Teen Review: The Four Winds

The Four Winds is a novel written by Kristin Hannah that allows us to indulge in a piece of historical fiction with heroism and hope. Set in Texas in 1934, it features an era infused with hardship, poverty, and a lack of justice—the Great Depression. Millions are unemployed, crops are dying, a drought has taken over, and dust replaces the once-fresh water. Along with the darkest period of the Great Depression comes the Dust Bowl, threatening to seize the Great Plains. Texas, as well as the rest of the Great Plains, is drowning in dust, sorrow, and possibly death. During these perilous times, Elsa Martinelli must make a difficult choice: fight for the land that once saved her, or go west to California in search of equality, opportunity, and a better life for her children. The Four Winds is a thrilling novel that begins with a fragile girl afraid of the world and ends with a courageous woman sacrificing herself for the freedom of people and the next generation. Although this is an astonishing book, it still has its strengths and weaknesses. To begin, the main character, Elsa Martinelli, has extremely strong character development throughout the book. This definitely shapes the overall story and shows deep foreshadowing. The portrayal of the protagonist as a timid, insecure woman transforming into a fierce, resilient mother and hero defines how Elsa’s experiences impact her future. In contrast to its strong character development, due to the hardship and poverty in this story, many readers find that the novel has a depressing tone. This is caused by the unrelenting problems faced by the characters during much of the novel. I personally believe that the intended message in this book is about having determination, resilience, and hope, even in the most difficult moments. However, some readers may not appreciate the theme of resilience in the face of adversity, which contributes to the depressing feeling of the storyline. Furthermore, an aspect of the book that I personally enjoyed was its powerful and emotional ending. It was very unexpected—which I particularly enjoyed—and it reflected the sacrifice Martinelli had to make in order to earn equality during times of deprivation. One thing I disliked about the book was the slow and very despondent plot. Elsa and her family faced countless obstacles such as illness, lack of food, lack of money, and other repeated hardships. However, toward the end of the book, I think the plot did help me connect to the story better. In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this book to someone who is interested in historical fiction, a story of love, courage, and overcoming the challenges that millions of people faced during the Great Depression, as well as the Dust Bowl.