Before Dorothy

By Hazel Gaynor

Book Overview

THE USA TODAY BESTSELLER ∙ Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own grand adventure, leaving gritty Chicago behind for Kansas and a life that will utterly change her, in this transporting novel from New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor.

As featured in People ∙ Us Weekly ∙ Woman's World ∙ and more

Chicago, 1924: Emily and her new husband, Henry, yearn to leave the bustle of Chicago for the promise of their own American dream among the harsh beauty of the prairie. But leaving the city means leaving Emily's beloved sister, Annie, who was once closer to her than anyone in the world.

Kansas, 1932: Emily and Henry have established their new home among the warmth of the farming community in Kansas. Aligned to the fickle fortunes of nature, their lives hold a precarious and hopeful purpose, until tragedy strikes and their orphaned niece, Dorothy, lands on their doorstep.

The wide-eyed child isn't the only thing to disrupt Emily's world. Drought and devastating dust storms threaten to destroy everything, and her much-loved home becomes a place of uncertainty and danger. When the past catches up with the present and old secrets are exposed, Emily fears she will lose the most cherished thing of all: Dorothy.

Bursting with courage and heart, Before Dorothy tells the story of the woman who raised a beloved heroine, and ponders the question: what is the true meaning of home?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0593440331
• ISBN13: 9780593440339
• Release Date: June 2025
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Excellent historical fiction inspired by The Wizard of Oz

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own unless otherwise noted. I was intrigued by this concept – to write an historical fiction novel inspired by the book/movie “The Wizard of Oz.” But would it work? Or would it feel like a copycat story? I have read several of Hazel Gaynor’s novels, so I wasn’t surprised to find out she crafted a wonderful story. Even if you’re not familiar with “The Wizard of Oz,” (is there anyone that can say that?), this book stands entirely on its own as a story of a strong courageous woman, of the choices and sacrifices she made, and of the connections and secrets within her family. I enjoyed all the references to “The Wizard” scattered throughout the novel – from rainbows, Toto, a witch, an hourglass, dreams, the tin man the lion, and scarecrow, carnival hucksters, cyclones, and more. The major portion of the novel takes place on the Kansas plains during the years of The Great Depression, when the Dust Bowl’s droughts and severe windstorms decimated farms throughout the Midwest. Despite the inspiration of the movie, this is not a lighthearted story. It contains tragedy, loss, grief, and hard times. But above all, it is a journey of one woman’s self-discovery. This is truly a story about Emily Gale, Dorothy’s Auntie Em. Gaynor realistically depicts Emily’s life on the prairie both before and during the Dust Bowl desolation. I loved how Emily often recalled her young girlhood with her sisters and how her mother encouraged them to always remember their birth country of Ireland. Throughout the novel Emily deals with loss, family secrets, and her own conflicts about motherhood. There were some moving moments during the novel, and the heartwarming ending confirmed this was a 5 star read for me.