Maggie Smith

A devastating story of grief and one women’s journey to carving out a path to connectedness through the fulcrum of loss, challenge, and acceptance. I loved the sense of place – as Elsa navigated living “off the grid” in my home state of Wisconsin and the challenges of weather, homesteading, raising two children alone, and discovering the serenity, beauty, and solidarity with nature. Her struggles rang true, from the initial challenge, through her fierce (some might say stubborn) desire to handle things on her own, to her final acceptance of her found family, there was not one moment when the emotions didn’t ring true. And her daughter Hester was a treasure. Children are more sensitive to nuance and emotions than we give them credit for and Hester is a true example of how sincere and raw our childhood experiences can be.