The Girl from Montana

This book pulled me in from the start. It's a girl on an adventure and becomes a bit of a missionary story (fair warning given, to those of you who don't like such.). The adventure is epic in scope, but yet downplayed at the same time; Elizabeth does not think much of riding horseback from Montana to Pennsylvania to reach her last remaining relatives, and the reader consequently does not either. There are indeed moments of stark action; her brave escapes from dishonor, especially (there are three of those.).

She goes to her grandmother's and grows interested in the Christian Endeavor meetings (of which the author was a great advocate), where she learns to worship God truly; these parts become somewhat preachy, but I enjoyed it. She shows great pluck throughout the tale, which makes her likable.

If read for romance, it will disappoint; romance is much sidelined after a singularly romantic beginning, and does not have enough interaction between the two to suit the appetites of modern romantics. Elizabeth is a matter-of-fact, pleasant-natured survivor by nature, and those who like such characters will enjoy the adventure in this story.