| Summary: |
"This book recounts one of history's most harrowing - and chilling - tales of survival. In 1846, a group of emigrants bound for California face a choice: continue on their planned route or take a shortcut into the wilderness. Eighty-nine of them opt for the untested trail, a decision that plunges them into danger and desperation and, finally, the unthinkable. This is a retelling of the ill-fated journey of the Donner party across the Sierra Nevadas during the winter of 1846-1847. Narrated by multiple voices, including world-weary, taunting, and all-knowing Hunger itself, this novel-in-verse examines a notorious chapter in history from various perspectives, among them caravan leaders George Donner and James Reed, Donner's scholarly wife, two Miwok Indian guides, the Reed children, a sixteen-year-old orphan, and even a pair of oxen. Comprehensive back matter includes an author's note, select character biographies, statistics, a time line of events, and more. This haunting tale raises questions about moral ambiguity, hope and resilience, and hunger of all kinds."-- |
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