A Sparrow Alone
Author: Mim Eichmann
Pages: 312
Publisher: Living Springs Publishers Llp
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: E-Book
Published: April 15th 2020

Hello everyone! I hope everyone’s week is going well. I have a couple of days off work so I’m trying to do a lot of reading!

Today is my stop on The Write Reads blog tour for A Sparrow Alone by Mim Eichmann. Thank you for a spot on the tour and an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

Goodreads Synopsis

1890’s Colorado. Desperate following her mother’s sudden death, thirteen-year-old Hannah Owens apprentices as domestic help with a wealthy doctor’s family in Colorado Springs. When the doctor declares bankruptcy and abandons his family to finance his mistress Pearl DeVere’s brothel, however, Hannah is thrown into a vortex of gold mining bonanzas and busts, rampant prostitution, and the economic, political and cultural upheavals of the era. Two of Cripple Creek’s most colourful historic characters, Winfield Scott Stratton, the eccentric owner of the richest gold mine in Cripple Creek, and Pearl DeVere, the beautiful madam of The Old Homestead, come to life as this old-fashioned, coming-of-age saga unfolds, the first of two historical fiction novels by debut author Mim Eichmann — a tribute to the women who set the stage for women’s rights.

My Review

A Sparrow Alone is a really interesting and gripping historical fiction, that I’m really glad to have read. Despite the slow start I had with the book, I still found myself unable to stop reading. Especially when we follow 13-year-old Hannah to Cripple Creek after the death of her mother. She is thrown into this miners town and into the life of doing laundry for Dr Hughes and Mrs DeVere’s new brothel.

It’s clear that the author wanted to get across the harsh conditions of poverty for women and I think it was very well written. The detail we see throughout Cripple Creek can sometimes be hard to read, shining a light on what some of the women had no choice but to do.

Hannah is a good protagonist and I couldn’t help but root for her and want the best for her from start to finish. Although she went through some awful things, starting with losing her mother and being separated from her family, to being forced to do things that nobody should have to do or go through. She still manages to stay strong, look out for herself as well as many others. It’s inspiring to see her courage and determination through this book.

Overall, I really enjoyed Hannah’s character and her strong-willed personality. However, the beginning was quite slow and It only picked up for me about halfway through. I’m glad I stuck with it though. I became really fascinated with Hannah’s life and how she overcame all the difficult obstacles. A Sparrow Alone is a well written, interesting historical fiction book. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves the genre. It’s great if you want to see the life of the young girl’s and women’s life at the end of the ninetieth century.

Rating: 3.5