Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Into the Wilderness (Wilderness, #1)” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Into the Wilderness

(Wilderness #1)

Sara Donati (Goodreads Author)

4.10 · Rating details · 36,713 ratings · 2,374 reviews

Weaving a tapestry of fact and fiction, Sara Donati's epic novel sweeps us into another time and place...and into the heart of a forbidden affair between an unconventional Englishwoman and an American frontiersman.

It is December of 1792. Elizabeth Middleton leaves her comfortable English estate to join her family in a remote New York mountain village. It is a place unlike ...more

Get A Copy

Paperback, 876 pages

Published August 3rd 1999 by Bantam Books (first published August 3rd 1998)

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Into the Wilderness, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Favorite Historical Romance Novels

3,147 books — 6,143 voters

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

Best Historical Fiction

6,536 books — 26,204 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 4.10 ·

Rating details

· 36,713 ratings · 2,374 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Into the Wilderness (Wilderness, #1)

Sep 15, 2010 ALPHAreader rated it really liked it

OUTLANDER FANFICTION?

It’s impossible not to compare Donati’s series to Diana Gabaldon’s epic ‘Outlander’. Both series are historical romance, on a grand serial scale, and the marketing of Donati’s series is largely reliant on Diana Gabaldon. Not only does a Gabaldon quote appear on the front-cover of ‘Into the Wilderness’, but Donati thanks Gabaldon in her acknowledgements. And the most obvious comparison is the fact that Donati’s books are a sort of fanfiction crossover to Diana Gabaldon’s famo ...more

flag 193 likes · Like · see review

Jun 06, 2011 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it did not like it

Recommends it for: No One

Recommended to Lisa (Harmonybites) by: The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Ultimate Reading List

Shelves: fiction, novels, romance, historical-fiction, ultimate-reading-list

The book had blurbs praising it from romance writers Diana Gabaldon and Amanda Quick and the trade magazine Romantic Times. Not a good sign I'd like it, if this was being marketed to those who frequent the romance aisle. The prose was more readable than most books I've read marketed as romance, even if hardly stellar, but what killed this novel for me is how it takes the "historical" out of historical fiction.

This is set in the New York frontier in 1793, dealing with the twenty-nine-year-old El The book had blurbs praising it from romance writers Diana Gabaldon and Amanda Quick and the trade magazine Romantic Times. Not a good sign I'd like it, if this was being marketed to those who frequent the romance aisle. The prose was more readable than most books I've read marketed as romance, even if hardly stellar, but what killed this novel for me is how it takes the "historical" out of historical fiction.

This is set in the New York frontier in 1793, dealing with the twenty-nine-year-old Elizabeth Middleton. Raised in England, she's come to America hoping to set up a school. New York is my own state, and the idea of a novel set there during that period intrigued me. However, two examples of a lack of grounding in the period stood out to me before the fifty page mark. The first is when a woman talks about how they could use a "schoolmarm." The fact is during the colonial and Federal period, school teachers in America were overwhelmingly under twenty-five, White and male. Not only wouldn't a person assume a teacher would be female--the feminization of the profession didn't begin until late in the 19th Century--but Miss Middleton would invariably have stirred up opposition because of her gender. Back then women weren't thought to have the authority or strength to control a classroom with children older than eight. Also, at a certain point, Nathaniel Bonner, (seemingly patterned after Cooper's Nathaniel Bumppo) calls Elizabeth a "bluestocking," and she doesn't know what that is. The term was common in Britain in the period. I've seen people poo poo this kind of criticism. It's just fiction they cry. Nonsense! Part of successful fiction is that you don't jar a reader out of their willing suspension of disbelief; and the appeal of historical fiction is the sense you're entering into another time and place, not reading about modern people in costumes.

