Book Review: Faithful by Janet Fox

Publisher: Speak

Pages: 319 paperback

My Rating: 5/5 stars

I read this novel for the 2011 Y.A. Historical Fiction Challenge hosted by Y.A. Bliss. At first I was somewhat leery on the novels I would be reading for this challenge. So far I have stuck to books written in the present day or future. After reading Faithful I am completely hooked! I can’t wait to read another book that takes place in the past. Now, let’s get on with the review:

Sixteen-year-old Maggie Bennet’s life is in tatters. Her mother has disappeared, and is presumed dead. The next thing she knows, her father has dragged Maggie away from their elegant Newport home, off on some mad excursion to Yellowstone in Montana. Torn from the only life she’s ever known, away from her friends, from society, and verging on no prospects, Maggie is furious and devastated by her father’s betrayal. But when she arrives, she finds herself drawn to the frustratingly stubborn, handsome Tom Rowland, the son of a park geologist, and to the wild romantic beauty of Yellowstone itself. And as Tom and the promise of freedom capture Maggie’s heart, Maggie is forced to choose between who she is and who she wants to be.

Everything about this book blew me away. First of all the setting of the story was truly genius. The characters and story line only add to its awesomeness!

The story takes place during 1904 in the beautiful Yellowstone National Park (I have never been there, but I do know how to put Google to work; it is gorgeous, absolutely breathtaking!). Janet’s attention to detail is superb. I felt like I could see the prairie lands stretching on for miles and miles, or could see the wildlife roaming free, even the humongous geysers spraying water clear up to the sky felt so real. I found myself actually getting excited every time she started to explain the area the main character was in. Another interesting detail is that this novel takes place in 1904. It really was a whole different world at this time. During this time period it was still very common for girls to be introduced into society. Young girls were brought up to act like perfect ladies at all times and were required to respect the men around them at all costs. In the Author’s Notes of Faithful, Janet states “I chose to set Maggie’s story in 1904 because the world was changing so rapidly at that time (automobiles and airplanes, moving pictures and women’s suffrage), and because the Old Faithful Inn, designed by Robert Reamer, who designed many of the most memorable Yellowstone’s buildings, opened in early June of that year.”

As for the characters and story line, it was truly fantastic. The main character, Maggie, starts out just like every girl getting ready to be introduced into society. She attends all the right parties, respects her father regardless of his attitude, and tries extremely hard to overcome the pain of her mother’s disappearance that happened the previous year. Mere months before she is to be introduced, Maggie’s father drops a bombshell; they are packing up and moving to Yellowstone National Park, a place that is the complete opposite of Newport, Maggie’s hometown. Maggie’s father is determined that a change of scenery will do the two some good but Maggie feels differently. Maggie is determined to make this trip as miserable for everyone else as it is for her. However, once Maggie is in Yellowstone she is entranced by its magnificent beauty and a change starts to take place within her. Meeting Tom Rowland might also ease some of Maggie’s bitterness. He is the first guy to actually treat Maggie as an equal; this both baffles and amazes Maggie all at the same time. When Maggie learns of her father’s real intentions for making this trip, she throws herself into a secret investigation to find the truth of her mother’s disappearance. The truth is a lot closer and A LOT more shocking than Maggie could have ever expected. Yellowstone turns out to be a pleasant surprise to Maggie. With the help of Tom & Mrs. Gale (a new, independent, wonderful woman that Maggie meets), Maggie finally finds out exactly what she wants out of life. She no longer remains silent and allows her father to rule over her life, she takes a stand for what she really wants.This novel is full of beautiful imagery, fascinating characters, and an intriguing storyline.

Faithful is one Y.A. Historical Fiction novel I will never forget!

** Quite a few hours after publishing this post, I found a wonderful video of Janet being interviewed about Faithful. It is about 14 minutes long, but it is sensational. I suggest you watch it.**