O Pioneers

Growing up I dismissed Willa Cather as probably a more adult Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I was not interested in reading her books.  This is weird since I loved Laura Ingalls Wilder as a kid.  However, I had to read Death comes for the Archbishop for school and I loved that book.  It was moving and yet funny at times too.  I had to read more.  I watched the Jessica Lange tv movie of O Pioneers before I read it.  Yet it was forgettable.  I forgot most of it before I read the book which is just fine.  This book is not boring.  It has murder and adultery in it.   The book is centered around Alexandra, a smart businesswoman and her brothers who farm the land.  She has a thing for her friend Carl.  Alexandra's brother Emil falls for a perky married woman Marie and that eventually leads to their downfall.  Luckily my library has a number of Willa Cather's books and I will be reading more.  3.5/5 stars