Helpful Score: 3
After reading the reviews for this book, I thought about just skipping it. But finally decided that I could at least read the first few chapters. I was enthralled from the start. I disagree with the person who said that there are too many characters. There aren't too many characters, and each one continues to develop clear to the last page. (If I can keep up, ANY body can keep up.) It really is a cute book. I found it to be very entertaining, and couldn't put it down. This is the first I've read from this author, but I look forward to others. I'd recommend this one to anyone.
Helpful Score: 1
I thoroughly enjoyed Sixteen Brides. It focuses on five of the women who after the Civil War, thought they were heading to Nebraska Territory with the opportunity to own land (an unheard of thing doing that time) and to start new lives. They soon find out they have been mislead and unknown to them, they were coming as prepaid mail order brides.
Some of the women were widowed, some divorced or fleeing bad relationships, but all of them had pain from their past they were trying to escape, and none of these 5 were interested in marrying.
They all banded together to support each other and make a life together in the harsh land they found themselves in. The book was hard to put down as each womans individuality and past life was revealed and woven into the present. I liked the fact that even with such diverse personalities and backgrounds they became a close knitted group of friends. Everyone one of the ladies has some special and surprising talent or skill that filled a need.
The courage and personal growth each showed as they created a new existence and left their pasts behind was inspiring to me. It reminded me that determination and perseverance with Gods help can overcome trials or heartaches not matter how difficult. It also gave me insight of how the Civil War affected the personal lives of women during that era and the difficulty and hard work homesteaders faced.
Some of the women were widowed, some divorced or fleeing bad relationships, but all of them had pain from their past they were trying to escape, and none of these 5 were interested in marrying.
They all banded together to support each other and make a life together in the harsh land they found themselves in. The book was hard to put down as each womans individuality and past life was revealed and woven into the present. I liked the fact that even with such diverse personalities and backgrounds they became a close knitted group of friends. Everyone one of the ladies has some special and surprising talent or skill that filled a need.
The courage and personal growth each showed as they created a new existence and left their pasts behind was inspiring to me. It reminded me that determination and perseverance with Gods help can overcome trials or heartaches not matter how difficult. It also gave me insight of how the Civil War affected the personal lives of women during that era and the difficulty and hard work homesteaders faced.
Helpful Score: 1
Really enjoyed this book. I love the writing and I wanted to know more about these 5 women.
I thought this book was absolutely fabulous! I've read the other reviews, and yes, there were quite a lot of characters, but I had no problem with that. Each were unique in their own way. Sixteen ladies board a train heading west to Nebraska with plans to homestead. Near their destination, they learn they were duped, and were advertised as mail-order brides. Eight decide they don't want to be brides, so remain in Plum Grove. Story focuses mainly on five of the ladies as they face a new life on the open prairie.
I almost stopped reading this book because I was having trouble keeping the characters straight. However, just as I was ready to stop reading, the author seemed to settle on a select few of the characters and the story took off.
I liked seeing how each woman conquered her past fears and insecurities and was determined to make a life of her own by doing it her own way. They became strong confident woman. I just wish that the author had not ended the book in what seemed to be an abrupt way. Another chapter or two would have been nice to more completely finish the story lines.
I liked seeing how each woman conquered her past fears and insecurities and was determined to make a life of her own by doing it her own way. They became strong confident woman. I just wish that the author had not ended the book in what seemed to be an abrupt way. Another chapter or two would have been nice to more completely finish the story lines.
Honestly, this book was not all that impressive to me. I really wanted to like it because I've heard a lot of good things about Ms. Whitson's books. The beginning of the book was almost enough to make me put it down and not finish it, mostly because there were way too many characters to keep up with. Fortunately, only the beginning of the book centers around half or so of the sixteen brides, and then, dwindles to five main brides for the rest of the story. It took about 100 or so pages before the bulk of the story started to take shape, and it wasn't a fast-moving story because again, there were too many characters. If this had been a book that centered around 2 or 3 brides, I think I would've enjoyed it much more.
