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5+ stars for Prairie Cinderella by Joan Koster #biographicalhistoricalfiction #historicalfiction #historicalwomensfiction #trailblazer #bookreview

N. N. Light
11 hours ago3 min read


Title: Prairie Cinderella

Author: Joan Koster

Genre: Biographical Historical Fiction

 

Book Blurb:

 

SHE IS GOING TO BE THE GREATEST SCULPTRESS Of THE GILDED AGE

 

Spirited Vinnie Ream might have been driven from her prairie home to the political hotbed of Washington City by the outbreak of the Civil War. But despite her plainspoken ways and western twang, she’s a survivor, and nothing will stop her from pursuing her art in a world dominated by men.

 

UNTIL DISASTER STRIKES

 

But on the cusp of success, all her dreams come tumbling down. With her family destitute and her sister threatened, she does the unthinkable. Can she claw her way back to the top or will she go down in history as a failure?

 

A biographical historical novel about the power of family ties, the pursuit of fame, and the pain of unrequited love, based on the life of 19th century American sculptor, Vinnie Ream Hoxie.

 

All proceeds donated to the Freedom to Read Foundation.

 

My Review:

 

Based on a true story—sort of…

 

In the 19th century, with the Civil War in the background, Vinnie Ream has aspirations to be the greatest sculptress of the Gilded Age. Amidst the framework of rapid industrialization, poverty, and political corruption, this young woman thwarts the expected norms for females to pursue the male dominated art world.

 

I was hooked within the first few paragraphs. The characters and setting thrust me into a time period and a story I couldn’t put down. Ms. Koster states in the introduction that the story is taken from history using historical documents. But her interpretation of thoughts, feelings, and motivations, her skill at filling in the blanks to tie it all together, made this an enthralling read.

 

This is a biographical historical novel set in a time of American history we’re all familiar with, but Ms. Koster takes it to another level. Vinnie’s life was extraordinary with the famous people she knew, her close ties to the native population, her pursuit of fame, and breaking the glass ceiling that no one knew existed back them. From her prairie home to the political hotbed of Washington to Europe and back, Vinnie’s life and love will keep you turning the pages.

 

My Rating: 5+ stars

 

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Author Biography:

 

When she is not writing in her studio by the sea, Joan Koster lives an 1860s farmhouse stacked to the ceiling with books. In a life full of adventures, she has scaled mountains, chased sheep, and been abandoned on an island for longer than she wants to remember.

 

An ethnographer, educator, and award-winning author who loves mentoring writers, Joan blends her love of history and romance into eye-opening historical novels about women who shouldn’t be forgotten and into romantic thrillers under the pen name, Zara West. She is the author of the award-winning romantic suspense series, The Skin Quartet and the top-selling Write for Success series.

 

Joan blogs about women who should be remembered at JoanKoster.com, about everyday life during the Civil War at American Civil War Voice, about romance at Zara West Romance, about writing at Zara West’s Journal and teaches numerous online writing courses.

 

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Reviewed by: Brenda

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©2015-2025 BY N. N. LIGHT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. (2015-17 on Wordpress) 

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