One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow: A Novel

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ One For the Blackbird, One For the Crow This is the kind of book that settles into your bones. A beautifully written work of historical fiction threaded with gentle magical realism, One For the Blackbird, One For the Crow is a story I will cherish—and one I desperately wish I could read again for the very first time. Set on the Wyoming prairie in 1876, the novel follows two neighboring families who coexist at a distance, connected only by occasional trades of sugar, dairy, or sewing supplies. That fragile balance shatters when Cora is discovered having an affair with the neighboring man, setting off a chain of events that leaves Cora and Nettie May—the betrayed wife—forced to depend on one another to survive a brutal winter. Nettie May is harsh, bitter, and deeply wounded, and for much of the book I truly despised her. She treats Cora and her daughter Beulah cruelly, yet paradoxically shows tenderness and devotion to Cora’s three younger children. Having lost four children of her own, motherhood comes easily to Nettie May once the families are living together—her love quiet, instinctive, and unconditional. Watching her slowly soften, forgive, and begin to heal was one of the most powerful arcs of the story. Beulah, strange and perceptive, sees and knows things she shouldn’t. Her connection to the prairie and its future unsettles Nettie May, especially when Beulah grows close to Nettie May’s teenage son, Clyde. Despite warnings to stay apart, survival demands cooperation—and the prairie allows no room for avoidance. This story is heartbreaking and hopeful all at once. Love grows where resentment once lived. There is grief that lingers, a spirit that must be laid to rest, and a quiet suspense that pulls you forward. Above all, it is a story of forgiveness, endurance, and the unexpected ways family can be formed. A perfect five-star read—haunting, tender, and unforgettable.

One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow is a captivating western family saga that begins with betrayal and violence and ends with tenderness and a family bond Set in the 1870 Wyoming prairie, two families are fractured -trying to survive without the leadership of their men -and winter is looming on the prairie With one husband in jail serving time for the murder of the other, Cora and Nettie Mae have to turn to each other to keep their children safe and survive the long prairie winter. I loved how the book switched between the four main characters and I did appreciate the writing style with Beulah’s chapters written it italics. The rich descriptions of the prairie and of prairie life carried me right into the lives of the Webber and Bemis Families Since this book was gifted to me by the wonderful Book Club Cookbook, I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t give a mention to some of the farm bounty mentioned in the book. The book starts right out with Beulah reminiscing about the moment everything changed: “That’s what I was doing when I heard the shot—standing with one hand on the gate and my eyes closed, thinking about those berries and how, after milking was done, I’d pick a whole basketful and share them with my brothers and my baby sister, sweet and good with cream on top, the cream still warm from the cows.” Vivid descriptions like these are what make place and the people so real, right up the to the rooster dinner that is so heartwarming: “Nettie Mae sang to herself as she diced carrots and turnips into her big Dutch kettle, as she scored the fragrant skins of spring onions…She tucked a freshly killed rooster into the Dutch oven, sprinkled it with salt and cracked pepper, then fitted the kettle’s lid and eased it down into the coals of the fire. A good chicken dinner was just the thing for a celebration.” I highly recommend this wonderful book and I’ve picked up The Ragged Edge of Night by the same author and look forward to another great read. Much thanks The Book Club Cookbook and Olivia Hawker for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

OMGosh, what a wonderful story!!! This author paints vivid scenes with her words. I found this book to be exceptionally well-written with no typos, which is unusual but welcomed. If you're an historical fiction lover, please read this one; you will be enchanted!!!

One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow by Olivia Hawker is a beautifully-written book by a fabulous storyteller. The author's use of imagery and description and emotional depth is almost overwhelming - layered but not fussy - but, wonderfully authentic to the time, the place and each character. I really enjoyed this book. The premise itself is simple and somewhat predictable - two families are just trying to survive out on the harsh Wyoming prairie, when suddenly the womenfolk find themselves on their own and must come to some sort of an arrangement in order to survive. You know from the get-go there's going to be angst and forgiveness, some people vs nature drama and probably a romance between the daughter of one and the son of the other. And there is all that, but the author does such a tremendous job of writing that you quickly forget you know how things will end, and become captive to the tale. The characters are well-formed, wildly complex and real. Cora is a fallen woman, her life a self-fulfilling prophecy. Nettie Mae has been broken by loss, and wears her scars like armor. Clyde is terrified he'll turn out like his father, and Beulah is - well, Beulah is a quirky delight, and quickly became one of my favorite fictional characters. But again, it was the writing the made this book a winner for me. The author consistently and relentlessly and wonderfully explored the resiliency of life, the humbling power of nature, the power of self-forgiveness, the strength of fear and the unrecognized magic within each of us. I tend to highlight sparkling prose when I'm reading, and flipping thru the pages of One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow reminds me of a college textbook. "That was why my ma refused to love the land on which she depended for her very survival: because the land never allowed my ma to deny her insignificance." Yikes, right? I'll definitely be on the lookout for more from this author.