This isn't to say some allowances shouldn't be made and some mistakes forgiven. Elizabeth Middleton from the beginning struck me as far too modern in her sensibilities--she doesn't seem to care about class or race and wants to keep her independence and remain unmarried. I'm willing to allow that; her mother was said to be a Quaker, so a reader can allow Elizabeth some nonconformity, but I could never settle in comfortably into a belief in the tale, which quickly shaped up to be a rather formulaic romance riffing off Last of the Mohicans with guest starring appearances from Jamie and Clare of Outlander and cameo roles from Jane Austen's novels. (Poor Jane Bingley, forced to appear in such a tawdry bodice-ripper.) This novel reads like really, really bad fan fiction, one that impoverishes rather than enriches the originals.
...more

flag 61 likes · Like · see review

Jan 12, 2010 Bark | Ladies Of Horror Fiction rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction, audiobook, romance

I read this as an unabridged audiobook and it seemed like tape one consisted of author thank you's and an unending listing of family trees involved in her story and I assumed I'd be in way over my head with this one. I was right.

Elizabeth is a 29 year old spinster who wants nothing more than her independence and to teach young children. With this in mind, she sets out into the wilderness that is "Paradise" to join her father and brother. What she doesn't know is that her father who faces financi ...more

flag 37 likes · Like · see review

Sep 16, 2017 MoodyJess rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I feel like I've just been on a Walk-a-bout and returned a different person after one of the most compelling reads of 2017 for me. INTO THE WILDERNESS by Sara Donati has been an absolute pleasure to read and a experience I won't soon forget.

I love getting recommendations from books friends. They seem to always know what I need when I need it-and the absolute joy, heartache, sorrow, love and hate emotions I've just gone through while reading this exceptional book is enough to last me a life time ...more

flag 35 likes · Like · see review

Jan 16, 2010 Carolyn F. rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-romance

I enjoyed this book a lot. I made the mistake of listening to someone say it was in the same vein as Outlander, which kind of ruined it for me at first. But then when I just sat back and enjoyed the book for itself, I really enjoyed it a lot.

PS How many times can I use "enjoyed" in this review - apparently 3. ...more

flag 27 likes · Like · see review

Jun 09, 2009 Belinda rated it really liked it

For any Diana Gabaldon fans, rejoice, my friends, rejoice!

I know you've waited a long time for more Claire and Jamie, with *years* between sequals. You can bridge that horrible gap with my new find, Sara Donati.

OK, I admit, I've only read the first book. But it had that headstrong female character, the dangerous-but-charming love interest, the chorus of earthy and interesting background characters. All are positioned against a distant time in history where life was hard (really hard, dammit, no ...more

flag 23 likes · Like · see review

Apr 02, 2014 B the BookAddict rated it liked it

Recommended to B the BookAddict by: GR

Shelves: hist-fiction

No review, I'm too busy getting stuck into book #2 of the series. 4★ ...more

flag 23 likes · Like · see review

Nov 24, 2016 Camie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A big ( about 700 pages) historical fiction saga which combines the Mohawk Indian tribe from James Fenimore Cooper's Last of the Mohicans and late 18th century English settlers in the wilderness of New York. Also takes on a decidedly Diana Gabaldon ( Outlander series) flare with the addition of the romance between Elizabeth, the old maid schoolmarm and daughter of Judge Middleton the areas biggest landowner, and Nathaniel Bonner, the ruggedly handsome ( of course) frontiersman who though white w ...more

flag 23 likes · Like · see review

Jul 31, 2017 h o l l i s rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to h o l l i s by: Bookphenomena (Micky)

Shelves: overdrive, heroines-i-love, hist-romance, best-of-the-book-boyfriends, romance, heroes-to-root-for, buddy-read, swoony-crush-worthy-boys, all-the-feels, seriously-kick-ass-lady-protag

"When I'm dying, when I close my eyes at the last, it'll be your face I see, right at this moment."

I have a head, heart & stomach (for real, I can't be the only one who feels emotions in her gut!) full of feels right now. Not to mention a phone full of screenshots. And yet I do not know where to begin when it comes to writing this review. Spoiler : this is going to suck, just read the book.

