3.5

Hold onto your hats, it’s about to get windy!

This starts out flying. Hazel Gaynor’s writing is gorgeous and immersive as always. We have Auntie Em leaving Chicago for the Dust Bowl, trying to carve out a life on the Kansas prairie - the homestead struggle was real. The early chapters I Zoom-zoomed through - I was completely invested in Emily’s journey.

Then the second half hits and it’s like an aerialist who missed the catch. The tension fizzles, the momentum collapses, and the story just kind of never takes flight. I kept waiting for it to pick up again, but it never really did.

Solid, readable, and beautifully written, but ultimately a story that starts with lift and lands a little flat. Gaynor writes like a dream. The first half alone is worth the read. It just never quite leaves the runway, and by the end, you’re left clapping politely while your heart whispers “we almost had it all.”

Final grade: B, what about after, Dorothy?

A Spellbinding Journey to the Heart of Oz
★★★★★

As my introduction to the writing of Hazel Gaynor, Before Dorothy has set an incredibly high bar. I was completely swept away by this beautiful and deeply moving historical novel. Gaynor weaves a masterful tale that feels both familiar and entirely new, and I found myself utterly enchanted from the very first page.

The story’s greatest strength is its exploration of the ties that bind family, particularly in the face of immense hardship. Gaynor’s characters are so richly drawn, their hopes and struggles so palpable, that you can't help but feel a part of their journey. I was profoundly moved by their resilience and their unwavering support for one another as they faced the unforgiving challenges of farming the land in the American West. Their adventurous spirit and determined nature are at the heart of the story, making it a compelling read that resonates long after the final chapter.

What makes this book truly brilliant, however, is the way Gaynor connects her narrative to L. Frank Baum's timeless classic, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The subtle, yet powerful, connections to the 1900 novel are a joy to discover. She creates a vibrant and detailed world that serves as the perfect backdrop for the story, all while honoring the fantastical elements that we know and love. It’s a testament to her skill that she can build such a compelling and grounded story while still managing to capture the spirit of Baum’s original work.

For fans of historical fiction, as well as anyone who has ever dreamed of a land of yellow brick roads and emerald cities, Before Dorothy is a must-read. Hazel Gaynor has delivered a captivating story of family, adventure, and the magic that exists in the most unexpected of places. This is a five-star read that I will not soon forget.

Many thanks to NetGallery and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me a copy to review and love.

I really enjoyed this heartfelt historical fiction reimagining of Dorothy's Aunt Em and Uncle Henry and their life in the midwest during the 1930s. Told from Aunt Em's perspective as she leaves Chicago full of hope for her life as a farmer, only to face the Great Depression, the loss of her sister and struggle with infertility and a miscarriage. Creative and compelling, this was good on audio and perfect for fans of The Wizard of Oz! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.

A must-read for any Wizard of Oz fan. Before Dorothy is a tender and beautifully imagined prequel that breathes life into Auntie Em’s untold story. We follow her journey through love, loss, and resilience—and discover how Dorothy came to live with her in Kansas. We even get a short glimpse into Dorothy's parents' lives!

Hazel Gaynor masterfully weaves in real historical events—the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, the 1929 stock market crash—bringing authenticity and weight to the story. I loved the small, subtle nods to the original story—those little Easter eggs made my heart smile.

A sweet, poignant, and nostalgic read that offers a new perspective on a beloved classic. Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC in exhange for my honest thoughts!!

For some reason I'm not really clicking with this book. I was enjoying it at first. I was drawn to the premise (Auntie Em's life on the prairie before Dorothy came to live with her), but I'm finding it distracting now. I think the story would have been better without the Wizard of Oz connection, with just random characters instead. But I’ve also gotten bored with the plot. I’ve decided to DNF at 127 pages in.

There have been so many good reviews, and I do think it's a decent book, just not for me, not right now. So definitely give it a go if it sounds interesting to you 💛

This book reminded me a lot of Marmee by Sarah Miller, which I read at the beginning of the year. Like Marmee and Little Women, Before Dorothy is absolutely loaded with callbacks to the world of the Wizard of Oz. I was fully invested in reading Aunt Em's perspective on raising Dorothy and living on the plains of Kansas, and the backstory about how she met Uncle Henry and where Dorothy came from (and about her parents) was absolutely brilliant. I've never been to Kansas or Chicago but as I read, I felt like I could picture both. The only piece I wasn't entirely sure about was Leo as a potential stand-in for the Wizard himself. That aside, Hazel Gaynor has written a brilliant novel and I'm looking forward to reading more from her!

