Feathered Quill Review

…..What starts as an intimate glimpse into small-town existence quickly unfolds into a sweeping story of ambition, innovation and endurance quickly enfolds into a sweeping story of ambition, innovation, and endurance. The novel traces the intersecting paths of three young men at the dawn of America’s oil boom: John Mather, Charles Miller, and Patrick Boyle. John, a driven photographer, seeks to capture both the raw hardship and emerging grandeur of a fledgling industry. Charles, a disciplined soldier shaped by the moral gravity of the Civil War, views his duty as both a guiding force and a heavy responsibility. Patrick, a spirited dreamer from an Irish immigrant family, longs to escape the limitations of his small-town upbringing. Set against a richly drawn backdrop of muddy streets, celebrating derricks, and the intoxicating lure of newfound wealth, their stories form a deeply human portrait of how the birth of the oil industry reshaped everyday lives…..

Flanders handles history with the ease of a born storyteller, avoiding the heaviness of overly factual prose. Her writing is textured, evocative, and rich is sensory detail….

Chris Flanders demonstrates not only her skill as a careful historian but also her talent as a storyteller who recognizes that history is defined by people as much as by events.