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In a time of grief and heartache, an unlikely friendship provides strength and solace.

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"A safe and carefree childhood was a luxury the pioneer prairie could not afford" (269).

With scorching temperatures blazing across the world right now, it's hard to believe things will ever cool down.  It's even tougher to imagine that in just a few months people will be flooding social media sites with pictures of towering snow piles, foot-long icicles, and slick, impassable roads.  Just as the news is now reporting deaths due to the fiery heat, soon it will feature stories about people hurt and killed due to freezing winter weather.

The Children's Blizzard (2004) by David Laskin reminds readers of just how unpredictable and nasty winter weather can get.  Both fascinating and heartbreaking, the book revisits the blizzard that whipped across the American prairie in January of 1888, freezing hundreds of people and animals to death, some of them in just minutes.  Because the worst of the storm hit right at the time school released, many of its victims were small children who became lost in a blinding whiteout while trying to find their way home.  

Laskin describes in heart-wrenching detail how the epic blizzard was a "perfect" storm of erratic weather patterns, under-educated forecasters, and unprepared pioneers.  He talks about the settling of the prairie by immigrants lured to the area by fanciful promises that glossed over the harsh realities of living on the unforgiving prairie.  Many pioneers, for instance, froze to death inside their homes simply because of lack of fuel, little food, and structures that weren't equal to the task of keeping the deathly chill at bay. 

Thoroughly researched and well-written, The Children's Blizzard makes for engrossing (albeit horrifying) reading.  It offers an empathetic, in-depth examination of the titular event, which is made even more personal by true stories of the people who lived through the blizzard, suffering the kind of shock, injury, and loss that can never be forgotten.  It's a gripping volume, which I recommend highly to anyone who's interested in reading about wild weather and our shocking vulnerability in the face of its immense, awe-inspiring power.

(Readalikes:  Although I haven't read any other books about The Children's Blizzard, I've heard good things about I Survived the Children's Blizzard, 1888 by Lauren Tarshis.  I'm also reminded of other books about weather-related tragedies, including The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger.)

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If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), blood/gore, and disturbing subject matter 

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

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Note:  Although this review will not contain spoilers for A Darkness Absolute, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its predecessor, City of the Lost.  As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.

When homicide detective Casey Duncan needed a place to hide, Rockton took her in.  Although she's grown used to life in the secret, off-the-grid town hidden deep in the Yukon, Rockton still lobs constant curve balls to remind her how inhospitable her new digs can be.  A resident with cabin fever going AWOL surprises her, but her subsequent discovery of a woman held captive inside a cave stuns her.  Residents of Casey's new hometown are not exactly known for their mental stability, but still, who would do such a thing?  The victim cannot identify her abductor, so it's up to Casey and Sheriff Eric Dalton to apprehend him.  As the investigation heats up, the duo must ask themselves if their perp is a Rockton local or if they need to widen their search to include an even more sinister group—outsiders.  Hunting for the mysterious man will reveal even more secrets about Rockton's history, its purpose, and its people, including the always enigmatic Eric Dalton.  The more Casey learns about the town, the more she questions if her safe haven is really safe at all ...

After devouring City of the Lost, I plunged right into A Darkness Absolute, the second book in Kelley Armstrong's engrossing Casey Duncan series.  Like its predecessor, the novel offers an exciting, adrenaline-fueled read.  With an intense, atmospheric setting; complex, intriguing characters; and a twisty, compelling plot; it's got everything I love in a thriller.  The series has a dark rawness to it that makes for disturbing reading at times, but overall, it's a riveting and addicting series that will leave you clamoring for the next installment.  And the next.  And the next.

(Readalikes:  Other books in the Casey Duncan series, including City of the Lost and This Fallen Prey; also reminds me of the t.v. show Lost—if it were set in a snowy forest instead of on a tropical island)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for strong language, violence, blood/gore, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find