"I am so sorry to disappoint."
"On the contrary. I ain't the least bit disappointed."

INTO THE WILDERNESS con ...more

flag 14 likes · Like · see review

Sep 07, 2014 Lucia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

With my new found love for historical fiction (thanks to Outlander) and with my love for Last of Mohicans movie, it was just question of time when I would read this book. And I am glad that I chose it for my summer read. I got somehow lighter read than I expected but I enjoyed it nonetheless and I definitely plan to read next instalment! ...more

flag 21 likes · Like · see review

Jan 01, 2012 Mary rated it did not like it

Shelves: read-2013, historical-fiction, usa, hf-1700s

I'm perplexed as to why this series, and this book in particular, are compared to Diana Gabaldon's Outlander. I'm a big Outlander fan, and while I feel her most recent books are somewhat self-indulgent and episodic, I still like them. They are well-written and despite being long-winded and sometimes far-fetched, they are usually entertaining. Not so with this book.

The author had a genius idea to write the sequel to the The Last of the Mohicans movie, which is still one of my favorite movies. It I'm perplexed as to why this series, and this book in particular, are compared to Diana Gabaldon's Outlander. I'm a big Outlander fan, and while I feel her most recent books are somewhat self-indulgent and episodic, I still like them. They are well-written and despite being long-winded and sometimes far-fetched, they are usually entertaining. Not so with this book.

The author had a genius idea to write the sequel to the The Last of the Mohicans movie, which is still one of my favorite movies. It had everything: an enviable romance, adventure in the wilderness, action enough to make your blood burn. Maybe that's why I kept reading. I didn't want the author to waste a perfectly good idea. I slogged through all 800+ pages in the hope that at some point, I would latch onto what thousands of other readers have enjoyed, but it never happened. I found the characters flat, the dialogue stiff, and the plot disorganized and slightly ridiculous. (view spoiler)

This book is a romance, badly disguised as historical fiction, and since the primary focus here is the relationship, frankly, there should be some chemistry between the main characters. I'm in the minority here, obviously, but I thought the love story between Elizabeth Middleton and Nathaniel Bonner was awfully forced. Nathaniel professes a wish to be "red" and prefers the Mohawk lifestyle, but then inexplicably falls in love with a whiter-than-white Englishwoman. Well, um, okay then. It'd sure be nice if there was some sort of explanation for that. There was a lot of staring, some bad dialogue (Our hero actually says: "You're a spinster woman, no?" Marvelous.), and the sudden discovery that they love each other, society be damned. I guess I'm a skeptic, but from a writerly perspective, it seemed lazy. And boring. The author could have built tension and developed her characters through dialogue or more thoughtful plotting. Instead she writes things like "And she walked off toward the river with her husband close behind, to tell him what he needed to know." The reader isn't privy to their conversation because we already know what happened to Elizabeth, but wouldn't it be more interesting if we found out at the same time Nathaniel did? Nope, we simply jump forward in time and the important conversation is ignored.

For me, there were a lot of moments like that, where I was mentally editing and asking myself "now, why did the author do that?" Poison for this reader because I was not entertained enough to ignore the mechanics and focus on the story. Too long, too dull - I won't be continuing on with this series.
...more

flag 20 likes · Like · see review

Jul 10, 2020 The Colonial rated it liked it · review of another edition

Historical novelist Sara Donati begins this fictional chronicle in the year 1792, with Washington steering the young American Republic, who’s recent policy focuses have turned to Native American diplomacy and territory rights. We meet the budding schoolteacher Elizabeth Middleton, recently emigrated from England who has just arrived at her Father’s estate only to find her arrogant brother quarreling with what look like two Native Americans—the witty bachelor Nathaniel Bonner, and his father Hawk Historical novelist Sara Donati begins this fictional chronicle in the year 1792, with Washington steering the young American Republic, who’s recent policy focuses have turned to Native American diplomacy and territory rights. We meet the budding schoolteacher Elizabeth Middleton, recently emigrated from England who has just arrived at her Father’s estate only to find her arrogant brother quarreling with what look like two Native Americans—the witty bachelor Nathaniel Bonner, and his father Hawkeye. It is at this moment that we find Donati’s series is a continuation of famed novelist J.F. Cooper’s Last of the Mohicans, where both of these perceived natives are actually white men adopted by the Mohawks, with Nathaniel a widower to a Mohican wife and father to nine year old Hannah.

