Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic!!!!!
Review: Sara Donati's "Into the Wilderness" is such a great book. I was captivated from the start and could not put it down. From Elizabeth's journey from Oakmere, England to her trek in the bush, I was relentless to stop reading. I didn't want the book to ever end and I am anticapating her sequel. I don't think I can wait that long.
Rating:
Summary: a great read
Review: Interesting characters, and kept me guessing. I went and read James F. Cooper's Pioneers since this is supposed to be a retelling, but I wouldn't recommend it. I actually learned quite a lot about American history, or at least I got interested enough in it to go look up some things. Still can't figure out what a betty lamp is though.
Rating: 
Summary: Trite, inauthentic
Review: The book starts off promising enough, but after about a hundred pages or so, you realize you are dealing with simple, one-dimensional characters. The good people are very, very good, and the bad people are very, very bad, with no gray area or subtlety in between. Naturally, the Indians and black people are all kind, noble, intelligent and brave. The bad white people are vicious, venal, murderous and stupid. Like most dull novels, there is also a contrivance which makes our heroes almost invulnerable. I was initially attracted to this novel because it takes place in 1792 upstate New York, but other than there being a lot of trees and lakes, one never gets the sense of colonial America. At least, one never gets the sense of colonial America beyond what one has already learned from grade school texts. This could have taken place in 1892 or 1692, or, in the way Nathaniel is cupping his hand around Elizabeth's breast every thirty pages or so, 1992. I gave up
Rating:
Summary: A Fabulous Read!
Review: Well, I should know better than to read the reviews before first writing my own.... because I must disagree with anyone who gives this book less than five stars! I was hooked from the first page! (Actually, the cover....) I haven't lost myself in such a great story in a long time! I could not put it down. I inadvertently left my book at the office and spent all evening lamenting the delay in finding out what happened on the trek back to Robbie for help. Thanks for whisking me away from the stress of work, potty-training, and new-born demands!
Rating:
Summary: This One's a Keeper!
Review: There are books you buy, you read, and then give away, or sell because you just don't feel a connection. WELL THIS ONE ISN'T ONE OF THOSE! Into the Wilderness is a keeper! You are immediately immersed in the lives of the characters. You come to care about them as if they were old friends. I've read this book twice, and am planning on reading again. Can't wait for the sequel!
Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: I have just finished reading INTO THE WILDERNESS for the second time and again feel as though I said good-bye to good friends. I look forward to DAWN ON A DISTANT SHORE! Thank-you Sara Donati.
Rating:
Summary: Looking forward to the next one, Dawn on a Distant Shore
Review: I could not put down this highly entertaining historical fiction novel. I enjoyed following Elizabeth on her adventures as she broke free of the conventions of the time period. It combined many elements - history, lush descriptions, adventure, entrigue and a bit of romance into one book which made it a "keeper" for me. I was left thinking about the characters even after I finished reading the book. For me this was on par with (not to be confused with the same as) Diana Gabaldon and Jean Auel. I enjoy series books and getting to know characters in depth. Bring on the big books!
Rating:
Summary: A well researched and inviting tale of 1792 life in America.
Review: If you enjoy a historical novel that takes you to that time and place, then INTO THE WILDERNESS is waiting for you. Elizabeth Middleton encounters not only life in the frontier of upstate New York, but also life at its fullest. There is love, joy, despair, and hope. Sara Donati has done a superb job of bringing her characters to life and weaving their stories together to form a tale that encompasses the Mohawk Nation and the people who were living in the newly formed United States. I, for one, cannot wait to read the sequel.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice start, but poor finish
Review: At first this book had many assets to make one consider it a worthwhile read. The intermingling of the historical setting (which was believable) with the growing attraction of the major characters (I pictured Nathaniel as Daniel Day Lewis in breechcloats) helped to sustain this first impression. However as the book went on and adventure after adventure was piled on at a most unbelievable rate, I found my attention and my credulity flagging. I felt that the author had written her story in pieces. Each adventure was like a small short story. While this worked in the beginning, it did not work in the end. I have always thought that the final pages of a novel should be a denouement where all the separate threads of story are finally pieced together. Not so in this book; instead new characters are added and the story ends on a note of 'what-if' which I assume will be the lead in to the sequel, but in no way makes the novel a complete or satisfying work of literature. One further note of criticism: I found the romance a bit cloying at times and with a man of Nathaniel's obvious experience, more than a little far fetched.
Rating:
Summary: Historical Fiction At It's Best!!
Review: I picked this book up based on a review about a year ago, and I've devoured it three times since. There is such rich imagery and strong characters, a reader wants to return often for a visit. You won't be able to resist falling in love with Nathaniel and Elizabeth, and rooting them on through their adventure. This is a must-read for any fiction lover.
| 