I have been waiting not very patiently for my turn in the wishlist line for this book. It was sooooo worth the wait!! When I saw it was about 16 women, I thought "I will never keep these women apart"; the author chose five of the 16 women and told their stories. It was perfect!! The friendship between these women is so beautiful! I can't convey exactly how special this book is; but you just have to read it. I found a quote that describes how this book made me feel: "You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have a lost a friend."-Paul Sweeney
Only in this case, it was five friends! I read the author's notes and she and the editors called the women in this book "The Fab Five". That is exactly right.
Only in this case, it was five friends! I read the author's notes and she and the editors called the women in this book "The Fab Five". That is exactly right.
What a good book! Stephanie Grace Whitson, please write a sequel to this story! Your characters are so interesting. I'd love to read more about them. For those who like Christian Historical Fiction, you will enjoy Sixteen Brides.
The book was hard to put down. It has just enough information as to how the untamed west must have been for women without families and trying to make a life on their own.The characters were interesting and the events kept one interested.There was some religion and scripture quoting but not enough to declare it a religious book. It portrayed the Bible as the main reading book, which it often was. Good story!
I enjoyed this book and could picture what the author was wanting us to see. What a period of time that must have been in our country. Hard work.
Book review for Sixteen Brides, authored by Stephanie Grace Whitson
Mrs. Whitson has written another suberb historical fiction book, this time about women homesteaders
who came to claim their own land in the Nebraska Territory in 1871.
The author takes us through many experiences of what it was like, or may have been like, for women
as they left their homes and traveled by railroad to become independent land owners. We follow the stories of
6 women, and each narrative brings awareness of what it was like for them to become self-sustaining land owners.
They originally were told a lie by a man who basically was bringing women to the plains to supply men with
wives who would work hard and maybe be loved by their husbands, maybe not. The women found out, and
made up their minds to persevere and shun the men's proposals and strike out on their own, to claim the free
land promised to them originally in the newspaper ad.
I liked the King James bible verses at the beginning of each chapter, they gave an idea of what that chapter
was going to be about. There were several allusions to Christianity, and near the end, Mrs. Whitson included
more, which is how one expects Christian historical fiction to be. I hope she writes more about Jesus and the bible
in her future books.
This was a clean Christian book, the relationships were kept sincere and uncontaminated by today's overloaded
and sometimes vile suggestiveness that is in some Christian romance fiction, sad to say. I would recommend
this excellent book to anyone who enjoys reading stories about 6 different women working to create and organize their
life of autonomy in the 1800s plains of America.
Mrs. Whitson has written another suberb historical fiction book, this time about women homesteaders
who came to claim their own land in the Nebraska Territory in 1871.
The author takes us through many experiences of what it was like, or may have been like, for women
as they left their homes and traveled by railroad to become independent land owners. We follow the stories of
6 women, and each narrative brings awareness of what it was like for them to become self-sustaining land owners.
They originally were told a lie by a man who basically was bringing women to the plains to supply men with
wives who would work hard and maybe be loved by their husbands, maybe not. The women found out, and
made up their minds to persevere and shun the men's proposals and strike out on their own, to claim the free
land promised to them originally in the newspaper ad.
I liked the King James bible verses at the beginning of each chapter, they gave an idea of what that chapter
was going to be about. There were several allusions to Christianity, and near the end, Mrs. Whitson included
more, which is how one expects Christian historical fiction to be. I hope she writes more about Jesus and the bible
in her future books.
This was a clean Christian book, the relationships were kept sincere and uncontaminated by today's overloaded
and sometimes vile suggestiveness that is in some Christian romance fiction, sad to say. I would recommend
this excellent book to anyone who enjoys reading stories about 6 different women working to create and organize their
life of autonomy in the 1800s plains of America.
It took a while to get into this book as it had to many main characters. At the end I was still getting them mixed up. I like the story line though. It did end rather abrubtly. I really enjoyed her earlier books much better than her last 2.
It took me several chapters to get interested in this book. I liked it overall, but felt like the author tried to write about too many "main" characters and as a result, did not develop any of them completely. The ending was very abrupt and left me disappointed. I paid full price (14.99) for this book and wish I would have waited to find it here.
