The Fire Born by Deborah Hufford

Rated: 5 star rating

The Fire Born by Deborah Hufford is an great historical fiction book that tells the story of what happened on October 8, 1871. That was the night of the famous Great Chicago Fire, but it was also the same night a much bigger and deadlier wildfire destroyed the town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin. 

The author does a wonderful job of bringing this forgotten history to life. The book follows a few different people from all walks of life, showing how their worlds were turned upside down by the fires. You really get a sense of how dry and dangerous everything was leading up to that terrible night.

The story connects four very different people who you can't help but root for. There is Delia, a brave Swedish orphan girl who is adopted by a lumber camp Madam and is trying to survive in a rough Wisconsin brothel. Then there is Big Mo, a Scottish immigrant, poet, and lumberjack who quotes verse and is trying to leave a violent past behind him while helping Delia find her own inner strength. 

You also get to see the perspective of William Butler Ogden, who was the very first mayor of Chicago and known as the Richest Man in the West. He owns an empire of railroads and timber land that connects both locations, and he inadvertently creates the perfect tinderbox for the upcoming disaster.

Finally, there is Zelda, a mysterious Turkish woman who immigrated to America to perform as a lion tamer in P.T. Barnum's circus. She becomes a haunting muse to William and acts as a bridge between his wealthy high-society world and the struggles of ordinary frontier people like Delia and Mo.

This is a wonderful read because you see these characters going about their normal lives, dealing with their own private struggles and dreams, while a massive disaster is heading right for them. 

The author makes you feel like you are there in the dusty lumber camps and the fancy streets of Chicago. When the fire breaks out, it becomes an incredible story about survival. It shows how strong people can be when they lose everything and have to rely on each other to get through the night.

The book ends with a note of hope and how to start over after a tragedy. It also recognizes the ordinary people who showed so much courage. 

If you enjoy historical fiction that focuses on real human emotions and stories you might not have learned about in school, this book would make a great read.

Thank you, NetGalley, Köehler Books, and Deborah Hufford, author, for this ebook. review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

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