Review: Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon

WHERE THE LOST WANDER
Amy Harmon
Publication date: April 28, 2020
Genres: Adult, Historical Fiction
Format: eARC
Source: Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley
5 Stars

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S Y N O P S I S

In this epic and haunting love story set on the Oregon Trail, a family and their unlikely protector find their way through peril, uncertainty, and loss.

The Overland Trail, 1853: Naomi May never expected to be widowed at twenty. Eager to leave her grief behind, she sets off with her family for a life out West. On the trail, she forms an instant connection with John Lowry, a half-Pawnee man straddling two worlds and a stranger in both.

But life in a wagon train is fraught with hardship, fear, and death. Even as John and Naomi are drawn to each other, the trials of the journey and their disparate pasts work to keep them apart. John’s heritage gains them safe passage through hostile territory only to come between them as they seek to build a life together.

When a horrific tragedy strikes, decimating Naomi’s family and separating her from John, the promises they made are all they have left. Ripped apart, they can’t turn back, they can’t go on, and they can’t let go. Both will have to make terrible sacrifices to find each other, save each other, and eventually…make peace with who they are.

M Y   T H O U G H T S

Amy Harmon has done it again… and somehow done it even better than before. She has created a saga of family, faith, and endurance and managed to weave into it a love story so pure and so epic that it took my breath away.

The pain. It’s worth it. The more you love, the more it hurts. But it’s worth it. It’s the only thing that is.

Where the Lost Wander started with a prologue that was so jarring that I continued to read with a mix of hope and dread. Knowing what was coming – but hopeful for a different outcome.  Naomi May was completely endearing with a forthrightness that was probably considered bold, if not borderline rude, in 1850’s America. And I loved her for it. She spoke her mind and was so genuine and full of life. Widowed by the age of 20, she was traveling with her family, as well as her former in-law’s, from Missouri to California. Joining the wagon train was John Lowry, a half-white half-Pawnee man who had spent his life feeling out of place in both worlds.  John was quiet and cautious but he managed to say so much when speaking so little. The story of John and Naomi that played out amidst the day to day life of the cross-country trek was so beautiful and so filled with genuine respect and acceptance. It was breathtaking.

I was completely absorbed in this tale and found myself thinking about it day and night. I had to know what would happen next, even as I often feared what was to come. The story was bleak at times, and there were scenes when I had to put the book down and step away because my fragile heart just couldn’t take the heartache. Harmon did an incredible job of showcasing the hardships faced by those brave souls who chose to make such an arduous journey. Along the way there was danger, death, exhaustion and more to contend with. But there was also the strong connection of family, a feeling of community among those in the wagon train, and bright moments of simple joys.

If nothing matters, then there’s no point. If everything matters, there’s no purpose. The trick is to find firm ground.

Harmon’s prose is simply beautiful and her words painted a landscape – not just a scenic one, but also a landscape of her character’s lives and their inner struggles. The dichotomy between the white man’s world and that of the Indian’s (note: the term Indian was used throughout the novel since it was indicative of the time period) played out again and again in ways that were at times superficial and other times extreme and dangerous. Where the Lost Wander is a majestic historical novel that took me on an unforgettable journey.

Disclosure: I received a a complimentary copy of this book for review. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review. I received no compensation and my review is voluntary.