Review: A Clearing in the Wild

This book is so different than most of the historical fiction I've read lately, and it was beyond refreshing.  Written from a first person perspective, A Clearing in the Wild tells the story of Emma Wagner, her life in the town of Bethel, Missouri, and her journey west to the Oregon Territory.  The people of Bethel seek to live a simple and generous life of communal living, set apart from the rest of the world in the 1850s.  The author never describes them as Amish, but they are German descent (and indeed still speak German) and live like most people believe the Amish to live.

Emma is a headstrong young woman who speaks her mind in a time and place where women are not supposed to be independent thinkers.  When her husband is chosen to lead a team of scouts west to the Oregon Territory to find new land for the people of Bethel to move to, she clashes with Bethel's leader in attempt to kept her husband with her.  Instead, without her husband's knowledge or approval, she convinces the leader to allow her to go with the team of scouts.

Emma and her husband Christian travel many months through the plains and into the lush Oregon Territory, learning a great deal about themselves and each other along the way.  When the land to build the new colony for the people of Bethel is finally chosen, Emma has her doubts and the entire team struggles to prepare the land in time for the arrival of the rest of their people.  Through it all, Emma wrestles with their colony's beliefs about God, women and the role they are meant to play, family, and the essences of community.

As I mentioned before, this book is different that most of the historical fiction I've been reading lately; the focus is not so much on the love story of the main characters, but about their entire life story.  The text is well-written and the reader is immediately engaged to and connected with the characters.  I highly recommend A Clearing in the Wild!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”