Caroline

Little House, Revisited

By: Sarah Miller

Narrated by: Elizabeth Marvel

“Comforting, inspiring and beautifully written, Caroline is a precious addition to the story of the Ingalls family but stands on its own as a testament to the spirit, grit and courage that built America.” - Mary Jane Clark

USA Today Bestseller!

In this novel authorized by the Little House Heritage Trust, Sarah Miller vividly recreates the beauty, hardship, and joys of the frontier in a dazzling work of historical fiction, a captivating story that illuminates one courageous, resilient, and loving pioneer woman as never before?Caroline Ingalls, “Ma” in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved Little House books.

In the frigid days of February, 1870, Caroline Ingalls and her family leave the familiar comforts of the Big Woods of Wisconsin and the warm bosom of her family, for a new life in Kansas Indian Territory. Packing what they can carry in their wagon, Caroline, her husband Charles, and their little girls, Mary and Laura, head west to settle in a beautiful, unpredictable land full of promise and peril in this compelling work of biographical fiction.

The pioneer life is a hard one, especially for a pregnant woman with no friends or kin to turn to for comfort or help. The burden of work must be shouldered alone, sickness tended without the aid of doctors, and babies birthed without the accustomed hands of mothers or sisters.

But Caroline’s new world on the American frontier is also full of tender joys. In adapting to this strange new place and transforming a rough log house built by Charles’ hands into a home, Caroline must draw on untapped wells of strength she does not know she possesses.

For devoted readers of Laura Ingalls Wilder books — from Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie through The Long Winter and These Happy Golden Years — Caroline offers the rare chance to experience that beloved story anew, through the eyes of the woman who made it all possible.

• The perfect companion read for fans of the Little House on the Prairie book series
• Spans the same pioneer world introduced in Little House in the Big Woods
• Ideal for adult readers revisiting Laura Ingalls Wilder books with fresh eyes

Fanfic

This is a re-telling of Laura Ingalls Wilder's story through the eyes of her mother. The author acknowledges the brutal prejudice and injustice against the Native Americans without critiquing or problematizing it.

not great.

It was a bit over the top. So much flowery descriptive language. And it was one huge trauma after another. Had a hard time sticking to it.. Not sorry to see it end.

A fun, nostalgic read!

I really enjoyed reading this. I loved these books as a girl and now that I'm married with my own two girls I definitely relate more to Caroline than to Laura. It does get long-winded at times (how much description of someone's breathing can there be?!), but it's a fun read. It helped to picture the actors from the TV show, too!

A few quirks, but nice adult view of childhood fav

Story: This is a fresh, adult view of a childhood favorite. I liked most of the story. I found particularly odd the author's vivid detail and seeming fascination with breast feeding and breast milk in later chapters around the birth of Carrie. Every event leading back to that one aspect of Caroline's life seemed unnecessarily detailed and off-putting.

Otherwise, I enjoyed this version and found myself identifying with a different view of a familiar story.

Narrator: I agree with a previous reviewer that Charles's voice was too gravely. I read that review, then listened to the sample and thought, "that review seems a bit harsh", but as the story went on the voice became more exaggerated. So much that by the end of the story, Charles's always sounded unhappy and growling. The performance could have been top notch with that one change. All the other character voice interpretations were very good.

Another view of a lived character

After growing up with Little House stories I am loving this version of Ma. As a mother myself I see her in. A new way - her fears and frustrations, anger and joy. And so much she has to keep below the surface. Definitely recommend to anyone who enjoyed the Little House books growing up.