Nineteen year old Anna Gallagher longs for adventure in her hometown of Seattle, Washington. However, in 1889 young women are expected to be proper and run a household. Anna's grandfather and brother seem to want this life for her as well. Anna gets a taste of adventure when the great Seattle fire devastates her grandfather's book store. Anna dreams to climb Mount Rainier and places her hopes in an advertisement for a climbing party leaving next summer. Now, Anna just needs the funds and to start training. With help from her Duwamish friend, Heather, Anna finds the confidence to begin training for the climb and a means to raise money. When her brother's friend, Ben visits Washington, Anna may find a man that also fits her lifestyle.
In Sight of the Mountain is an amazing historical adventure that captivated me from the start and didn't let go. As an avid hiker, I have always wondered about the women who have paved the path for women to be active in the outdoors. Anna's character, though fictional is a good representation of the experiences of many of the women who were the firsts in the field. Anna's spirit is captivating and infectious, making me want to plan for my next adventure. Through her eyes, the grandeur of the Washington territory came alive as well as the many prejudices that people carried. The plight of the Duwamish people, the native people of the area was brought to light through Anna's friendship with Heather as well as the limited opportunities for women and the views of the women who took matters into their own hands. I was enchanted by the mystery of the poem in the book that Anna solved and absolutely delighted by the path of the romance with Ben. The highlight of the story for me was definitely Anna's journey up the mountain. While Anna's story might not have turned out exactly how she wanted the first time, her story of grit and determination is one that many people can relate to.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
In Sight of the Mountain is an amazing historical adventure that captivated me from the start and didn't let go. As an avid hiker, I have always wondered about the women who have paved the path for women to be active in the outdoors. Anna's character, though fictional is a good representation of the experiences of many of the women who were the firsts in the field. Anna's spirit is captivating and infectious, making me want to plan for my next adventure. Through her eyes, the grandeur of the Washington territory came alive as well as the many prejudices that people carried. The plight of the Duwamish people, the native people of the area was brought to light through Anna's friendship with Heather as well as the limited opportunities for women and the views of the women who took matters into their own hands. I was enchanted by the mystery of the poem in the book that Anna solved and absolutely delighted by the path of the romance with Ben. The highlight of the story for me was definitely Anna's journey up the mountain. While Anna's story might not have turned out exactly how she wanted the first time, her story of grit and determination is one that many people can relate to.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Anna Gallagher recently was among the first women to climb Mount Rainier; however, she didn't reach the summit. Although Anna did find passion, renewed confidence in herself a man who appreciates her the way she is. Now, Anna is planning a wedding and a second trip up Rainier where she can hopefully summit alongside her new husband, Ben. As they prepare for their adventure, someone in Seattle repeatedly attacks Anna's grandfather's bookstore to show their disapproval for Anna endeavors. Meanwhile, Emily Watson, a long time friend of the Gallagher family is dealing with the death of her husband, a husband that was supposed to give her everything she wanted in life, but left her with his debt. Emily finds that what she wanted all along might have been right next door all these years.
Picking up right after In Sight of the Mountain, In Light of the Summit continues with Anna and Ben beginning their life together. After Anna accounts of climbing Rainier are published, an unforeseen incident causes them to think about their next steps. While the attacks were awful, they unfortunately weren't surprising for the time and I was surprised that so many people were accepting of Anna's adventures. I did very much enjoy getting to see Anna and Ben preparing for the wedding and building a life together. Although, this story focused more on her brother Levi and his romantic interests with new widow Emily. Emily's story is intriguing as she finds out what she really values in life. She surprises herself when she figures out that money, nice dresses and high society isn't what fulfills her. I also enjoyed the historical detail of 1890's Seattle's history with its founder, Henry Yesler and the opening of the Seattle Public Library. My favorite parts of the story remain when Anna is ascending Mt. Rainier, although Anna and Ben did not begin their climb until about 70% of the way into the story. As always, the description of the mountain and the view along with Anna's feelings are amazing. The climb provided for some extremely suspenseful moments that I hope will be resolved in another installment of the Rainier series.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Picking up right after In Sight of the Mountain, In Light of the Summit continues with Anna and Ben beginning their life together. After Anna accounts of climbing Rainier are published, an unforeseen incident causes them to think about their next steps. While the attacks were awful, they unfortunately weren't surprising for the time and I was surprised that so many people were accepting of Anna's adventures. I did very much enjoy getting to see Anna and Ben preparing for the wedding and building a life together. Although, this story focused more on her brother Levi and his romantic interests with new widow Emily. Emily's story is intriguing as she finds out what she really values in life. She surprises herself when she figures out that money, nice dresses and high society isn't what fulfills her. I also enjoyed the historical detail of 1890's Seattle's history with its founder, Henry Yesler and the opening of the Seattle Public Library. My favorite parts of the story remain when Anna is ascending Mt. Rainier, although Anna and Ben did not begin their climb until about 70% of the way into the story. As always, the description of the mountain and the view along with Anna's feelings are amazing. The climb provided for some extremely suspenseful moments that I hope will be resolved in another installment of the Rainier series.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
