May 1870 and this is history in the making. The first train to travel coast to coast is about to begin its journey and on board are myriad characters all going to San Francisco.
Two women Louisa and Hattie are also on the train. Louisa as a governess to two children along with their strange parents, and Hattie on a mission to marriage where Leland is waiting for her at the other end. Hattie is different for her times - bold, brash, innovative and clever. Louisa is sensitive, reserved and with a club foot with a marked limp she is very conscious of tends to keep to the background. How these two women forge a bond of friendship and love amidst the travails of travelling and the excitement of this journey is the story.
Add to this accidents on the way, encounters with Indians, deaths, and a massive cover up by the train authorities themselves add to the story. The book though very factual was a bit of a slow read and you had to pursue it to the end to understand the nuances of the LGBTQ connections in this story.
Being a history buff, this part of the story interested me more.
Sent to me by Netgalley for an unbiased review, courtesy of Lake Union Publishing.
It sounds quite promising.
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