Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite authors. I have always been interested in the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Hannah's historical, nuanced world-building did not disappoint. This book stuck with me long after I finished. What a beautifully written, gritty tale for all history buffs to read!

This book was my favorite of Kristin Hannah's - the setting is one that I always go for and the language is beautiful. I added it to my classroom library.

Loved this book, seemed different than what I normally read from this author, but I love anything historical fiction. I wish the husband/father showed back up in the book, but I also would love to see a sequel where we see the next generation.

One of my favorite authors and a new favorite book. I was drawn to tears several times reading this novel. This was a part of our history that I knew little about.

Heart wrenching story that will resonate with mothers from anywhere and at any time. We face similar hardships in America today, but do we recognize the similarities that are so deftly illustrated by this plot? Well written female protagonist in a tale that could easily transfer to life today. Our challenges may appear different but rely on the same grit so eloquently portrayed by the author.

Gosh, I'm so torn by this book. Was it well written? Absolutely. Could I not put this book down? No, I read almost the entire book in one day. Was the subject interesting? Yes. Did I like it? I don't know, maybe?

This book follows Elsa in Texas in 1921. She is born to a family that just doesn't love her. Elsa dreams of adventures, love and just something more. When she meets Raffaellino, she is swept up in the romance of their secret love affair. When she falls pregnant, Elsa's family kicks her out of the family and shuns her for life. Elsa moves into Raff's families wheat farm and learns the ropes of how hard farming life is.

Fast forward to 1934, the climate is changing and the farms is dying and turning to dust. Millions are struggling to keep their families alive during this time.

**Continue reading for a spoiler filled review**
This book was just never ending sorrow, first with Elsa's family basically hating her, that was horrible to read about such hate among the people that are supposed to love you. Then she gets kicked out of the house since she is pregnant to go into Raff's family who finally give her the love and acceptance that every human needs only to be abandoned by her husband. THEN her daughter blames Elsa for her father leaving which is heartbreaking to read. Then the year after year of drought and the suffering the people had to endure. The illness that her son, Ant had to do endure was scary and heart wrenching, an illness that almost killed him. Elsa and her children stayed on the farm until the last possible second only to have to make the choice to leave the farm to go on a horrendous trip to California only to suffer on the road by strangers trying to take advantage of them. Then they finally arrive in California, thinking that this will finally give them a break. NOPE. They aren't welcomed by anyone and have to live on the side of the road in a tent camp only to suffer disease and poverty. Elsa's best friend in the camp, Jane, had a baby and it was born still born. Then the tent camp got flooded and they lost everything! Are you sick of the heartache yet? Yup, this is what I mean!! It's never ending.....you keep reading because the book is so well written and it holds your attention...don't keep reading if you want to actually read this book because I'm about to ruin the ending......

THEN, finally after the flood, they finally get solid work and a cabin that has electricity and mattress only to end up in a war with the crop owners and the up and coming unionizers who are trying to fight for fair wages, only to have Elsa shot and killed. I just don't understand the point of all this heartbreak in a story. I felt saddened and heartbroken after reading it. I guess I want my stories to have a good ending. The only good thing is that Elsa's daughter and son got to go back to Texas after she was killed (because where else would they go). I think I would have liked this book more if Kristin Hannah would have continued with the daughter's story and had some kind of redemption at the end. The way that it ended was just overall sad and I didn't like it.

Another solid read by Kristin Hannah. She is my favorite go-to author for moving stories with excellent characters.

I was hesitant to read this book amid a pandemic. There aren't many exceptionally exciting or uplifting things about the Dust Bowl and I delayed my reading because I wasn't sure if the weight would be too much to carry. I should have trusted Hannah to tell a story that is interesting amid hardship, that invites readers to root in a way we thought we'd lost the ability to do. Lots of people are talking about it and for good reason.

Although a fictional story with fictional characters, the desperate times in America in the late 1920's and early 1930's is are true, yet dark time. Elsa Martinelli is faced with major changes in her young adult life, forced to make decisions that will affect her future and her family's future.
This is a story of hardship, grief, desperation, greed, love and hope. It is poignant and riveting as the author guides the narrative through the phases of Elsa's life. Hardship becomes all Elsa knows and she's powerless to do anything about it except to exist for the sake of existing.
For me, this is a four of five star rating. The author gently reminds us of how women's roles are perceived and how women are frequently devalued, yet one instance comes to mind when Elsa is threatened during their journey and Loreda enters the scene with a shotgun. While the constant threat of that type of situation remains during their journey and living in a squatters camp, that aspect felt very glazed over. Safety was paramount during that time and there wasn't any security.
Overall, a heart-wrenching historical fiction story that will evoke many emotions from the readers.

