O Pioneers by Willa Cather

O Pioneers

I picked this book up for free for Kindle at Standard Books (highly recommended project!). It’s the first of a trilogy set on the American Great Plains around the turn of the 19th Century.

What I Liked

I love a book with a sweeping, engrossing setting. The Great Plains make for an incredible setting. I love how the land itself is almost like a character in the book.

To be an older book, the text is accessible and very readable.

What I Didn’t Like

The book and plot itself just wasn’t that engaging to me. I’m not sure that I’ll read the entire trilogy. I’m not sure if it was the cast of characters or what, but it never really pulled me in.

Takeaways

Decent read with a good setting. There’s a lot that can be written about the American experience settling the Great Plains and the promise of unlimited land. For Willa Cather, I think I’m a bigger fan of Death Comes To The Archbishop instead.

O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
$8.29
I recently read O Pioneers by Willa Cather, which focuses on life in the American Great Plains around the turn of the 19th century. I really enjoyed the vivid setting; the land feels like a character in its own right, and the writing is surprisingly easy to digest for an older book. However, I found the plot and characters a bit lacking, which made it hard for me to stay engaged. Overall, it’s a decent read, but I think I prefer Cather's Death Comes To The Archbishop more.
Pros:
  • Incredible setting in the Great Plains
  • Land feels like a character in the book
  • Text is accessible and readable
Cons:
  • The plot wasn't engaging
  • Not sure if I'll read the entire trilogy
  • Characters didn't pull me in
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02/14/2025 12:57 am GMT
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