Review: The Women of the Copper County by Mary Doria Russell

The Women of the Copper County

by Mary Doria Russell

Publisher: Atria Books

Pages: 352

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  In July 1913, twenty-five-year-old Annie Clements had seen enough of the world to know that it was unfair. She’s spent her whole life in the copper-mining town of Calumet, Michigan where men risk their lives for meager salaries—and had barely enough to put food on the table and clothes on their backs. The women labor in the houses of the elite, and send their husbands and sons deep underground each day, dreading the fateful call of the company man telling them their loved ones aren’t coming home. When Annie decides to stand up for herself, and the entire town of Calumet, nearly everyone believes she may have taken on more than she is prepared to handle.

In Annie’s hands lie the miners’ fortunes and their health, her husband’s wrath over her growing independence, and her own reputation as she faces the threat of prison and discovers a forbidden love. On her fierce quest for justice, Annie will discover just how much she is willing to sacrifice for her own independence and the families of Calumet.


Kritters Thoughts:  I have heard so much about this author before going into this book and maybe my expectations were a little on the high side, so this book didn't work for me, but it could totally be me!  To warn I can't avoid spoilers in this review, so beware!

It is 1913 and in a copper mining town in Michigan and Annie Clements is known to be a large woman and when she decides to become a part of the fight for the union she becomes even bigger - a symbol.  

The forming of the union and the fight against a large company was very interesting.  I was waiting the whole book for an incident to happen in the mine and it didn't!  Instead it happens at a party and it was very hard to read and for me sent the book in a different direction that I didn't completely love.  I understand that this historical fact, but the build up for me just didn't seem to work with the ending.  

Russell's writing was good, but for me didn't seem outstanding compared to the rave reviews I had heard before reading the book.  This book didn't stand out as a historical fiction book that I would set above any of the others.


Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Ebook 2019 Challenge: 33 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.