Follow the River

Had I understood from the beginning that this story was based on real events and characters I would have found it more compelling. The writing is incredibly descriptive - prose really. I found myself tired of detailed descriptions of hardship repeated over and over again. About 3/4 of the way through I started skipping pages. The ending is definitely worth reading.

Anyone who has ever been through the rugged wilderness of Appalachia (West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky) can begin to imagine the challenges she faced trying to get home with nothing more than a wild river to follow. Giving birth soundlessly, and then riding a horse-that's tough! Leaving your baby to be raised by your enemy- that was smart but how many mothers could do it? Even more amazing was her life upon returning-there was no talk of "PTSD" or survival syndrome in those days, instead, the same determination that brought her out of the woods kept her focused on rebuilding her life, finding her son. A well-researched story that displays the courage, guts, and focus told from the oft-forgot distaff side of pioneering.

I first read this book when I was 8 years old because it was something laying around the house. And as I read it, and her incredible story of survival, I wept. Such a heartbreaking journey, and her losses I felt as if they were my own. I highly recommend this book!! It’s definitely hard to put down, and so encouraging to learn about how much she endured and knew that I could also make it through anything just as she had.