I knew I had to read Aunt Em’s story since I loved The Wizard of Oz movie so much as a child. I’m so glad I did because I loved Before Dorothy. To see Dorothy’s life from Aunt Em’s perspective was incredible. I could tell a lot of thought and research went into this book by the details on the pages.

I am forever a fan of The Wizard of Oz and so this was the perfect read for me.

Gaynor not only took me back in time, reminiscing about my childhood and being on the stage in grade school, as well as watching the movie I loved over and over again, but she brought it to a whole new light. Emily's journey was everything I wanted it to be and more. It was surprising, uplifting, made me teary eyed at times, and just overall well written.

Gaynor has a knack for bringing stories to light, and this is no exception. Before Dorothy is a book that should be read by everyone, Oz fan or not. This is a book for the ages my friends. Yep, it was that good.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you Berkeley Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced #gifted galley of Before Dorothy.


Review:

Before Dorothy is set during the Depression and Dust Bowl of the 1930s. After leaving Chicago to chase after the American dream, Henry and Emily make a ‘home’ in Kansas among the homesteading community. A few years later they take in Emily’s orphaned niece, Dorothy. Together they’ll face hardships of drought and devastating dust storms which “threaten to destroy everything, and her much-loved home becomes a place of uncertainty and danger. When the past catches up with the present and old secrets are exposed, Emily fears she will lose the most cherished thing of all: Dorothy.”

I especially enjoyed the ode to the original Wizard of Oz. You will find hidden ‘Easter eggs’ throughout the book. If you enjoy reimagining of minor characters and their backstories then you’ll enjoy this fresh take on before Oz was.

After enduring the devastating drought
Emily and Henry make the difficult decision to leave their beloved Kansas. We are left to determine their future…or hope for a second book.

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This beautifully written book, however, I could not connect with the story and DNF it. I know this is far from the norm, and others who have read it loved it.

My interview with Hazel Gaynor on Meg’s Reading Room podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/megs-reading-room/id1761060886?i=1000713772693

Before Dorothy tells the story of Emily Gale, an Irish immigrant who moved to the U.S. with her two beloved sisters. She makes a good life on a farm in Kansas with her husband Henry. Things change when Emily's sister Annie and her husband die tragically in an accident, leaving their young daughter Dorothy to move to Kansas with Emily. It is the Depression, the years of the Dust Bowl, and a big adjustment for Emily and Henry to adjust to life with a young child. They slowly become a family, after some adventures with early aviation, a showstopping barnstormer with a link to Dorothy's past, and a tornado. "There's no place like home" takes on new, and strong, meaning for this family.

I wanted to read Before Dorothy because I am a huge, lifelong Wizard of Oz fan. I was so excited to read this historical novel focusing on Dorothy's early life, and the life of her beloved Auntie Em.

Before Dorothy is such a lovely read. I read slowly, not wanting it to end. I loved Emily's early years, especially in Kansas, her journal entries about life on the Plains, and especially life as Dorothy joined her family. The descriptions are beautiful and the characterizations are well developed and so moving- especially young Dorothy and her tie to Auntie Em.

This is an enthusiastic five star book for me. I recommend it highly for fans of historical fiction, and especially for other readers who also love The Wizard of Oz.

I was completely swept away! ✨🌪️

Y’all, Hazel Gaynor has outdone herself with this beautifully imagined origin story set decades before a little girl named Dorothy ever found herself in Kansas. Centered on Aunt Em (yes, that Aunt Em!), this novel is a stunning blend of historical detail and emotional depth. It’s full of heartache, hope, and the quiet strength of a woman determined to survive life’s storms—both literal and emotional.

