without modern conveniences really looks at it.
There were some cute moments where I smirked at the "Canadianisms" that were smattered into the book such as Molly's frustration with the metric system, and her appreciation of our multi-colored money. I think the author's bias came through when Molly discovers that Tim Horton's coffee was the best coffee she ever had!
February 9, 2021
Great adventure story love the relationship between mom and daughter great story of people from the present living in the past
January 1, 2019
A wonderful adventure from the past to the future of two different women and life in northern Alberta
February 23, 2018
So for one thing, I'm from Saskatchewan - only a province over from Alberta and near the setting of the fictional abandoned farmhouse(Wildwood) by the fictional town of Juniper, Alberta that is meant to represent early colonies such as Peace River, Manning and Beaver Lodge in northern Alberta. I don't personally live in the middle of nowhere like the farmhouse is intended to be but if you're from the prairies chances are you've been on a farm in the middle of nowhere at some point in your life. So I could easily relate to the main character Molly when she first arrives at the farmhouse, full of dread but also- determination.
The author did a wonderful job of incorporating the seasons and capturing how Molly and her daughter either struggled or progressed with them. I was reading this novel at the beginning of February and it was still very cold here so I was relating with Molly and how she felt about the cold as well- agonizing over how long the winter feels and how it seems like it's never going to end.
The author focused heavily on Molly and Bridget's survival and their relationship with each other, which I adored. I loved Bridget and the quirky things she would say, I was reminded of one my friends daughters who is around the same age who also says similar things so it was totally believable to me. I also love the character development within Bridget, she's just a child but she has trouble speaking or being around people. She needs a lot of therapy, so the therapist claims. However, now she's in an environment where she isn't around anyone and one would think that this would do more damage than good to her as she needs to be around people to conquer her fear but it's amazing what a different setting and simply being around nature can do to someone, especially a young, impressionable child. This development was one of my favorite parts of the story.
I would have preferred more romance in the story, one of my own little nit- picky things because I'm a sucker for it but I still really enjoyed Molly's personal story and how she coped with raising Bridget and being determined to live a homesteader life. I liked the practicality of it all and the way it seemed like this really could be a true story. Also, loved that she wrote in scenes with the neighbors helping her out because this is totally accurate to most farmers and rural communities in the prairies!
I was intrigued by another side character in the book, a little girl named Wynona Bearspaw from a neighbouring Indian reserve. I enjoyed reading about her character and wished there had been more scenes with her. I wanted to scoop Wynona up and take her home but I settled with Molly treating her with kindness and inviting her into her home. I liked the dynamic between Molly, Bridget and Wynona - the friendship and love that grows from their interactions is really sweet and another favorite part of this story for me!
A follow up would be lovely. I would love to read a sequel of this story but when Bridget is older and so she can narrate what has happened and how the rest of her childhood developed who she becomes. Adding a multiple point of view from grown-up Wynona as well. My hopes!
Yes, I would definitely recommend for those looking for an interesting read about a single mother braving the wild isolation of the prairies while also learning more about Canada and its early homesteaders! I would rate it as PG 13, no illicit language or x-rated scenes. Elinor Florence did a wonderful job of creating a heartwarming and impressionable story that I know I'll be recommending to others! Also, if you're unfamiliar with Canadian currency, sports and agriculture be prepared for quite a few conversations about it! I love that our currency bills make others think of it as 'monopoly' money, haha!
Check out more of my reviews @ www.paperdreamsblog.com
The author did a wonderful job of incorporating the seasons and capturing how Molly and her daughter either struggled or progressed with them. I was reading this novel at the beginning of February and it was still very cold here so I was relating with Molly and how she felt about the cold as well- agonizing over how long the winter feels and how it seems like it's never going to end.
The author focused heavily on Molly and Bridget's survival and their relationship with each other, which I adored. I loved Bridget and the quirky things she would say, I was reminded of one my friends daughters who is around the same age who also says similar things so it was totally believable to me. I also love the character development within Bridget, she's just a child but she has trouble speaking or being around people. She needs a lot of therapy, so the therapist claims. However, now she's in an environment where she isn't around anyone and one would think that this would do more damage than good to her as she needs to be around people to conquer her fear but it's amazing what a different setting and simply being around nature can do to someone, especially a young, impressionable child. This development was one of my favorite parts of the story.
I would have preferred more romance in the story, one of my own little nit- picky things because I'm a sucker for it but I still really enjoyed Molly's personal story and how she coped with raising Bridget and being determined to live a homesteader life. I liked the practicality of it all and the way it seemed like this really could be a true story. Also, loved that she wrote in scenes with the neighbors helping her out because this is totally accurate to most farmers and rural communities in the prairies!
I was intrigued by another side character in the book, a little girl named Wynona Bearspaw from a neighbouring Indian reserve. I enjoyed reading about her character and wished there had been more scenes with her. I wanted to scoop Wynona up and take her home but I settled with Molly treating her with kindness and inviting her into her home. I liked the dynamic between Molly, Bridget and Wynona - the friendship and love that grows from their interactions is really sweet and another favorite part of this story for me!
