First published 1990
The Metlen family builds their life in early twentieth-century Montana, where the American frontier still shapes daily existence. Two marriages anchor the family story as husband and wife navigate the challenges of raising children and making a living in an unforgiving landscape. The first generation establishes roots in this harsh territory, working to create stability while facing the inevitable losses that come with frontier life. Their children inherit both the benefits of their parents' sacrifices and the weight of family expectations. Each marriage brings its own moments of contentment alongside periods of grief and disappointment. The family members must find ways to endure when crops fail, when illness strikes, and when dreams collide with reality. Through births, deaths, and the passage of seasons, the Metlens discover what it means to persist when the land and circumstances test their resolve. Their story reveals how ordinary people create meaning in their lives despite uncertainty and hardship.
Genres: family, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, american, family-drama
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate
Tropes: family-dynamics, hardship, perseverance
Setting: Montana
Period: Early 20th Century
224 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books