Donati’s writing is grasping and full of colorful imagery, as the plot moves forward by showing that Elizabeth’s father is a judge who has amassed a fortune of land, and would give anything to keep his life’s work and holdings in his family—to the point of marrying his daughter off to any eligible suitor. Nathaniel notices early on her outspoken views, education, and compassion for those held in bondage and in submission to the wealthy elite, including Natives—and he is delighted that this “spinster” has yet to find a match worthy of her quality.

The Wilderness books are often compared to the Outlander series, due to Donati’s friendship and advice taken from Diana Gabaldon prior to being published, as well as her homage to the series by adding a certain cameo into the story. Unfortunately, when comparing the two series, it is quite clear that the character development, relatability, and depth lacks in both the conversations between Nathaniel and Elizabeth, as well as their often awkward and forced intimate encounters. Conversely, Donati illustrates the landscape with picturesque ease and captures the nature and emotions of her protagonists and their enemies in a way that’s familiar and believable to the experience—from the bitterness and ferocity of Richard Todd—to the contrasting views of land and wilderness from both a Mohawk and white settler perspective:

Nathaniel remembered fishing the lake as a boy. At dawn or dusk, wading in the shallows or out in the canoe he had felt like an intruder in a world crowded with fish and birds and wild of all kinds. That was before the village took hold and started to grow like a new kind of animal, jealous of its space and food.
Where now a crowd of children fed deadwood into a growing bonfire, he had once watched a hawk and an eagle wage a screaming battle over a mallard. Asleep on the shore, he had come suddenly full awake to see a bobcat drinking not twenty yards from him, all gold and sliding muscle. But now the shore was crowded with canoes and dugouts and anything that could be paddled, even a makeshift raft. Men paced back and forth, their movements jittery with excitement. Their voices rose like a buzzing on the wind.

The reader will find the plot and genre geared more towards that of a Romance novel, with a historical focus on gender roles in the late-eighteenth century, tribal customs of Native Americans, and subsequent bits of historic lore and facts thrown in pertinent to the setting. While the first half of the book moves slowly and tries to capture the essence of each major and minor character, the plot certainly moves forward during the second half with fights and flights in the wilderness from both wild animals and men in pursuit of Elizabeth’s claim and title to the Wolf’s End land. As the journey nears the finish line, it picks up speed and emotion with the finale full of questions being answered and many plot holes filled, which suitably leaves the reader interested in the next chapter of the series. A helpful cast of Major Characters is provided, as well as a map of the territory of Paradise in New York.

Read the Full Review and More ...more

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

Sep 03, 2020 Karen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

5 STARS

The future is mysterious and frightening to you now, but in the end all will be well.

I have no idea what it was about this book that sucked me in like a black hole, but once I got started on it, I could not seem to put it down. My only complaints were that it was too long... yes, 876 pages, (and that equals greater than 30 hours of audiobook time), and I had a little issue with the ending. With all of pages and pages of text, I felt like there were too many things unfinished at the en ...more

flag 22 likes · Like · see review

Nov 30, 2011 Jill rated it it was amazing

Shelves: will-re-read-over-and-over-again, historical-romance, slavery, best-book-ever, american-indians

I have read all of the books in this series. I have also read all of the outlander series. Now for me the outlander series began to fall flat especially in the last few books. However every single book in this series has held my attention and earned my love and respect. By the time you read all these books you will feel like you are reading your own family history, these characters, Elizabeth, nathaniel, Hannah, Lilly, Daniel, curiosity will move into your heart and will never leave. I have read ...more

flag 18 likes · Like · see review

Jan 19, 2015 Linda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, early-america, 5-star-winners, nature-themes, historical-fiction

