One For The Blackbirds, One For The Crow is an unexpected story set in the prairie lands at the base of the Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming.
Without spoilers I’ll just say that the premise of the story is based on two women finding themselves without their husbands, forced to join their households so they and their children could survive the approaching winter. If not for their children, these two particular women would have much preferred to freeze or starve to death rather than spend time in each others company. There is so much more to the story but don’t want to ruin it.
The story is told from the points of view of Cora, her daughter Beulah, Nettie Mae, and her son Clyde. Many times the same scene is told from each point of view, showing how the same event can be interpreted through different eyes. A fifth and unexpected, most important character, is nature. The land, wind, water, animals, spirits all play perhaps the largest role in this story. In fact much of the 479 pages (very long for typical historical fiction novel) is devoted to the nature surrounding them rather than dialog.
Reading all available book blurbs and the few reviews I’ve seen did not prepare me for this book. I didn’t really read this story as much experience it.
This is a unique, beautifully written story I highly recommend.
(If you’re like me and enjoy the facts behind the story, be sure to read author notes to find out the part the authors great grandparents played in the story!)
One For The Blackbird, One For The Crow
Olivia Hawker
Lake Union Publishing
October 2019
