MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW:
Title: The Necessary Bride
Title: The Necessary Bride
Author: Patsy Frost
Publisher: Create Space
ISBN-13: 978-1501069628
Genre: Historical Women’s Fiction
Paperback 374 pages Kindle E-Book
Available at Amazon:
“Can a lady like you watch livestock and people fall down and die of thirst in the desert, the flies swarming on the sun-bloated carcasses and smell the stench of ‘em after they bust open?”—The Necessary Bride
Rape, forced marriage, death by childbirth and the
repressive status of women in Early America take center stage in Patsy Frost’s
historical romantic masterpiece, The Necessary Bride. As the saga draws to a close, its heroine proclaims
that if she had not run away to seek her fortune in California, her life as a
Maryland “lady” would have been “proper” and “dull” (well maybe in between those times when the vicious
Baltimore males would not be treating her like chattel). Frost puts a fresh spin
on an old story about wagon train travel in the Old West by letting us view it
through this adventurous young woman’s eyes—urging us to feel what she feels in
her heart as she gradually builds a new life that is built on trust and mutual
respect with a man who is not of her culture or race.
This painstakingly
crafted tale brings the smells and tastes and emotions of that time into bold
relief through meticulously detailed scenes of pioneer life. The author also
deftly manages multiple points of view to provide character insights that keep
even the villains from coming off as one-dimensional. Frost subtly alters
reader perceptions by loosening the writing style from narration-heavy, archaic
language to a looser, more contemporary tone when this bold young seeker
finally reaches her destination and her destiny.
Seamless lively action carries
the story, making it a fun page turner. The last line portends a sequel. One
can only hope there is one soon, and also a film. Very impressive first novel!
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