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Book Reviews
Wiseman (What She Left Behind) offers heartbreaking and historically accurate depictions of the dangerous mines, the hopeless workers, and their improbable fight for justice. The richly developed coal town acts as a separate, complex character; readers will want to look away even as they're drawn into a powerful quest for purpose and redemption.
Publishers Weekly
[A] picture of the struggles mining families faced in the early 1900s. Emma is a strong, likable character...supported by a cast of equally unlikable characters who are easy to hate. Although the dialogue and narrative can be simplistic and overly explanatory, the plot of Coal River sweeps the reader along (Ages 15 to Adult). —Deanne Boyer; .
VOYA