5.0 out of 5 stars My first "favorite book" this year

F. · February 2, 2020

Olivia Hawker captures what it means to be alive - and death's part in life - in this beautiful book about the Wyoming Prairie and the people who settled there. The story of Clyde and Beulah and their respective families is totally captivating, and I found myself reluctant to put this book down, because I wanted to know what happened next. The enmity between Cora and Nettie Mae crackles with authenticity; I could feel these women's antagonism and the pain it causes them. Beulah's extraordinary gift is entirely plausible, and it imparts a magical element that serves to disclose much about the characters as well as reveal a future that ameliorates their calamities, miseries, and yearnings.Hawker's descriptive talents are breathtaking. She deftly relates the desolate emptiness - and beauties - of the prairie surroundings.She conveys the thoughts and feelings of her characters in a captivating way that is unobtrusive, yet devastatingly effective. There is an abundance of drama and excitement in this novel, but what persists is the lyrical description, along with the thoughtful explication on the continuity of life - and death - and the connection of all things.If you only read one book this year, this should be the one you pick up; it will be one to which you return again and again. I am gratefully happy that I took the time to read the authors note and acknowledgements at the conclusion of the novel. The story has a strong basis in fact, one personal to the author, and her descriptions of her family history, and her writing process, are fascinating. This is definitely a strong, five-star book.

4.0 out of 5 stars What will happen when love and hate are forced to live together under one roof?

K. · November 15, 2019

One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow is a captivating western family saga that begins with betrayal and violence and ends with tenderness and a family bondSet in the 1870 Wyoming prairie, two families are fractured -trying to survive without the leadership of their men -and winter is looming on the prairieWith one husband in jail serving time for the murder of the other, Cora and Nettie Mae have to turn to each other to keep their children safe and survive the long prairie winter.I loved how the book switched between the four main characters and I did appreciate the writing style with Beulah’s chapters written it italics. The rich descriptions of the prairie and of prairie life carried me right into the lives of the Webber and Bemis FamiliesSince this book was gifted to me by the wonderful Book Club Cookbook, I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t give a mention to some of the farm bounty mentioned in the book.The book starts right out with Beulah reminiscing about the moment everything changed: “That’s what I was doing when I heard the shot—standing with one hand on the gate and my eyes closed, thinking about those berries and how, after milking was done, I’d pick a whole basketful and share them with my brothers and my baby sister, sweet and good with cream on top, the cream still warm from the cows.”Vivid descriptions like these are what make place and the people so real, right up the to the rooster dinner that is so heartwarming: “Nettie Mae sang to herself as she diced carrots and turnips into her big Dutch kettle, as she scored the fragrant skins of spring onions…She tucked a freshly killed rooster into the Dutch oven, sprinkled it with salt and cracked pepper, then fitted the kettle’s lid and eased it down into the coals of the fire. A good chicken dinner was just the thing for a celebration.”I highly recommend this wonderful book and I’ve picked up The Ragged Edge of Night by the same author and look forward to another great read.Much thanks The Book Club Cookbook and Olivia Hawker for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

5.0 out of 5 stars A lyrical narrative in four distinct perspectives

B.S. · April 11, 2021

One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow is a lingering, poetic tale of two families ripped apart, then pulled back together by the murder of one patriarch by the other and his subsequent imprisonment. But this is no Hatfields vs. McCoys story. No, the two women and their children are forced by their total isolation to work together to maintain their two farms, or else risk starvation or death by cold.Fittingly, the feuding women are brought together at the insistence of their oldest children, Clyde and Beulah, who develop a deep and mysterious bond as they work side by side. Not so much a romance as the promise of one, brought about through an unconventional friendship.Fair warning, this is a slower read, as it has far more narration than dialogue or action--but its beauty and the unique voices of the protagonists make it well worth the time it takes to read. I enjoyed getting to move through the book in this way, digesting each set of chapters in their own time.The descriptive prose is the most pleasing part of the book, but the most well-written bit in terms of technique is the character viewpoints and perspectives. I was completely transported into the mind of each character and their thoughts and attitudes--from Clyde's pragmatic view and fears of becoming his father, to Cora's fear and guilt for having lost their men through her unfaithfulness, to Nettie Mae 's bitter resentment and unending grief for her lost children. And even to Beulah's mystical, otherworldly understanding and vision of the land and living things around them.That, friends, is hard to write effectively. I would not be surprised to see excerpts of this book turn up in how-to writing books, because it ought to be in at least one.One final character note--it seems to me that Beulah could be a person in the autism spectrum, based on several things. First, that she has little fear, and displays her emotions somewhat inappropriately to certain circumstances. Second, her stronger bonds with animals and plants than people, such that she is not well understood even by her own mother. And third, her extreme sensitivity to every detail and sensation in her environment. There are more such examples, but I thought this was interesting, and I have to wonder if this was intentionally implied by the author. If not, I'm still convinced of it.I highly recommend this book for the laidback reader, the budding writer seeking examples to inspire their own work, and to anyone who delights in wondering about the thoughts of others or in seeing the beauty of nature. Those seeking thrills and drama, look elsewhere.

Excellent

J.S. · October 21, 2022

I really enjoyed this story and went on to read more books by Olivia Hawker. Thankyou for making them available on "unlimited".

Exceptionally Beautiful Writing

H.B. · March 28, 2020

I very rarely pay for fiction by authors I haven’t read before but when I saw this book on the Kindle bestsellers list a few weeks ago I made an exception after reading a short excerpt. Making an exception was most definitely worth it as this novel is exceptionally well written. I find it hard to imagine that I’ll read equal or better fiction this year. Olivia Hawker’s feel for and ability with language is outstanding and I could have enjoyed reading the book for that reason alone. The author really is a true natural talent when it comes to putting words on a page, and the beauty of her prose blew me away. If she doesn’t start winning literary awards before too long, there must be something wrong with the system.However, it wasn’t just the gorgeous writing that I enjoyed, but the story itself pulled me in. It is told from the points of view of the four main characters, and Ms Hawker uses each successive chapter to build the plot as well as to show us each character’s take and attitude to the events. It is quite a slow-moving book, but I really didn’t want it to end. The subject and the way that the author handles some aspects in particular are quite unique. I can truthfully say that although I have read books which take place in similar settings, I have never read anything like this before. On top of all that, when I reached the end, I discovered that the novel is loosely based on some of the author’s ancestors which give an added twist. With beautiful writing, interesting characters, and an unusual story this book was bound to be a winner in my opinion. My only disappointment is that, so far, Olivia Hawker has only written one other book. I imagine that we’ll be seeing a lot more of her in the future though.

An enthralling read.

S. · April 15, 2025

This book was so beautifully written. I loved the way the words flowed. The storyline moved briskly and you really became part of that prairie life. A very enjoyable read.

A story so smooth

r.s. · June 16, 2024

Wonderfully written . The book transports you to wild and secluded piece of land where two families survive in a strange love hate relationship.

an enjoyable book

m. · January 29, 2020

Good book