There may not be a better form of reading escapism than a good, old, rootin’, tootin’ story of historical fiction set in the Klondike during the gold rush days in the late 1800s. The Rush by Beth Lewis is a bit different, however, because it’s written from a feminist perspective. Throughout history, there have been strong women whose accomplishments have often exceeded those of men, yet their stories are rarely told. Just as amazing women painted masterful works of art over the centuries, their work was suppressed by the power of men, not because they were any less worthy, but because for centuries, it has been a man’s world.

Northwestern Canada, the Northwest Mounted Police (also known as the Mounties), the Hudson’s Bay Company, and the Yukon are all rich sources of history. I first became interested in The Klondike more than fifty years ago when I read the true story of Klondike Kate, a lady of questionable morals who ruled the entertainment scene during the Yukon gold rush days. Famous Canadian writer, the late Pierre Berton, who grew up in Klondike country and was the son of a Mountie, also penned several excellent stories about life in the Klondike.

The Rush is narrated by three female voices who were feminists ahead of their time. Kate Kelly is an unorthodox journalist in her mid-20s who endured severe hardship to travel to Dawson in search of her sister, who was escaping an abusive marriage. Martha is a seasoned resident of Dawson who owns and runs one of the more respectable hotels/brothels in the town. Her voice is one of experience, boldness, and understanding. Ellen is a young woman married to one of the thousands of men with gold fever who were seduced by the call of the gold rush. He’s greedy, misogynistic, and untrustworthy.

These three women come together in a shared battle to survive in a community dominated by rough, undisciplined men with little regard for the law or each other. This story is based on true events in history, and the characters are a fictional compilation of real-life women. Their feminist struggles are perfectly described by Martha: “Our connection to each other is what makes us strong. We are each other’s bellwethers and watchmen; we all toil under the same invisible yoke, that of a world made by us, but not for us”. Strong words that still resonate today. Fortunately, women have made some progress toward equality, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

Martha and Ellen are very different women locked in a common struggle to survive in a world unfriendly to women. Kate seeks her lost sister; Martha seeks to prosper, and Ellen seeks freedom from a life she did not anticipate and does not want. Their respective adventures follow different trajectories, and the Yukon itself is a strong character in the story. Life in the far north is demanding and fragile. The author keeps the story moving at a pace that makes you keep turning the pages. There’s plenty of visual action, love gained, love lost, death, tyranny, kindness, suffering, and redemption in The Rush. What more could you ask for in a good book?

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