Kindred of the Dust

3.5 stars

My description:
McKaye is a Pacific-Northwest lumber baron who's built his own idyllic town around his sawmill. He owns everything in the town and all his employees rent at low rates, plus free healthcare at the local hospital he's had built, and zero taxes. Sounds perfect, right? But McKaye isn't a happy man, because his own family is ready to discount or outright ignore his wishes and authority. His daughters are one thing, but when the son of his heart goes against his edicts with every ounce of his own type of courage, something's got to give.

Review: An interesting old book with lots of things going on. Donald McKaye is a great hero and an upright one. I really disliked the bombastic father, “The Laird” McKaye, and his short-sighted hypocrisies. He needed to learn some humility! Especially after having told his son to “sow your wild oats while you're young” and not caring about consequences, but when the son falls in love with a good girl whose name is of ill repute (but whose life is not) he'd honestly rather his son die than marry her? Ugh. Nan is a charming heroine and I loved it when she found her spunk when it was most needed.

Content: lots of swears of the garden variety; think PG-13 level, freely sprinkled.