I have really enjoyed the first book in the series entitled Into the Wilderness. The basic storyline has been well-researched and there is great depth in the character development. It is refreshing to have the main character depicted for her intelligence, her analytical skills, and her strong resourcefulness. This is not your typical historical fiction with bodice ripping and muscular physiques on every page. Elizabeth is even deemed a spinster, being a woman in her late twenties, not a robust 1 ...more

flag 21 likes · Like · see review

Apr 22, 2015 Marquise rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, colonial-and-revolutionary-america, westerns, first-book-read-only, series-and-trilogies-to-continue, historical-setting-1700s

I've had this book for years, but was always reluctant both to crack it open and to give it away. Until I decided to do both: read it first and give it away after. The result is, I'm keeping the book till it rots.

Ironic, isn't it?

Looking back, I can pinpoint my wariness as stemming from two things: for one, that it was compared to, linked to, and said to be copied from "Outlander" and heartily recommended for and by fans of Gabaldon. And the thing is, I disliked that book, so the surest way to g ...more

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

Aug 01, 2010 Linda C rated it it was ok

Sadly, this book didn't really capture my interest, especially since I had hear such good things about it. It was closer to a bodice-ripper than it is to Outlander.

It was entertaining enough, and I may, at some point, pick up the next one in the series, but the central plot, i.e. the romance between Nathaniel and Elizabeth, didn't grab me. I just didn't get it. While there were moments that Nathaniel was rather sexy (the long dark hair, the silver earring), at the end of the day, he was a backwo ...more

flag 18 likes · Like · see review

Sep 13, 2009 Kimberly rated it it was ok

Recommended to Kimberly by: Michelle

Shelves: historical-fiction, own, romance, 2011

Into the Wilderness left me very underwhelmed. It had all the elements of a story that I would typically like: romance, nature/wilderness, drama, etc. But, the writing was just off. Here is an example of a clunky passage (two characters are making out):

"He realized that she was trying to talk to him, and he came back to himself a little. His name. She was summoning him to her. He drew it from her mouth, swallowed it whole. Gave her back her own name, fed it to her with his tongue."

It brings ima Into the Wilderness left me very underwhelmed. It had all the elements of a story that I would typically like: romance, nature/wilderness, drama, etc. But, the writing was just off. Here is an example of a clunky passage (two characters are making out):

"He realized that she was trying to talk to him, and he came back to himself a little. His name. She was summoning him to her. He drew it from her mouth, swallowed it whole. Gave her back her own name, fed it to her with his tongue."

It brings imagery to mind of a mother bird regurgitating food for her babies, LOL. The writing literally varied per page--one paragraph would be great and the next paragraph would take you mentally out of the book. There was no losing oneself with this one. One of the main problems I had with the writing was the POV. You'd be reading Elizabeth's POV for pages and then suddenly it would be Nathaniel's, no break or warning. It was awkward to say the least.

Again regarding the writing, the characters just weren't believable and some of the situations they were presented with were downright silly. For instance, Nathaniel has to show Elizabeth how to drink from a stream. As a woman who is nearly thirty, one would think she could figure out how to hold her hair back for the task. But, not Elizabeth. The rugged Nathaniel has to show her. *eye roll* Speaking of Nathaniel and Elizabeth, I never felt their chemistry. They just weren't believable as a couple for me and I found his moniker for her of "Boots" as forced and annoying.

Finally, I have to comment on the inclusion of references to Outlander characters. Going into the book I thought that it could be fun, especially as I knew Diana Gabaldon had had some influence on Donati's writing (as Donati herself acknowledges in her Notes). Instead, the references felt gimmicky and, once again, forced. On the surface, Donati's writing seems as though it could be comparable to Gabaldon's, but, in actuality, it didn't even come close for me. JMHO. As all my friends on GR know, I'm a huge DG fan.