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century Kansas, Gaynor weaves in themes of sisterhood, resilience, and reinvention with her signature lyrical prose. Set during the hardships of the Great Depression and the brutal realities of the Dust Bowl, it captures a time when survival meant grit, grace, and unshakable bonds. I absolutely loved the not-so-subtle nods to the world of Oz, but this is very much its own story—and one that will stick with me for a long time.

Fans of character-driven historical fiction with emotional stakes and rich settings: this one is a must-read.

I have had the opportunity to read a couple of Hazel Gaynors ARCs
I really like her writing style
As a child of the late 50’s I grew up watching the wizard of oz every year
I can visualize this story being how Dorothy came to live with auntie Em and uncle Henry.

In this novel, the author imagines what the life of Aunty Em (Emily) might have been like prior to when Dorothy came to live with her. Emily, Annie and Nel are 3 sisters who immigrate from Ireland with their parents when they are young. After living their parents, Emily and Annie forge a life together in Chicago while Nel marries and moves to California. Annie marries the wealthy John Gale and Emily marries his cousin Henry Gale and moves to Kansas with a dream of life on the prairie. At first, life in Kansas is all that Emily and Henry could hope for… except that of a child who never came. Annie and Emily drift apart after the birth of Annie’s daughter, Dorothy for reasons that are explained in the story.

But when Annie and John die tragically, Dorothy is immediately taken in by Emily and Henry. By then, life on the prairie is tough. After many dry years following the financial crash in 1929, Emily has to decide what home really means. Especially after the twister that nearly separated her from her dearest niece Dorothy.

I loved this novel! I loved how bits of the Wizard of Oz story was weaved in as little details such as the mean Ms. West, Dorothy’s stuffed Lion and her tin man doll. The author did a fantastic job of depicting life during the Depression and Dust Bowl era. I’ve read a few retellings of this story (Finding Dorothy and After Oz) and this one might be my favorite!

Thank you @berkleypub @netgalley for a #gifted digital copy of this novel.

I have watched The Wizard of Oz on TV more times than I can count and really enjoyed Hazel Gaynor's story about Dorothy's Auntie Em's earlier life and how she ended up Kansas. There are lots of references to the Wizard of Oz from a mention of the ruby red shoes, Toto and lots more. It was fun to see all of these references back to the original story and I think that Frank Baum would have approved of this story.

This story begins long before Dorothy was born. Emily and her two sisters had emigrated from Ireland with their parents and after several stops, they ended up in dirty and gritty Chicago. The oldest sister moved to California and Annie married someone that Emily didn't really like or trust. When Emily married Henry and they decided to farm in Kansas, Annie was very unhappy and kind of nasty to her sister about the move. Annie was pretty spoiled and willful and didn't want Emily to leave and not be available to help her. But Emily was not only in love with Henry but she soon was in love with the beauty that was Kansas and wanted to do everything that she could to help the farm. After a miscarriage, she realized that she'd never get pregnant and resigned herself to never becoming a mother. When Annie and her husband died, their will requested that Emily and Henry take responsibility and raise their daughter Dorothy. Life in Kansas was tough when Emily brought Dorothy to Kansas - the Depression was affecting farm prices and the huge dust storms had started along with frequent tornadoes. Emily wasn't sure how Dorothy would adapt to Kansas or adapt to her because she wasn't really sure how to be a mother. Yet despite everything, they did become a family.

Be sure to read the Author's notes at the end of the book where she gave some political background of the story and talked about her love of the Wizard of Oz movie. It was apparent when reading this book that the author had done considerable research into the time period and into the movie. It was a fun book to read and it was interesting to find all of the references to the original story.

This is the story of Auntie Em and how Dorothy came to live with her and Uncle Henry in Kansas. Dorothy was a Chicago girl whose parents died in a boating accident. Auntie Em's sister was Annie and the two were born and raised in Chicago and married cousins. Annie and John stayed in Chicago where he was in finance, but Henry and Em dreamed of having a farm in Kansas, having been enticed by the promise of wheat fields.
I loved how the author incorporated all of the Oz characters into the story - before they went to OZ. She even introduced Oz as Australia.
The characters were placed in the story as they appeared in the book - with the ruby slippers, the Lion, Tin man, Scarecrow, the witch on the bicycle, the fairy godmother and the Wizard himself made an appearance before the tornado changed everything. We even learn how Toto got his name.
The book also pointed out the hardships and challenges of the time as the farmers struggled to maintain their livelihood in the Midwest Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Although I though the descriptions of the heat, the dust storms and the drought were too extensive, they did give me a feeling for the prolonged scope of the disaster.
I think that this was a fun way to revisit the Wizard of Oz, and to get the "rest of the story" about Dorothy.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and the opinions expressed are my own.

