I listened to this book while doing some crafts. The story was very interesting and it assisted in passing the time. I did believe that the story could have happened. Most of the characters seemed to be real people. I liked that the setting played a big part in the conflict of the story. I want to find other books set in Oregon because of this story. Might look into the background of this author. ( )

This is a well-told story of a little town once called Century and the people who have settled there, oftentimes to hide from their past. The wrangles between cattle and sheep men are exploited to good effect, and the author clearly knows the area and these old-frontier issues well. It is an exquisitely written book. ( )

Keesey has impeccable restraint, and I love the way she writes Esther, such a strong heroine but so fragile as well. The story itself is a slow build, but Keesey handles the drama of the final act expertly, giving the reader the long-promised action but not letting the sheep massacre (stunning) or the fire overwhelm the delicacy of the story. And she never, never overplays her hand in terms of Esther’s sympathy for and connection to little Marguerite, which could have been so clumsy elsewhere. Very literary historical fiction.
( )

Me, Esther, and Pick had a rough go of it. There were moments I loved this book -- the conversation between Esther and Ben about Grant Goodwell -- and moments when I did not love it -- the random, in-depth talk of a war that played no real role in the overall story.

So I liked it, but I can't really praise it. Yes, the writing was beautiful, but I could have used less of it at times, you know? I probably should have known I wouldn't love it when the description compared it to My Ántonia instead of say...Lonesome Dove. (I really didn't like the Cather novel when I read it in high school, I should give it another chance.)

Progress:
01/30 page 336 100.0%
01/30 page 213 63.0% "This book is quiet. It makes me feel like no one talks a lot in the high desert...they just stand around and stare at each other with someone occasionally breaking the silence with some incredibly profound but concise statement about cows or sheep or war."
01/30 page 179 53.0%
01/30 page 137 40.0% "Hmm...least romantic man on the planet? That would be Pick."
01/29 page 97 28.0%
01/28 page 20 5.0% "I feel like I knew this, but didn't KNOW it: Part of Oregon is a DESERT http://bit.ly/XNm3FY" ( )

DNF.

Gave it over 100 pages. Just couldn't slog through anymore waiting for the storyline to pick up. Sheep vs cows. Orphan vs homestead.