For all my gripes, the book wasn't terrible and there was enough drama to make me curious as to the ending. Still, it was only 'ok' for me (2 stars). I think I went into this book expecting too much. ...more

flag 16 likes · Like · see review

Jan 25, 2018 Ursula rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-romance, emotional-rollercoaster, backwoods-frontier-hero, independent-woman, 2018-hraa-challenge, alpha-and-beta-hero-in-one

This won't be a long review but I do want to say how much I enjoyed this book.
I am not into Frontier romances and was reading this for my Romance Across the Ages Challenge, but I am very glad I did read it.

The author does a fabulous job of recreating that time and place in America's history, and while the lack of education, the racism and the ruggedness of the characters often got to me, it somehow fitted in so well with the theme, I soon let it go. (I did find the character of Julian, the hero ...more

flag 16 likes · Like · see review

Aug 01, 2017 Bookphenomena (Micky) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017-read, favourites-2017, library, historical, chemistry, buddy-read, cover-beauty, strong-woman, married-couples, narration-good

4.5 stars audio review

I file this mentally under 'epic reads' for so many reasons. The two lead characters, Elizabeth and Nathaniel are ones to measure up to. The frontier setting was magical, rough and required hardiness. The description was superb, even though this is not country I can identify with, I think I conjured a good version in my imagination, in people, clothing, wilderness, animals, smells and culture.

We talk about strong heroines in books but Elizabeth Middleton is one of the most ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Feb 23, 2010 Maliha rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, adventure, historical-fiction

Something must be very wrong with me since I did not LOVE this novel despite all its 5 star reviews. I am a huge fan of the Outlander series and pretty much anything Diana Gabaldon decides to write so I read Into the Wilderness because of her praise and her fans' praise for this novel. And I have to say that it was just OKAY; it was not bad. The author definitely put a good amount of research into the story but it failed complexity. The characters were not as developed as they could have been an ...more

flag 16 likes · Like · see review

Feb 16, 2015 Cam *tactile seeker* rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-romance, historical-fiction, romance

I'm so surprised that the majority of the reviews for Into the Wilderness are most concerned about explaining why it has nothing to do with the Outlander series or why, on the contrary, its author, Sara Donati, is Ms. Gabaldon's perfect little disciple, just because she's friends with her and writes HR.

Guys, get over Outlander! Not even Ms. Gabaldon wrote the same book twice, why would another person - another author - with her own writing style and brain, and voice and ideas, want to replicate ...more

flag 14 likes · Like · see review

Oct 02, 2011 Melodie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction

Elizabeth Middleton has a mind of her own. In the twilight of the 1700's that is not a good thing. English born, she has made her way to fledgling America to live with her widowed father and brother in upstate New York. And it takes no time at all for her to be at odds with current convention and the local townsmen. In matters of politic and romance, Elizabeth and her outspoken beliefs stand alone....almost.
I have enjoyed this sweeping historical drama from the first page. It has been quite a ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Nov 07, 2016 Carol Brill rated it really liked it

This book intimidated me, first, it's 876 pages of small print, and in the opening there is a 3 page chart of characters--too many pages and too many characters, not my favorite kind of read.
It's strength for me is the strong, well-written sense of time and place, this New York mountain village of the 1790's is so well drawn it's like another character in the book.
I enjoyed the primary characters. Elizabeth Middleton who leaves England to join her father in this remote place. She is a 29 year ol ...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Sep 23, 2015 Shelli rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ni-monthly-read, read-in-2016, library, historical, kindle

I enjoyed this as a summer read. It definitely wasn't as deep as many other historical fictions novels I've read. It felt much more like historical romance. The funny thing is, the romance wasn't my favorite part of the book. I actually liked the setting and the Native American characters the best. I listened to a lot of this and think the narrator did a nice job especially with the Scottish and Native accents and words. I didn't go into this with huge expectations, so just found it a light and ...more

