Survivor's Heart

About two years ago, I watched a documentary about the tremendous ordeal of the Donner Party, a group of American Pioneers on their way to California in a wagon train. A number of the group had to resort to the act of cannibalism in order to survive when disaster stroke. I am always attracted to stories that involve controversial issues and what better genre to narrate such a story than Historical Fiction. So, this book proved to be an interesting, well-constructed example of Historical Fiction. Nothing out of the ordinary but well-written and satisfying enough for me to consider it a successful read.

We follow Jessie and Daniel, the main characters, in a journey full of hardships and obstacles that are created not only by nature but by the ones around them. It is always the same story in every era, isn't it? The prejudice, the stereotypes, the way one can damage your reputation and mark you for the rest of your life. In this case, the theme of Munn's novel is quite modern and universal. This becomes much more evident when it comes to the position of women in society. Jessie has to behave in a certain manner. She has to marry. She has to avoid making decisions of her own. She must be prevented from thinking for herself, she must be discouraged from obtaining land that belongs to her and only to her. She must be stopped from loving the man she wants to love. It doesn't get more suffocating than that and the way Munn composes the story is satisfying and atmospheric. The depiction of the Antebellum era, the daily life, the convictions were brilliantly portrayed. The dialogues were vivid, although there was too much repetition at certain points. Still, the interactions were faithful to the era and I didn't notice any anachronistic phrases that would make me cringe.

The two main characters are excellent. Both Jessie and Daniel are powerful, opinionated individuals with Daniel being a bit more complex and with a much more interesting background. They are realistic and their choices echoed the restrictions and dangers of their era. I admired Jessie for her courage and her determination to defy traditions and I could certainly see Daniel as an ambiguous, protective, tormented figure. And on a girly note, any woman would fall in love with him, so please...

Don't be fooled by the hideous cover. The book had been published in the '90s with a much better cover that suited the essence of the story. This is not a Romance. This is a very well-written Historical Fiction novel that happens to include a man and a woman that fall in love with each other. This is one aspect of the story not the whole plot. It is tastefully written and the prose has an almost nostalgic era, sounding dated but in a positive way. This is the reason why I wasn't bothered by the sentimental part of the story. I wasn't focused on it. My attention was on the depiction of the era and the social and moral prejudices inflicted on women. I read this book as an example of Historical Fiction and this is exactly what I found.