Member Review

Hobos, for some reason, have always fascinated me, but I never considered female hobos. In my mind, hobos were men carrying all they owned in a scarf tied on a stick. Olivia Hawker opened my eyes with the two women she brings to life in October in the Earth.

Even during the Depression, Adella Wensley (Del) had a beautiful home, nice things, and a reputable life as the wife of the most popular preacher in Harlan County, Kentucky. But her husband’s infidelity was intolerable, and she made up her mind to leave him. With no resources, though, she had few options. So, she did what many desperate women during that era did—she hopped a train.

When Del meets another hobo, Louisa Trout, she finds a reluctant friend who at first is uninterested in helping her. But circumstances keep throwing the women opportunities to benefit from traveling together, and the two slowly develop a deep friendship. Together they cross the country, defying danger, and learning to trust one another.

Themes of female friendship, poverty, and starting over no matter the risks combine with rich prose to paint a portrait of a bleak time in our nation’s history. Hawker’s writing is splendid, and her language infuses beauty into a harsh and painful landscape.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an early review copy.