The Light of the Western Stars

"The Light of the Western Stars" by Zane Grey is a story that drops a New York woman, Madeline Hammond, right into the wild American West to find her brother who is now a cattleman. We follow as she leaves a life of discontent in New York to find a new life. Arriving in the rough town of El Cajon, New Mexico, the story kicks off with Madeline facing the loneliness of the unfamiliar place. She is then almost immediately thrust into a scary situation involving a drunk cowboy, which highlights both how tough the West could be, and Madeline’s hidden strength and bravery. This event really sets up the novel as a journey where Madeline will change a lot as she learns to live in this new world.