‘Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own unforgettable adventure much closer to home…‘
– Before Dorothy
[ About Before Dorothy ]
When news reaches Kansas that her beloved sister has tragically died, Emily Gale must become a mother overnight. Her sister’s orphaned child, Dorothy, desperately needs a home.
But Emily doubts her ability to fill her sister’s shoes; her life on the barren Kansas prairies is no place for a child.
On the unforgiving plains, Emily’s courage is endlessly tested. The prolonged drought and relentless dust storms threaten to destroy everything – including her home and her marriage.
Can Emily overcome her grief and let Dorothy heal her heart?
From the promise of Chicago in the 1920s to the harsh beauty of the Kansas prairie during the dust bowl of the 1930s, this is a story of family, duty and one woman’s journey of self-discovery.
[ My Review ]
Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor publishes today, June 19th, with Harper Collins and is described as an ’emotional and gripping historical novel of survival and sacrifice.’
The idea for this book was germinating for years with Hazel Gaynor and in 2022 she finally committed to writing it. We all are familiar with Dorothy’s story from either reading L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz or watching the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz. For many of us Auntie Em has always been just a background character, with Dorothy taking centre stage. Now Hazel Gaynor has put her own spin on this classic tale bringing us this beautiful origin story of Emily Gayle.
‘My Emily Gayle is a young woman embarking on a life as a farmer’s wife on the Kansas prairies when tragedy strikes and she takes in her orphaned niece, Dorothy, during one of the most turbulent periods in American history.’
As young women, Emily Gayle and her sister, Annie, made ends meet in Chicago while always dreaming of more. As hard workers they were more than willing to graft and earn a crust. Through the more challenging times, they were a constant support to each other, laughing, crying, and imagining a very different life. Annie was attracted to the glamour of city living but Emily had a polar ambition, looking for more than the expected, looking for adventure.
Swept off her feet by the handsome Henry Gayle, a man with similar aspirations, she packed her suitcases and left Chicago for a new life in Kansas. In the 1920s the government was encouraging the population to buy plots and plough the land, but, as history tells us, unsustainable farming practices and nature had other plans.
Emily, on arrival, jumped straight in to this new farming life, excited to learn and to be with this man that she adored. At the beginning life was sweet and they soon fitted in with the local community. Emily studied agriculture books and made friends with other wives, learning the way of this dramatic land. She was in awe of her surroundings but, over time, her relationship with Annie had become strained, a shadow which she carried at all times.
Circumstances changed for Emily and Henry as the dust began to rise in these unforgiving plains, but still they had hope that, once they bonded with the land, it would allow them to live peacefully there. When Emily received news of the tragic death of Annie and her husband John, she had to make the unenviable trip to Chicago to collect her orphaned niece Dorothy. This heart-breaking turn of events left Emily unsure of herself and her ability to be a surrogate mother for Dorothy.
As Emily and Henry battled for their very existence, Dorothy’s presence added another complication into their lives. With The Great Depression of 1929 and the Dust Bowl years of the early 1930s combined, times were tough and often very scary. Hardened by the extraordinary challenges of her and Henry’s life in this cruel environment, Emily did not know how to be patient and gentle with Dorothy, but she had to learn.
Hazel Gaynor writes historical fiction in a very accessible manner. She references many true events but, at no point, overloads her readers with too much information. The community of Kansas and The Great Plains suffered terribly due to unforeseen climate changes and lack of education. It’s quite remarkable how little we have learned from the mistakes of those who went before as nature, yet again, bears the brunt of human interference with reckless behaviour and inaction.
Before Dorothy is a sweeping tale of the strength and courage of those early settlers. Auntie Em is reborn through Hazel Gaynor’s writing, given a wondrous backstory to call her own. Her character is beautifully depicted with her grit and determination standing her in good stead through some very harsh and trying times. An atmospheric and vivid technicolour landscape is depicted with a marvellous cast of characters that fit this tale perfectly. With seamlessly interwoven references to the original story, Before Dorothy is another triumph for Hazel Gaynor. Like Dorothy said “all it takes is a little bit of courage and a whole lot of belief” and we can be glad that Hazel Gaynor had the courage and belief in herself to bring us all this gem of a tale.
[ Thanks to Harper Collins Ireland for a copy of Before Dorothy in exchange for my honest review ]
[ Bio ]
Hazel Gaynor is an award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, Irish Times and internationally bestselling author known for her historical novels which explore the defining events of the 20th century.
A debut author recipient of the 2015 RNA Historical Novel of the Year award, her work has since been shortlisted for the 2019 HWA Gold Crown Award, the 2020 RNA Awards, and the Irish Book Awards in 2017, 2020 and 2023. Her work has been translated into twenty languages and she is published in twenty-seven territories to date.
She lives in Ireland with her family.
Last year I real almost all of the original Wizard of Oz tales, so I am really interested in this story.
Rosie, it’s like it was always so. Hazel has brought Emily to life, and the tie-in with the original is so seamless, so very smart.