Thieving Forest
Martha Conway
Noontime Books
Fiction, Historical Fiction
Themes: Diversity, Frontier Tales, Girl Power, Religious Themes
****
Description
Since their parents died, the five Quiner sisters have faced a dilemma: try to make a go of their struggling store in the frontier town of Severne, or sell out and return to family in Philadelphia. The choice is taken from them when Indians come to loot their cabin and steal four of them - Penelope, Beatrice, Naomi, and Aurelia - away into the impenetrable depths of Thieving Forest... somehow missing Susanna, who hid during the raid. She runs to a neighbor for help, but when he proves reluctant to act, she sets out with a guide of her own. Thus begins a journey through the untamed Ohio wilderness for all the Quiner sisters, through fair luck and foul, even to the brink of death.
Review
This title lingered in the Kindle queue long enough that I can't completely remember why I downloaded it, save that I make a conscious effort to read outside my science fiction/fantasy comfort zone now and again. It turns out to be more than the stock Western tale it could've been. The Ohio frontier is not a wilderness begging to be tamed by white hands, but a complex web of cultures, a mesh of wonders and dangers natural and man-made, a proving ground that weeds out those weak in body, mind, and spirit and remakes those who dare its depths. Each Quiner sister faces the challenges before them in their own ways, finding themselves (literally and figuratively) in unexpected places. The people encountered are more than just stock stereotypes, being neither universally good or evil (save a couple exceptions), and the natives come across as distinct people in distinct cultures rather than simple pop culture caricatures. It's a harsh world, often overwhelming, but not without room for love and friendship, beauty and hope. A few elements of the ending were subtly unsatisfying, nearly shaving a half-star off the rating, but overall Thieving Forest is an interesting coming-of-age tale that brings the lost world of America's frontier to life in a fresh way.