This is my fourth Hazel Gaynor novel and they have all been incredible reads. I was drawn to this title because of the Wizard of Oz, but it provided so much more historical context - the 1930s Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and even 1920s life in big city Chicago for young, single working women.

I loved the author's imagining of the life of Emily Gale and her husband Henry on the Kansas prairies, both the joys and the hardships of farming, and then the responsibility of raising her niece under the dire conditions of that era. All the bits of the original Oz story which were hinted at also made the story enjoyable.

The descriptions of farm life in Kansas reminded me of Willa Cather and Laura Ingalls Wilder, so fans of those authors will not be disappointed in reading this fantastic historical novel.

I took some time to think about how to review "Before Dorothy" by Hazel Gaynor. I didn’t realize how much I needed this book. Growing up with "The Wizard of Oz" and, as an adult, "Wicked," I never asked myself questions like, “Why was Dorothy at Auntie Em’s?” “Who were Auntie Em and Uncle Henry?” or “What happened after the twister?” Once I started reading this heartwarming yet heartbreaking novel, I recognized that I needed answers to all those questions and more.

This book is truly amazing. I found Emily's struggles and hardships, both before her life in Kansas and afterward, quite inspiring. While it takes you on a familiar journey, it includes unexpected and necessary stops that make everything fall into place. Now that I have read "Before Dorothy," I can’t imagine Dorothy’s story or journey without it.

When Auntie Em yells for Dorothy during the twister, it will take you back to the first time you watched "The Wizard of Oz." If you’re like me, you’ll hear her voice, making you fall in love with this story even more. Please read this wonderful book—you won’t regret it. Remember, "There’s No Place Like Home."

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and Hazel Gaynor for this amazing ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
#netgalley #beforedorothy #hazelgaynor #penguinrandomhouse

This was such a fun book. Yes it was intense and in places it was very emotional. But it was still a fun one. You get to know about Auntie Em. From when she was young and single. To when she met and fell in love with Uncle Henry. How Dorothy came to live with them. What happened to Dorothy when she went to Oz.... If she did.

This book if full of Easter Eggs from The Wizard of Oz so be sure and look for them. They are placed throughout and I enjoyed them.

Auntie Em was born in Ireland. Her parents and two sisters traveled to the US as immigrants. Both parents died and the oldest sister married and moved to California. Emily and her sister Annie stayed together and were very close. Then Annie married. Annie's husband was a cousin to Uncle Henry and that is how Auntie Em met him. Annie was also Dorothy's mother.

When Henry and Em go to Kansas to make a home they have no idea what awaits them. For a few years they are successful and prosperous. But then the tornadoes and dust storms come at them hard. No rain for such a long time. And they had to take in Dorothy when her parents were killed in an accident. Not that they considered Dorothy as anything less then a blessing. They tried hard to make a go of things. Together they could do anything. Almost.

You really get to know Emily and Henry. What they struggled with and the many losses. How much they love each other and how much they cherish Dorothy. She was the child they couldn't seem to have.

There are a few secrets in this story. Annie has one major one and Emily keeps it. Emily also has a few secrets. Sometimes there just are just some secrets you have to keep to yourself.

The people in the town of Liberal, KS are so nice. Very friendly and Emily fits right in with the ladies there. There is one who is a bit of a mean witch but what town doesn't have one of those, right.

This story takes you on a trip through Auntie Em's life. Through the things that she and Uncle Henry go through. And the life they gave Dorothy. The love. Dorothy had a great life with them.

I loved this book. The history that was told throughout was wonderful to read about. Though it was sad and showed what a hard life people had during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. The author kept those true to form. Do not skip the Historical Note and the Author Note at the end. Some good info there.

Thank you to #NetGalley, and #Berkley, for this ARC. It was wonderful.