A follow up would be lovely. I would love to read a sequel of this story but when Bridget is older and so she can narrate what has happened and how the rest of her childhood developed who she becomes. Adding a multiple point of view from grown-up Wynona as well. My hopes!
Yes, I would definitely recommend for those looking for an interesting read about a single mother braving the wild isolation of the prairies while also learning more about Canada and its early homesteaders! I would rate it as PG 13, no illicit language or x-rated scenes. Elinor Florence did a wonderful job of creating a heartwarming and impressionable story that I know I'll be recommending to others! Also, if you're unfamiliar with Canadian currency, sports and agriculture be prepared for quite a few conversations about it! I love that our currency bills make others think of it as 'monopoly' money, haha!
Check out more of my reviews @ www.paperdreamsblog.com
April 22, 2018
Since I read more thrillers these days, Wildwood was a little detour from my “who-dunnit” page-turners. I picked this one up because I liked the premise of the novel; living off the grid is something that appeals to me very much (for like a weekend maybe). Wildwood was a much needed escape into the quiet, haunting Canadian north – a year long journey into the harsh northern landscape and one single mother’s determination to survive.
Molly’s resourcefulness and determination are what hooked me, it kept me reading. It reminded me of how strong I had to be at certain times in my own life and how I dug deep to find strength. Sometimes I wonder just where that strength came from. My father told me once (and I’ll never forget it) “You have no idea how strong you really are.” It’s something that has kept me going far too many times than I care to admit.
Even though after reading the first few chapters I knew how Wildwood would end, Elinor Florence sketched a beautiful story of quiet determination. The picturesque landscape comes to life and season after season, Molly learns to fend for herself with no running water or electricity. She grows in ways she never thought possible. Florence also weaves modern concerns into this novel and tackles issues such as fracking and indigenous topics that are present in the media right now.
Through a journal Molly finds in her aunt’s house, we are taken back in time and learn about the struggles of our early settlers. This brings me to another thing I loved about the novel, The House. I spent a lot of time thinking about that house, with all its untouched treasures – frozen in time. When I was living in Northern Ontario, I’d often see abandoned houses and I’d be itching to have a look inside.
I know, I know… there are many things I loved about the novel – but my absolute favorite parts were when Molly spent time in the kitchen. Reading her baking adventures brought back wonderful memories of my own. Not only as a child watching my mother bake but my own trials and errors with eggs and flour. There is absolutely nothing more satisfying than making something from scratch! Old cookbooks fascinate me, and I have quite the little collection. I love the ones that have hand written recipes in them or little notes in the margin so every time Molly took out her worn cookbook, I wanted to get into my kitchen as well.
It’s a wonderful read, so I suggest a cup of your favorite beverage along with a comfy place to read and you’ll be ready to escape into the pages of Elinor Florence’s Wildwood.
An e-galley of this novel was provided by the publisher in exchange for my thoughts and review
Molly’s resourcefulness and determination are what hooked me, it kept me reading. It reminded me of how strong I had to be at certain times in my own life and how I dug deep to find strength. Sometimes I wonder just where that strength came from. My father told me once (and I’ll never forget it) “You have no idea how strong you really are.” It’s something that has kept me going far too many times than I care to admit.
Even though after reading the first few chapters I knew how Wildwood would end, Elinor Florence sketched a beautiful story of quiet determination. The picturesque landscape comes to life and season after season, Molly learns to fend for herself with no running water or electricity. She grows in ways she never thought possible. Florence also weaves modern concerns into this novel and tackles issues such as fracking and indigenous topics that are present in the media right now.
Through a journal Molly finds in her aunt’s house, we are taken back in time and learn about the struggles of our early settlers. This brings me to another thing I loved about the novel, The House. I spent a lot of time thinking about that house, with all its untouched treasures – frozen in time. When I was living in Northern Ontario, I’d often see abandoned houses and I’d be itching to have a look inside.
I know, I know… there are many things I loved about the novel – but my absolute favorite parts were when Molly spent time in the kitchen. Reading her baking adventures brought back wonderful memories of my own. Not only as a child watching my mother bake but my own trials and errors with eggs and flour. There is absolutely nothing more satisfying than making something from scratch! Old cookbooks fascinate me, and I have quite the little collection. I love the ones that have hand written recipes in them or little notes in the margin so every time Molly took out her worn cookbook, I wanted to get into my kitchen as well.
It’s a wonderful read, so I suggest a cup of your favorite beverage along with a comfy place to read and you’ll be ready to escape into the pages of Elinor Florence’s Wildwood.
An e-galley of this novel was provided by the publisher in exchange for my thoughts and review
November 20, 2017
Wildwood by Elinor Florence is now in my top 10 all time favorite novels. I loved everything about this book. The writing style is smooth and flows so well. I enjoyed the diary sections as much as the current time sections. The comparisons worked well. The characters were fully devoloped and grew emotionally and physically during the time spent in Juniper at Wildwood. I enjoyed the knowledge gained about the pioneers and the indigenous people, the landscape, the surrounding nature of the land, the length of winter and summer days. All amazing. Thank you Net Galley. I will add this author to my list of favorites.
