I loved this book! I really enjoy this author's books. She digs deep in her research and writes about things that make us uncomfortable to read, bringing reality of how people had to live front and center in our minds.

In this case, it is coal miners back in the early 1900's, and the young children alongside the men who had horrifying, dangerous jobs. And the people who did all they could to make changes to this awful way of living.

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Ok, the writing isn't beautiful, the characters are like those in my teenage fantasies and the plot unbelievable, but I enjoyed reading this book.

It would have been better with a tragic ending. ( )

This book was so good! I'm not one to usually read historical fiction but I could not put it down! It was very heartbreaking to read about the breaker boys and the poor conditions for them and their families. I loved how Emma stopped at nothing to make sure they were treated fairly. ( )

Because the author did research into mining practices in this period, the story is interesting and well worth a book. It was easy to read, but the writing tripped me up. There are awkward similes and other figures of speech, awkward phrasing and coupling of words here and there, and it's repetitious throughout. Wordy. Emma, the main character, isn't quite believable. She trembles at nearly everything all the way through the book and yet shows courage or immaturity, depending on circumstance, in many situations that seem like bravery or stupidity, without regard for consequences. That's typical of young people sometimes. But those who quake that much in person don't usually take so many risks. And I thought she exhibited way too much empathy for someone her age and with her background. It made her seem older. She couldn't have known what mothers and others felt at that age.

There was plenty of action and heartbreak, plenty revealed about mining practices, which was the interesting bit. Clayton, another main character, make a truly miraculous and instantaneous recovery from being shot, beaten, and being near death, according to the author, at the end. It wasn't believable at all in the time frame indicated.

This could have been a sterling story but for these type notes on the writing. There were more small things, but the story felt as though the author got the historical portions right. The writing was too much the "telling" type, which makes a story a bit dry. Even with that, I liked the story. ( )

I really enjoyed this. I thought it was well written and entertaining. It delves into the lives of families who work for a mining company with awful and dangerous conditions and horrible pay. And into the people whose selfishness keeps them in poverty and those who fight to expose the truth. I'm very thankful I received this book in a giveaway and had the opportunity to read it. ( )