Hmm thoughts. I got a bit done with the romance by the end, Rachel is very cool, Harriet I also like, her friendship/siblingship with Gideon is very good, and I wish the author would’ve leaned more into the “breaking down of traditional gender/social norms in the development of untamed land” with the ending. But overall I liked it.

A lovely historical look at farming and making your way in uncharted territory.

PLUS, I do love some good "girl dresses up as a boy" action!

Originally posted on Undeniably Book Nerdy:

Reading The Beloved Wild brought all kinds of nostalgic feelings for when I used to be obsessed with the Dear America series, many of which featured stories of pioneer life through the eyes of girls like Harriet, and The Little House on the Prairie books when I was in middle school. In any case, The Beloved Wild was a gem of a book--it's rare to find new books like it being published in YA these days and I'm so happy I came across it.

The Beloved Wild is a coming of age story of Harriet Winter, who was living with her farming family in Middleton, New Hampshire in 1807. Although she loved her family and her home, Harriet felt unfulfilled, wondering if helping out her mother in the kitchen and her family with farming was all there was in her life. It doesn't help that she's been paired up with her neighbor, Daniel Long, who runs his own farm after the death of his parents, for as long as anyone remembers and everyone in town expecting them to eventually marry. When her brother, Gideon, decided to journey to Western New York and purchase land in the untamed Genesee Valley, Harriet decided to go with him dressed as a boy. For the first time, Harriet, now called Freddy, experiences freedom to become her own and also discover what's really important in life and love.

I love the mix of history, journey and adventure, family, romance, friendship, and growing up. It was divided into three parts, and it did start slow with Part One being a lot about Harriet's family farm and the work that they do. I personally found their farm life interesting, but it was admittedly slow reading. Once you get to Part Two, which was Harriet and Gideon's journey to Genesee Valley, and then to Part Three, which was when they got to their destination, the pacing did pick up and varied secondary storylines were added. Also, the addition of other characters who Harriet and Gideon met along the way livened up the story. Phineas was my favorite and I actually would've liked more about him and his pairing with Harriet's friend, Rachel. However, the author did a really good job transporting the reader to the wilderness of Western New York in 1807. It was interesting getting a glimpse of pioneer life in that part of the country, both the exciting promises of it as well as the dangers and how it could all go wrong for some. And since everything was based on real places, I had a ball Google mapping Harriet's journey and looking at pictures of all the places mentioned.

Just like with the Dear America books back in middle school, I devoured The Beloved Wild. I know it won't be for everyone, but it was my kind of historical YA read. If you like slower paced historical novels with a spunky heroine, pioneer life, journeying through the wilderness, a dash of romance, and growing up, The Beloved Wild is for you.

Historical fiction is always a difficult sell to students, and this slice of life in New Hampshire/Western New York State is slow, deliberate and predictable, which may mean it's even less likely to get picked up. Having said that, the atmosphere and setting are wonderfully done - if readers can stick with it, they'll be rewarded. The comparisons to Pride and Prejudice aren't deserved, btw, but the idea that a first impression or opinion can be incorrect is woven throughout.

ARC provided by publisher.

This one was interesting! I had sort of mixed feelings on it because although I did like all the sort of historical fiction aspects, I also just found it to be…..a little drab and boring.

And it’s kind of unfortunate because part of it is because I just don’t like the setting and time period? Very white + colonial and frankly I just wasn’t too into that. But even more than that, I wish the main character provided more spice to the narrative.

With a more scintillating MC, I definitely believe The Beloved Wild could have shined, but with the one we had, I found she wasn’t engaging, humorous, or entertaining enough to really push this book into anything other than mediocre. It was a good start, but one I felt like was ultimately lacking something.

Overall, I’d recommend if you’re really into colonial America and starting to settle West (like Ohio), but other than that, I think there are more engaging uses of your time.

A bit slow, but I still liked it :) 3.5 stars

Graded By: Stephanie
Cover Story: O-Face, Literally
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Talky Talk: Little House Nostalgia
Bonus Factors: Cross-Dressing, Supporting Cast
Anti-Bonus Factor: No Justice
Relationship Status: Friendly Neighbors

Read the full book report here.

I will read ANYTHING you want to send my way that is set is pioneering times. I am obsessed with the books and true life story of Laura Ingalls Wilder. I also love stories about the Oregon Trail. "The Beloved Wild" sounded right up my alley! This is the story of Harriet and her family. She is tired of all the chores that a woman is expected to do and annoyed by the things she can't be allowed to do as a girl. Her parents are pushing her to marry their neighbor and friend Daniel Long and she resents being pushed toward him far more than she actually resents him. In fact Harriett probably would have been interested in him long ago if everyone else would butt out. Harriet's brother Gideon decides to leave their home. He's the youngest of the brothers and wants something of his own. Harriett convinces him to take her along and she chops her hair and assumes the identity of a young man who happens to travel with Gideon.

The story was really interesting. The journey of course is most of the fun. Along the way they must deal with a new stranger and their old friend Rachel who has had a shocking and terrible experience. The story definitely didn't shy away from showing some of the bad things of that time period but it doesn't focus too heavily on them. It is a well rounded and entertaining story.

I had one problem with the book and that is why I am removing one star from the rating. For this premise to work, Harriett had to be a forward thinking woman. But I found her attitudes about feminism really ahead of the times and it was jolting to read her thoughts sometimes. Her internal musings did not at all fit with women of that time period. I think her feminism (Love it) was awesome, but it also could have been presented in a more realistic to the time period way.