Unfortunate Words by John Hansen tells the story of a family struggling to survive in the wilds of Montana in the early 1900s. Otto and Marie, and their sons, Zeke and Adam, find their quiet existence blighted by the appearance of Otto’s wayward brother, Heinrich, and his questionable lady friend. Add to that the threat of a distant war and their world is turned upside down when their son, Zeke, is called up to join the fighting. How can they survive without Zeke, with two extra mouths to feed, and a stirring of hatred against anyone with German heritage in their small community. Life may never be the same again.

The author, John Hansen, has painted a very credible picture of life in Montana in the early 20th century. Not just the landscape and the hard living, but believable characters and a sound voice for the era. The reader is taken on a roller-coaster of emotions as the main protagonists, Otto and Marie, battle with the elements of a wild country, the emotions of their son leaving home to fight in a war a world away, a brother tearing at Otto’s innermost feelings of right and wrong, and those he had thought of as friends becoming a threat to their very existence. This is an enthralling read, well written and with a good pace. Written with descriptions that conjure up a tranquil yet harsh country, this is a story that will tug at the heartstrings. A believable plot and a stirring story.

Words can be dangerous. Spoken out loud in a confrontational environment, words can spark a depth of anger that knows no boundaries. There are unfortunate incidents throughout history, and even today, where words spoken or written have caused grief, discord, and even violence. In North America, during World War I, Germans were ostracized and often abused, beaten, and subjected to all kinds of unfair practices and humiliations. This is what happened to the Lutz family in a small farming community in Montana. A group of vigilantes, set to bully away anyone of German descent, even one whose son was fighting the Germans overseas, made life miserable, unbearable, and, eventually, totally unaffordable, until Oscar, the father, was imprisoned for words he spoke and his family lost their ranch, their source of livelihood. All while Zeke, the eldest, was fighting the Germans in Europe. It all started, not just with words, but when Oscar refused to buy War Bonds. Why? Not because he was German. But because he just didn’t have the money.

It’s a sad day when people are judged by their ancestry instead of what they have done and continued to do in the community. John Hansen’s historical novel, Unfortunate Words, is a compelling story that relates unfortunate events which happened all across the country during the First World War. The story, though historical in nature, is a lesson from which we can all learn; to accept each other for what we have to offer our communities, not for what our ancestors might dictate. The author has a powerful ability to set the scene with descriptive narrative that places the reader right into the setting. The characters are realistic and well developed, to the point that the reader will instantly choose sides in a war on the home front that should never have required a fight. The plot is well developed with a satisfactory resolution and conclusion, pointing out that there are some good people in the world after all. A powerful story full of pain, suffering and retribution. Well done!