Review of "Prospects of a Woman" by Wendy Voorsanger

The title has a double meaning: 1) The possibilities of a woman and 2) gold prospecting. It covers what it is about.

A young, poor, recently married woman arrives with her husband at her father's gold claim in California. People can get rich during the Gold Rush or remain dead poor. But California is special as legally women have a lot more rights than in the rest of the USA. They can own their own property and can divorce.

Elisabeth is desperate to make something of her life as her father had abandoned her family and farm. To get security and independence.. At first the situation is quite dire as they are so poor. In her letters to her friend however she describes her fantasies as reality. When the time passes the letters get more and more a true account.

Elisabeth comes over as quite a hard woman but when you look at her history that is understandable although I wished at several occasions she had chosen differently.

For me as a non- American the historic setting was interesting. The story is well written.