My Darlin' Clementine

Citation:

Gregory, Kristiana. My Darlin' Clementine. New York: Holiday House, 2009. Print.

Summary:

Clementine Kidd lives in the small mining town of Nugget in the late 1860’s with her mother, father, and younger sister, Josie. In the Idaho Territory at this time, gold mining was the driving force behind settlements and The Kidd family earns extra income by cooking meals for the prospectors. Her father’s drinking becomes a major burden on the family and his debts mount exponentially with each late night poker game. Clementine is forced to choose between a life outside of Idaho as a doctor or staying in Idaho and marrying a man she doesn’t love in order to pay off her father’s debt.  

Critical Analysis:

Based on the song “Oh My Darling Clementine”, the novel My Darlin’ Clementine is written as a lead up to the tragic end Clementine faces on her wedding day in the original ballad. However, author Kristiana Gregory finds a way to make the story work with a more optimistic outcome for the protagonist. The novel begins with Clementine’s younger sister Josie describing the search for her sister along the riverbank, just as the song mentions. We see the point of view flip to Clementine. Through her eyes we see a rugged, gritty west and a small settlement in the Idaho Territory with a definite lack of refinement. In most cases, Clementine seems numb to the rough elements of the setting, and murder, gambling and prostitution are things that are normal and expected. The novel gives the reader a vivid, historical account of a young girl trying to survive the rough mining towns of the west. Clementine’s devotion to her family and her dreams make for a refreshing and inspirational character.

One drawback to the novel is the lack of emotion between Clementine and Boone Reno. The relationship is rather bland and the romance is never fully emphasized. Clementine overall is a well-rounded character with much emotion and thought. An additional relationship, like one with Boone, would have been an added bonus to the story.