"Later when she'd been away from Kansas for years and finally came home again to run the farm, with children of her own who couldn't tell the difference between a stalk of corn and a sheaf of wheat, the colors were what Lara remembered from that day. Most of the other details she'd forgotten, or they'd merged in her mind with all the other shocks and horrors that made up one long year of grief."
-from the novel
I chose this book thinking it was historical fiction about the "bleeding Kansas" of pre-Civil War days. However, the setting was present-day Kansas with only mentions of 19th century history. Disappointing!
The story reminded me of the Hatfields and McCoys since it involved two farm families with a long history of conflicts, their ancestors having settled in the 1850's---the hard-nosed, holier-than-thou Schapens and the Grelliers, our protagonists. Other families of the surrounding areas take one side or the other over various issues. When a single woman, a confessed Wiccan, moves into the historic Fremantle house, prejudices flame up and bring out the worst in many characters.
Add in the birth of a "perfect red heifer," supposedly a religious omen, and the budding romance between teenagers of opposing sides (think Romeo and Juliet?) and the plot becomes complex and pretty intriguing. The beginning quote reflects main character Lara's thinking about the events of the year in which the story takes place.
I know nothing about the Wiccan beliefs or ceremonies (nor do I want to learn!) so I got little out of those references. One humorous quote I will probably remember is "You are an Olympic medalist in the conclusion jump!"
I am rating the book a 3. I liked it more than I thought I would at first but it won't make a list of favorites. I think Burning Kansas might have been a more fitting title. If you have read it or read it after this, I'd be interested to know if you agree.
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