DARK CANYONS by Bruce Blizzard

 

Dark Canyons is the story of a family forced to defend its way of life. Twelve-year-old June is growing up happily with her scholarly mother and practical father on a remote ranch. She has never been to school, but June’s agile mind makes learning second nature. From her mother June has learned to love books and to question what she reads. From her father she has learned the practical skills that allow her family to thrive on their own. When officials concerned for June’s safety threaten to remove the girl from their primitive home, she and her father attempt to escape on horseback into the rugged Blue Mountains of Washington State.

My Thoughts:

Set in the beautiful Blue Mountain of Washington. You meet a family determined to be separate from the rest of the world and to raise and teach their daughter June away from the status quo of the rest of the world.

Sarah had courage, faith, and an unconditional love for her daughter. She was determined to give her daughter everything that she didn’t have. 

Jake was a hardworking man that was a jack of all trades. He is determined to protect his family.

June knew no other life than the one she was raised in. She was taught to be self-sufficient on the land.

I would have liked to have known what year this took place in as I couldn’t figure out if it was further in the past or more current. I know it probably wouldn’t matter or maybe I didn’t catch the time frame while reading the story. The book was unpredictable and a page turner. I enjoyed the plot and the characters.

The one thing that made me cringe with the story is that I wouldn’t want others to have this as a stereotype of homeschoolers. I can’t help to not think in that mindset. Maybe, this is why I cringe as a homeschooler and thinking of the worst scenario that could transpire as a homeschooler. In reality that is what makes this an interesting story as it makes you think of such turmoil happening to this family and what would you do if you were faced with a situation like this.

This is a creative and well done story that I enjoyed a lot. Thank you Bruce for an interesting story in Dark Canyons. 

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