Wyoming 1876, a man finds his wife in a compromising relationship with his neighbor and kills him, consequently leaving an uncertain future for his family. For years Cora Bemis has lived on the frontier with her husband and children. Life is full of hardships, but what Cora misses most is the city and society. Her loneliness quickly spirals and in a moment of bad judgment, she is caught guilty with the neighbor. Now winter is fast approaching and with her husband in jail for murder, Cora is left with few choices. Either her children will freeze or she must swallow what little pride she has left and make peace with her neighbor in hopes that forgiveness can be found. Told from the prospective of four different characters, I found the book at times hard to grasp. The story itself was easy to follow but as each chapter changes character, the tale is somewhat lost or repetitive. Unfortunately this was sometimes distracting but I did enjoy the book, just wish it flowed better. I did find the author’s note very interesting and was pleasantly surprised that two of the main characters were the author’s great grandparents. All in all it was a good read, just not a favorite.

I can't criticize this book until I point out it's greatest strength. The writing is top notch. It feels like every sentence is carefully curated. Every paragraph, every page is a feast for all the senses. The prose is hypnotic. And that is, in my opinion, what bogs down the narrative as well. The lushly written story can go on for pages without any dialogue or action. My mind wandered often without a strong and constant plot to anchor to. You literally get lost in the beauty; very likely the way Beulah is mind works. Beulah, the young prairie witch, the earth-mother. The characters are written well and develop over time. Nettie Mae, the bitter woman, forged by a life that was harder and more disappointing than she deserved. Cora, the city girl who feels lost and out of her element on the wide open prairie, forced to examine her sins and her strengths. All in all, this is a magnificent piece of modern literature. There were times I felt I was reading Steinbeck.

One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow is a lingering, poetic tale of two families ripped apart, then pulled back together by the murder of one patriarch by the other and his subsequent imprisonment. But this is no Hatfields vs. McCoys story. No, the two women and their children are forced by their total isolation to work together to maintain their two farms, or else risk starvation or death by cold. Fittingly, the feuding women are brought together at the insistence of their oldest children, Clyde and Beulah, who develop a deep and mysterious bond as they work side by side. Not so much a romance as the promise of one, brought about through an unconventional friendship. Fair warning, this is a slower read, as it has far more narration than dialogue or action--but its beauty and the unique voices of the protagonists make it well worth the time it takes to read. I enjoyed getting to move through the book in this way, digesting each set of chapters in their own time. The descriptive prose is the most pleasing part of the book, but the most well-written bit in terms of technique is the character viewpoints and perspectives. I was completely transported into the mind of each character and their thoughts and attitudes--from Clyde's pragmatic view and fears of becoming his father, to Cora's fear and guilt for having lost their men through her unfaithfulness, to Nettie Mae 's bitter resentment and unending grief for her lost children. And even to Beulah's mystical, otherworldly understanding and vision of the land and living things around them. That, friends, is hard to write effectively. I would not be surprised to see excerpts of this book turn up in how-to writing books, because it ought to be in at least one. One final character note--it seems to me that Beulah could be a person in the autism spectrum, based on several things. First, that she has little fear, and displays her emotions somewhat inappropriately to certain circumstances. Second, her stronger bonds with animals and plants than people, such that she is not well understood even by her own mother. And third, her extreme sensitivity to every detail and sensation in her environment. There are more such examples, but I thought this was interesting, and I have to wonder if this was intentionally implied by the author. If not, I'm still convinced of it. I highly recommend this book for the laidback reader, the budding writer seeking examples to inspire their own work, and to anyone who delights in wondering about the thoughts of others or in seeing the beauty of nature. Those seeking thrills and drama, look elsewhere.

Olivia Hawker captures what it means to be alive - and death's part in life - in this beautiful book about the Wyoming Prairie and the people who settled there. The story of Clyde and Beulah and their respective families is totally captivating, and I found myself reluctant to put this book down, because I wanted to know what happened next. The enmity between Cora and Nettie Mae crackles with authenticity; I could feel these women's antagonism and the pain it causes them. Beulah's extraordinary gift is entirely plausible, and it imparts a magical element that serves to disclose much about the characters as well as reveal a future that ameliorates their calamities, miseries, and yearnings. Hawker's descriptive talents are breathtaking. She deftly relates the desolate emptiness - and beauties - of the prairie surroundings.She conveys the thoughts and feelings of her characters in a captivating way that is unobtrusive, yet devastatingly effective. There is an abundance of drama and excitement in this novel, but what persists is the lyrical description, along with the thoughtful explication on the continuity of life - and death - and the connection of all things. If you only read one book this year, this should be the one you pick up; it will be one to which you return again and again. I am gratefully happy that I took the time to read the authors note and acknowledgements at the conclusion of the novel. The story has a strong basis in fact, one personal to the author, and her descriptions of her family history, and her writing process, are fascinating. This is definitely a strong, five-star book.

I really enjoyed this story and went on to read more books by Olivia Hawker. Thankyou for making them available on "unlimited".

One of my favourites. Bought to keep in my collection. Beautifully written. Love, lost and overcoming difficulties. Spirit of coming together to survive.

This book was so beautifully written. I loved the way the words flowed. The storyline moved briskly and you really became part of that prairie life. A very enjoyable read.

This is a spectacular piece of writing. I found myself totally capitivated by this truly engaging story. It has a bit of everything. Beauty, love, romance, pain, regret, insight, forgiveness, redemption and deep healing. All set against the harsh & unforgiving yet fully alive world of the prairie - so beautifully and evocatively brought to life it is in impossible not to be mesmerised by this story. I felt deeply for each character and loved how each storyline unfolded and intertwined deeper and deeper with each of the others. One of the best books I've read in years. Highly recommended.

Wonderfully written . The book transports you to wild and secluded piece of land where two families survive in a strange love hate relationship.