It wouldn't be a Kristin Hannah book if she didn't try to make you cry. After loving The Great Alone, I was eager to pick this one up, and although I didn't love it as much, I really enjoyed it. Elsa is considered too old to marry, but she changes her fate when she meets Rafe Martinelli. Living in Texas, things aer looking up, until the Dust Bowl sets in. Dramatic and harsh, Hannah tugs at the heart strings with this one. If you're a fan of Hannah's previous work, this one is not to be missed.

I love Kristin Hannah's books but one thing they certainly are not is feel good. The Four Winds was one depressing moment after another - perhaps more so than any of her other books. She is such a talented writer that it is still enjoyable to read her work, but I wish this one wasn't quite so down.

Kristin Hannah is a truly gifted storyteller, and "The Four Winds" was no different. Across decades and familial ties, Hannah weaves an intriguing tale of desperation, commitment, and the female drive to survive.

The Four Winds Kristin Hannah
This was my first book by this author, and I loved it!
At times I had to remind myself that this book was fiction, I just got totally absorbed into the story.
I adored Elsa and her two children, especially Loreda. I felt their pain and plight as the book went on, and admired their courage. It was difficult reading, but I do enjoy this style of book.
One of my favourites this year.

This is truly a masterpiece of a book. Kristin Hannah never fails to impress. The book is really a window to the past, to a time that most of us will never understand. The simplicity of a time not too long ago, contrasting with the sheer struggle for existence makes this novel so compelling. If you are a fan of historical literary fiction, this is a must-read. Kristin Hannah is a modern-day great, and you can't go wrong with one of her books.

Another great historical fiction read from Kristin Hannah. Her writing and depictions put you squarely in the moment creating vivid images of the desperation felt by families in the Dust Bowl and during the Great Depression. History textbooks simply give facts and approach these time periods in an almost clinical approach, but The Four Winds really helps to paint the human story of survival.

I listened to this as I made a long road trip home. I didn’t pay much attention to the summary of the book but it is very somber. The content is about the Great Depression and the dust bowl during the 1930’s.

With that being said, it was an incredible book. I cried a lot of tears for Elsa and her family. I can’t even fathom the hardship and complete despair people endured. While this was a fictional book it was brought to my attention a very real time period when just existing was a struggle.

The Four Winds is a Kristin Hannah novel. I've read a couple of her books but this was the best one for me. I didn't know much about the story as I started reading. Families entanglement with their young daughter and an older son of another family. This was the fun part. The couple married and lived with his family in a forlorn farm within nothing but dust and dirt. Everyone lived together, children were born, but the farm, the dust and dirt got worse. I have read about the Dust Bowl in history. Kristen Hannah made this area very vivid and clear. No matter what the area inhabitants of the area did no stopping this devastating life. Some leave. Some stay with their homes. I received this from Net Galley as an ebook. I started it about 10 at night and was immediately entangled in the story. It wasc3 in the morning when I put the book down. Finished it the next day. I've never read anything like this to hold my attention. Just read it as a wonderful epic story.

I am a little wishy washy about Kristin Hannah. She's a favorite in my book club, so I've read several of her books and absolutely loved some, but felt a little meh on others without knowing why, because so many people love her works. But this one was more meh for me, It felt very Grapes of Wrath - like TOO much like the grapes of wrath.

This book is hard to rate. The beginning was written like a badly written YA novel and the end was predictable. This book could have been shorter by many pages. And yet at some point, I couldn't put it down and HAD to get to the finish that I guessed from a hundred pages out. This isn't Kristin Hannah's best book.

Wow — this was another of Hannah’s heart-ripping reads. I struggled with this one, not because it wasn’t a gripping book, but because the pain and tragedies of the characters were just relentless and I felt wrung out by the time I was done. And yet…I started another of Hannah’s books as soon as I finished. No spoilers except to have your Kleenex ready and some hot tea to soothe yourself because this one is a gripping ride.