Saltwater and Driftwood is a historical fiction novel by Anna J. Walner based on the true story of the Great Storm that nearly wiped out Galveston in September of 1900. The author will paint a vivid picture of what life was like leading up to the tragedy that strikes the island and humbles the people who manage to survive. This story will pull you in as each page pulls you a little closer to the storm that lurks in the Gulf.

This story begins in “present day” and shifts to the past. It is told in the first person perspective, which is Clara when she is younger and shifts to Andrea, her granddaughter, in the present day. But the story is also told from the perspective of other characters as well.

The story reflects the times beautifully. The heartbreak of children losing their parents to the yellow fever, and the fear that the fever struck in all at the very name of it.

Here and there the author inserts some weather forecasting/observations. The weather observations/forecast and just the sense that something bigger is coming build a sense of foreboding and unseen danger. OMG! The subtle countdown!!! I seriously got chills as I picked up on that. The gradual passing of days as unbeknownst to the citizens the storm creeps ever closer. I love the subtleties of the author’s usage in the story. It creates a sense of calm, and peace that you should be very cautious about.

As the story gradually progresses the author takes certain moments to continue to set the stage for what is to come. Shifting away from the shifting weather, the author begins to use the characters to do the task with their boisterous talk…and unfortunately…false safety assumptions based on the past.

The mother gives me mixed feelings. I understand her desire to want the best life for her daughters, but she really comes off as overbearing. Add in her absolute rudeness in one section of this story…my poor eyes, they nearly bugged out of my head! I mean…who insults strudel and kolaches?! I understand the times were different back then, since this is a historical fiction novel, I just wish that she had chosen one daughter to focus on and allow the others to live their lives as they pleased.

I’ve told you my “least favorite” character, so it’s only right I inform you of my “favorite” character. You’d probably think it’s Clara, since she’s the main character, but it’s not. My favorite character is Grant. As you read this book I think that you’ll come to understand why. He’s selfless, kind hearted, and so many good things. He has such a good heart and I absolutely love it.

I appreciate the nods to the advancements that were being made at the time in technology. The automobile is mentioned of course in passing, since it is a new invention that is gradually gaining traction, but also explains why the family isn’t using one when they make their excursions into the city. The same can be said when it comes to electricity. It is still viewed as a luxury item, so not everyone has it and even those who do have it only have it in certain areas of their homes.

The story transitions back to present day at intermittent points in the story. There are no indicators of when these transitions happen. It’s just one moment you are with Clara in the past and then you are suddenly in the present with Andrea. It’s a bit jarring, but since it only happens a few times I can’t complain.

While the pacing of the story is slow in the beginning, don’t let that put you off concerning this novel. The author is simply setting the stage. Give you a glimpse at life back in the 1900s of Galveston with this family through Clara’s eyes. With each turn of the page you’ll get closer to exactly what Anna J Walner promises you in the blurb. Once you get to that exact point of transition, brace yourself. Things are going to change quickly and you’re going to be devouring this book to see what happens next.

More details describing Galveston and its surrounding areas, would have added even more to the grip of the book. Some details do get included on certain areas of Galveston but these mainly happen during “critical” moments, and these details do go far in painting pictures in your mind as to what is coming, inch by precarious inch, to the point of giving you the chills.

“It was an eerie sight to watch the walls of sand and trees fall one by one.”

There is heartbreak, horror, desperation, and good deeds to be found as you progress deeper into this story. The tragedy and fear will pull at your heart as you imagine what the citizens of Galveston must have felt as their world crumbled around them, your emotions being provoked with each turn of the page. All I have to say is that the author manages to evoke emotions time and time again. A surge of hope, a trembling of fear, a sigh of loss. The heartbreak is real. There were moments of where I was literally in tears. I clung to hope as long as I could, but the reality was heartbreaking.

For a historical fiction novel, I absolutely enjoyed this book. I like how the Anna J Walner takes me back in time to Galveston before the storm. She not only tells the tale of loss and heartbreak but of survival and the human spirit to overcome. You’ll be immersed in the life of how things were and then face the tragedy as the people believed they’d be different from another city. Anna J Walner will invoke your emotions with this book, and leaves you with a greater respect for nature and to never tempt fate.

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Pros:

• A bit of a slow start, but turns into a major pageturner.
• Love the attention to detail when it comes to the era, including the advances in technology and the etiquette of the times.
• The emotional drama/tension that pulls you into the story and pulls emotional responses.

Cons:

• I wanted more details of Galveston and the surrounding area.
• I felt that certain details concerning Clara’s relationship should have been included and not just left to be assumed by the reader.

Lesson: Even in the worst of times and most tragic the human spirit will triumph. While life goes on, never forget the past.

Cover Score: 9.0

Book Score: 8.9

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