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| #carolinelittlehouserevisited |
The Little House books in spite of the fact that they seem to be autobiographical are in many ways fictional. Laura Ingalls was writing fiction for children so while she did use some of her memories, she also embellished, ignored and totally created both characters and events. Sarah Miller has had the courage to write a story about Caroline that adheres more closely to the actual historical facts.
While children may find pulling up stakes and moving away from everyone and everything that they know exciting, for a woman and mother, especially a pregnant one, it was much more challenging. Caroline shares with us her thoughts and feelings, how torn she is as a wife to support her husband even when she may not be in agreement with him.
We meet Ma in this book not so much as the sober, serious woman who is always trying to curb Laura's exuberance but more as a strong woman who has to cook meals on the fly has survived privation that is only hinted at and yet still manages to find joy in faith and life.
Caroline is a much more sympathetic figure than Ma, and Pa, though he is certainly charming is too much of a dreamer and you could even call him irresponsible when he gets an idea in his head.
I found this book hard to put down. I was fascinated by the woman who was Caroline Ingalls. As much as I loved the book, I thoroughly enjoyed the P.S. at the end of the book where we learn what went into the creation of this character from the few actual historical records that exist.
This is a wonderful way to continue the Ingalls family saga with a more realistic perspective of what life really was like in a Little House on the Prairie.
I give 4.5 stars out of 5
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