Very thorough, grim, and horrifying. Telling the story form a single participants perspective really helps the narrative have impact. A note on the audiobook version though: it takes some getting used to. The dude reading it sounds like the Beer Baron from The Simpsons.

A brutal, thorough history of this tragic pilgrimage. Phenomenal voice actor; Michael Prichard reads it with the weight and seriousness of a history lecture, yet not without the tender empathy that the story deserves. Oof. I would not have finished this if it weren't recommended to me by a friend - this is a tough one. Daniel Brown does an incredible job researching not only the events of the pilgrimage, but also cultural/societal/economical explanations that offer context to the world at the time. Brown also includes brief descriptions of other survival stories, and scientific insights into the things the Donner party would have experienced freezing in the snow. Unlike other retellings of this story (as I've heard in true crime podcasts, etc.), "The Indifferent Stars Above" dives into the history of the people on the journey, and their lives before and after survival. The epilogue was much-needed, and an interesting glimpse into Brown's research travels for this book. An introspective, empathetic way to conclude this in-depth look at the Donner party's horrific journey.