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Dec 02, 2016 Libby rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Good book with strong likable characters. I was really pulled into the plot and Donati is great with descriptive narrative as well. I could picture the people andthe settings. However, I don't usually read books of this length and I was ready for the book to end about halfway through. Having said that, I am now having trouble choosing my next book because I was so caught up in this story. ...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Aug 23, 2011 Toni rated it did not like it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Apr 25, 2014 Diane Lynn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-own, new-york, historical-fiction

I loved this story set in the 1790's, mostly in upper New York State. I was immediately drawn into their lives, the characters and plot were very well done. There is a large cast of characters but fortunately there is a list at the beginning of my book which I had to refer to from time to time. I enjoyed the survival bits in the wilderness and some parts were also suspenseful. My only one minor complaint is that one love scene had a little too much information for me. That didn't affect my overa ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Dec 26, 2009 Mishelle LaBrash rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

This is among the top 4 favorite series ever... I love everything about these books. You love, cry, laugh, hurt, hope, believe and grow with the entire Bonner clan... Sara Donati is a genius.. and I hope she graces us with another series very, very soon... Having finished this series left me with a hollow feeling... And that doesn't happen often with me.. ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Jul 14, 2010 Quinn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: library-book, historical-fiction

Into the Wilderness was quite a surprise for me. Firstly, I wasn't expecting an 876 page brick. Then, given said dimensions, I was expecting an epic saga. It may be epic in scale, but was surprisingly narrow in scope and plot.

The book spans 12 months in the life of the people of a small settlement called Paradise, and focuses on the fight for ownership of Hidden Wolf, the mountain where a small group of Native Americans live and hunt.

The primary characters are Nathaniel, son of Hawkeye from the ...more

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Retos Literarios ...: En tierras lejanas	9	17	Apr 04, 2017 05:16AM
Más libros para Latinoamérica!!	1	1	Feb 08, 2017 03:11PM
Play Book Tag: Into the Wildernesss by Sarah Donati - 4 Stars	3	20	Jul 09, 2016 12:40PM
The Pioneers?	2	21	Feb 08, 2016 05:47PM
The Book Travelers: Into the Wilderness, by Sara Donati	4	11	Dec 09, 2015 04:19PM

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Historical > Historical Fiction

1,221 users

Romance

452 users

Fiction

313 users

Historical

304 users

Romance > Historical Romance

258 users

Adventure

83 users

Adult

46 users

Audiobook

39 users

Literature > 18th Century

35 users

Adult Fiction

34 users

See top shelves…

About Sara Donati

Sara Donati

2,547 followers

There's a new novel coming out September 10,: Where the Light Enters. More about the novel here. or on Sara's FaceBook page.

Sara Donati is the pen name of Rosina Lippi, also here on Goodreads because she writes too. All book reviews you'll find under Rosina's name. ...more

Other books in the series

Wilderness (6 books)

Books by Sara Donati

Dawn on a Distant Shore (Wilderness, #2)

More…

Articles featuring this book

Top 100 Romance Novels on Goodreads

Get in the mood with our list of the top 100 romances of all time. We narrowed the field by limiting our results to books aimed at...

Trivia About Into the Wilderne...

19 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Into the Wilderness

“Elizabeth Middleton, twenty-nine years old and unmarried, overly educated and excessively rational, knowing right from wrong and fancy from fact, woke in a nest of marten and fox pelts to the sight of an eagle circling overhead, and saw at once that it could not be far to Paradise.” — 30 likes

“She wore her determination like war paint.” — 9 likes

More quotes…

See a Problem?

Preview — Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati

Into the Wilderness

(Wilderness #1)

Get A Copy

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

Readers also enjoyed

Genres

About Sara Donati

Other books in the series

Books by Sara Donati

Articles featuring this book

Trivia About Into the Wilderne...

Quotes from Into the Wilderness