Never Waste Tears by Gloria Zachgo – a Review
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Description:
Each had their own reason to leave everything they knew. The land was free—the true price—was often high, where opportunities and tragedies were in equal abundance. Those who were strong, didn’t waste their tears, but used them wisely to help wash away their grief.
Joined together through friendship and family relations, Rebecca, Nathan, Hannah, Carl, and Sarah tell one story—each in their own voice. Never Waste Tears travels with them on their trek to homestead on the lonely Kansas prairie, where they pave the way for generations to come. They individually share their own dreams, challenges, heartaches, and guilt.
Review:
Never Waste Tears is a historical novel by Gloria Zachgo, it takes place in the 1800’s. The first part is just as the announcement of civil war between the North and South is declared. Told in journal format, it describes the times and feelings of several people and their lives.
The story begins in Ohio as civil war is declared. It takes Nathan’s father and two brothers off to war leaving Nathan (13) and his mother to run the family mercantile store by themselves. Nathan learns to haul and lift supplies around by himself, and to eventually take over the accounts due to his mother’s lack of education in math.
It’s also told from Rebecca’s point of view as her journal describes growing up in a well to do family, her mother trying to educate her in the art of becoming a gentle woman. She plays the piano very well and does needlepoint. She and her friend Martha miss seeing Nathan in school and church, now that he spends all his time at the store.
Later as the war goes on, the children grow up and mature. Nathan discovers a large attraction for Rebecca, but her mother doesn’t really consider his “suitable” for her daughter. He learns to win her father and mother’s approval, and Rebecca falls in love with him.
Due to circumstances, I don’t want to spoil the book. He and Rebecca move out west to begin a new life as a farmer. He planned on going to Nebraska but ended up settling in Kansas to avoid danger with the Indians. It didn’t work, they had danger in Kansas as well, but that’s another spoiler.
The journals add the points of view of Carl and Hanna Taylor as the couples go west on a wagon train.
The descriptions are filled with speech variances of each character, if they weren’t labeled, you could probably still tell who was journaling due to the differences in the way they talked or thought.
This isn’t filled with fancy romance or contrived villains. This is fiction, but a well thought out story of the reality of life in this time period. It describes people, situations, many of the things people faced while traveling by covered wagon to a destination they knew little about. It has true danger, perilous situations, emotional battles, post war problems, and much more.
It was a truly interesting and action packed read. It felt so real, I found myself going through the troubles and trials with them. They became my good friends and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Life on the prairie wasn’t for the weak.
If you like emotional and well written adventure that rings of actuality, give this wonderful story a read! I really enjoyed it.
Reviewed by Georgianna
Copy provided by Author