February 27, 2018
Lovely story about young single mother who moves to an isolated house in order to claim her inheritance. She plans to spend a year there to meet the terms of her aunts will even though her daughter is quite young and the House has no modern conveniences. The author does a lovely job of describing the beauty of the countryside and even had me thinking for a moment or two that I myself might enjoy living this way.
April 7, 2019
Not the type of book I would normally read, but a book club pick. I can't be really critical but I'll just say it was ok!
December 27, 2019
When Molly Banister learns that she has the opportunity to inherit her great-aunt’s farm in a remote community of northern Alberta, she figures she has nothing to lose. The will stipulates that she must live on the land for one year in order to get the deed. Molly has lived her entire life in Arizona and barely even knows where Alberta is, but she’s almost broke and has a young daughter to support so she figures the two of them can just move in, stick it out for a year, then sell it and return to the States. How hard can it be?
Obviously it’s a lot harder than Molly thinks, or else we wouldn’t have a story. But what a wonderful story it is! Anyone who is Canadian, even if they haven’t ventured to the far north, knows how different our country is from the States: the climate, the people, the culture. Part of the fun of reading the book is following Molly as she discovers all the little, and big, differences that she must face. The metric system, Tim Hortons, Thanksgiving in October, weather cold enough to kill you within minutes, the fact that she can’t purchase a handgun... all of this comes as a shock to someone who has spent their entire life in the southern States. Add to that the fact that the homestead has no electricity or running water and Molly (and the local townspeople) aren’t sure she can stick it out for one month, never mind one year. Yet Molly finds within herself courage and determination that she didn’t know she had, and with the help of a 12-year old Cree girl from the nearby reserve, she slowly becomes the mother and homesteader that she never thought she could ever become.
I loved a lot about this book. Naturally, I loved all the Canadian references because it’s always fun to read about “home” (even if I don’t live in the north). I loved the characters: Molly, her daughter Bridget, and 12-year old Wynona. I loved reading about their struggles and how Molly found solutions to their many challenges. And I also loved how Molly discovered her great-aunt’s journal, and how neatly the author tied in her great-aunt’s homesteading journey with Molly’s, despite the almost hundred-year time difference. Author Elinor Florence obviously did her research on homesteading in the prairie provinces and it shows through the journal entries. This was of particular interest to me because I wrote a research paper several years ago about women pioneers on the Canadian prairies, and she really nailed the isolation they felt, the challenges they faced, and the fact that many of them survived due to the assistance of the local Indigenous peoples.
Some sections of the book read a little bit like a modern day “Roughing it in the Bush” (Suzannah Moodie’s 1871 classic, which of course is also mentioned in the book!), but I didn’t care. Yes, it had some predictable moments, but overall it was nicely written and I really enjoyed how Florence’s obvious love of nature and the natural world shone through. You don’t have to be Canadian to enjoy this story of love, determination, and courage!
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
Obviously it’s a lot harder than Molly thinks, or else we wouldn’t have a story. But what a wonderful story it is! Anyone who is Canadian, even if they haven’t ventured to the far north, knows how different our country is from the States: the climate, the people, the culture. Part of the fun of reading the book is following Molly as she discovers all the little, and big, differences that she must face. The metric system, Tim Hortons, Thanksgiving in October, weather cold enough to kill you within minutes, the fact that she can’t purchase a handgun... all of this comes as a shock to someone who has spent their entire life in the southern States. Add to that the fact that the homestead has no electricity or running water and Molly (and the local townspeople) aren’t sure she can stick it out for one month, never mind one year. Yet Molly finds within herself courage and determination that she didn’t know she had, and with the help of a 12-year old Cree girl from the nearby reserve, she slowly becomes the mother and homesteader that she never thought she could ever become.
I loved a lot about this book. Naturally, I loved all the Canadian references because it’s always fun to read about “home” (even if I don’t live in the north). I loved the characters: Molly, her daughter Bridget, and 12-year old Wynona. I loved reading about their struggles and how Molly found solutions to their many challenges. And I also loved how Molly discovered her great-aunt’s journal, and how neatly the author tied in her great-aunt’s homesteading journey with Molly’s, despite the almost hundred-year time difference. Author Elinor Florence obviously did her research on homesteading in the prairie provinces and it shows through the journal entries. This was of particular interest to me because I wrote a research paper several years ago about women pioneers on the Canadian prairies, and she really nailed the isolation they felt, the challenges they faced, and the fact that many of them survived due to the assistance of the local Indigenous peoples.
Some sections of the book read a little bit like a modern day “Roughing it in the Bush” (Suzannah Moodie’s 1871 classic, which of course is also mentioned in the book!), but I didn’t care. Yes, it had some predictable moments, but overall it was nicely written and I really enjoyed how Florence’s obvious love of nature and the natural world shone through. You don’t have to be Canadian to enjoy this story of love, determination, and courage!
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
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