"Yesteryear" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider

Be careful what you wish for could be the theme of “Yesteryear” a searing, page turning debut by Caro Claire Burke. In this creative, satirical novel dreams turn into nightmares when greed and power nudge out kindness, honesty and integrity, positive qualities that Natalie loses sight of as she hurdles forward, her young children, husband, friends and extended family be damned.

For Natalie it’s all about racking up thousands more followers on social media as she creates a persona of a perfect family living life on a 500-acre farm called Yesteryear, the family’s simplicity and down home goodness captivating the interest of an ever-increasing number of women.

Natalie Heller Mills, raised in a strict religious family, views herself as God-fearing and obedient to the Scriptures, chastising herself when she cusses or has sinful thoughts, but her private, personal admonishments are only lip-service.

When Natalie meets Caleb in college, the two fall in love quickly, remaining chaste until their wedding night. Caleb is the youngest son of a powerful, monied patriarchal family, his father a successful politician, his mother a prop in the background, glass in hand, pills in the bathroom to numb emotional pain.

With marriage, Natalie imagines Caleb will take charge and get a job, but her new husband has little ambition. Soon after their vows, Natalie gets pregnant and thinks this will surely be the impetus to spur Caleb on. But there is no change and Natalie realizes she’s more the male of the family and Caleb the female.

In an effort to get Caleb interested in providing for his family, Natalie suggests they buy a large farm and renovate it so Caleb can work the land and raise cattle. This is an idea Caleb’s father pushes, promising Natalie he will finance the project if Natalie will give his son lots of children, a deal the two work out that’s kept from Caleb.

It’s Natalie’s idea to make the farm a “time machine” in which the family will live life like it’s 1805. So begins a project in which Natalie births baby after baby, and fashions an extreme existence reminiscent of pioneer times, eventually becoming an influencer garnering praise from non-trad women, and condemnation from career-seeking females.

Natalie’s life spins out of control after a marital crisis when she suddenly wakes to find herself transplanted into the past, with children she doesn’t recognize and an abusive husband she calls Old Caleb who uses force to keep his wife under his thumb.

Though “Yesteryear” can initially be hard to understand, readers should stay the course because the story is addictive and wholly original. Natalie is a complicated, obsessive character, at times vulgar, at times Sunday School straight. The glory of this fast read is trying to figure out who she really is, who anyone really is, in a book certain to initiate lively discussions.

Buy the book.