Sonderbooks Book Review of Green Grass of Wyoming

Reviewed August 19, 2002.
J. B. Lippincott Company, 1946. 319 pages.

Thanks again to my friend Leah for loaning me this book, the continuation of the story of Ken McLaughlin and his horses, told in My Friend Flicka and Thunderhead.

The tidy solution of what to do with the stallion Thunderhead that was found in the previous book falls apart at the start of Green Grass of Wyoming. This time, he’s stolen several mares, including a valuable race horse owned by an attractive girl about Ken’s age.

This book isn’t as good as its predecessors, mainly because the romance doesn’t quite fit into today’s world. The women are portrayed as a little too fragile, and it’s hard to relate to a girl whose big ambition in life is to get married and have eight children, but who doesn’t know any boys. Because of the romance, this book feels much more dated than the other two.

Nowadays, writers usually write from the perspective of one main character, or alternate between a few characters. Mary O’Hara flits about with point of view, even telling us what animals are thinking in many cases. This was not unusual at the time, but I don’t think it works as well in a romance as a more limited viewpoint. Part of the thrill of falling in love is that fear that the feelings may not be returned. When we know that both parties feel the same way about each other, some of the mystery and suspense of the romance is lost.

Still, readers of the previous two books will want to know what happens next. I found her final solution as to what should be done with Thunderhead to be thoroughly satisfying, and fans will be happy to see the McLaughlin family ready to live happily ever after.

Reviews of other books by Mary O'Hara:

My Friend Flicka

Thunderhead

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Book Reviews by Sondra Eklund

***Green Grass of Wyoming*

by Mary O'Hara

Reviews of other books by Mary O'Hara:

My Friend Flicka

Thunderhead