This was such a good book that I enjoyed very much. I will also say I was immediately put off when I first opened the book to the enormous list of characters that is the first thing you see. But, I just jumped into the reading and acted like I never saw that list. Each 'chapter' in the book is a short story of several characters lives between a certain time period. Each subsequent chapter draws into a deeper or parallel life of those characters through some type of relationship. It was intriguing, emotional, and I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would.

This book was not for me! Thank you for sending it to me, I really appreciate it!

This book was not for me! Thank you for sending it to me, I really appreciate it!

This book was not for me! Thank you for sending it to me, I really appreciate it!

The Travelers is...expansive. It is a unique novel and I admire what Regina Porter set out to do in this sprawling narrative. As a fan of inter generational story telling, there were some aspects of this book I enjoyed quite a bit, but overall felt the author perhaps took on too much to the point of detriment. The themes got a bit lost within the story telling, which was admittedly beautiful. Thank you to Hogarth and Netgalley for the opportunity to read it in exchange for my honest opinion.

In some ways, this book was incredible. Beautiful prose and insight into race and racism at different points throughout modern American history. But the scope of this book, while impressive, was too broad for me. Why do we need SO many different characters and plotlines? I think the author's talent would have shone more if she chose one nuclear family, perhaps, and wrote a more in-depth novel about them. This felt like four or five novels crammed into one. While it was interesting and attention grabbing every time a new connection was discovered between seemingly unconnected characters, the most interesting and surprising plot points often fell flat because they were casually tossed in with no build up. Ultimately, I am glad I read this book, but it was a little too experimental for me.

Thank you for allowing me to review this wonderful story. I loved the character development across the decades. The intermingling of the characters throughout the book was very interesting. The Seven Degrees of Separation was very evident in the book. Characters crossing paths with one another seems unlikely in life, but it is more real than most people realize. I enjoyed seeing how they all came together and their interactions with one another.

I appreciated the list of characters at the beginning of the book, as I was constantly going back to reference this information.

Wanted to like this book but the countless characters made keeping up a problem. The story begins begins around 1948 and spans 60 years, chronicling the stories of 3 families- the White Camphor and Vincent families and the African American Johnson family. There is a lot of racial tension, family power dynamics, numerous histories, violence, and a lot of messiness. I liked the complexity but there were sadness and violence too.

I found this book very hard to follow. There was a lot that was good about it, but I felt like I needed to write down what was going on just to keep track of it

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did -- in fact, I very nearly gave up on it early on because I had a hard time following. But it's a beautiful history of America and Americans, and the variety of what it can mean to be an American. It's one I'll likely pick up again and reread after I've let it sink in a bit.

There are so many reviews for this, I can't add anything new. Historical fiction fans may like this. Other than being a little uneven, pretty good overall. 3.5 rounded up.

I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!

I enjoyed that this was a multi-generational story. I thought it was a little hard to follow due to so many characters and having to keep up with who's who, but the message of this book is very important: History impacts each of us very differently and we have to be able to tell our stories and respect each other's lived experiences. Only then can we truly be an accepting society.

“Eloise," Hebert said, after a pause. "You come from hell-raising people. Don't you burn down these people's house in a fit of temper, you hear?”
"But I didn't," Eloise said, "I didn't burn down our house."
"No," Hebert squinted. "But a spell can't be cast without intent. There's power in the tongue and in the head. In New Orleans, we know this."

I will take all of the multi-generational, cross country sagas, please and thank you. This ambitious debut tells the stories of over 30 characters who hail from the North and the South, and spans from the ‘60s to the Obama administration. It was a bit challenging to keep all of the characters straight and with so many plot lines occurring at once, it become too much for me at times. But oh my goodness, THE WOMEN OF THIS BOOK. Agnes and Eloise snuck in to my heart and I would have been happy if the whole story had centered around the two of them. This is a bold debut that examines the ways our families shape us and how we struggle to break free of that and blaze our own trail.

I really enjoyed Regina Porter's debut novel The Travelers. It is an ambitious undertaking, in which, she depicts the triumphs and tragedies that befall two families of her own creation: a white family with its roots in the Bronx, The Vincents, and a black family from Buckner County Georgia, The Millers. There are many heartbreaking parts, a couple that I will likely never forget:

Eddie Christie (Agnes Miller's husband) and Jeb Applewood and their tour of duty in The Navy in Vietnam. #rosencrantzandguildenstern #pettyofficer Nelson "Nelly" Mammoth.

Adele Vincent (James Vincent's second wife): Adele is Jewish, and circumstances trap her into an abusive relationship and then marriage, that comes to a shocking and tragic conclusion.

Eloise Delaney (Agnes' foster sister): Her story is one of courage and triumph. Left on the doorstep of the Miller family by her parents who did not have the means or desire required to raise their child. Eloise is inspired throughout her life by the aviator Bessie Coleman to live a bold and fearless life.

These stories, and so many others will stay with me for a very long time. I highly recommend this book, with one caveat, take the "time" to read it. Familiarize yourself with the cast of characters and you will be moved. Thank you #netgalley for the e-Arc of #thetravelers. I loved it. 5 stars.

SO I liked the authors writing style and the story and the characters were very like able. The only thing I
did not really enjoy was there were so many characters to keep track of and how they connected without writing down the long list of characters in the beginning and coming back to the list.

This novel has a very unique and interesting structure, but do yourself a favor and buy a paper copy or take it out of the library. The book begins with a long list of characters, which, if reading on an e-reader is hard to refer back to. The list is very helpful, because there are so many characters .. The book is extremely well-written and the characters are well developed. Each character links to one or more in the book. Every story is fascinating. The novel brings us through time from the 40's until the '00's and covers a lot of geography though the US and Europe. The characters are black and white, gay and straight. old and young. The prose is elegant and affecting. It's a very ambitious book that works. Regina Porter is a gifted writer. I can't wait to read her next book. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the copy

A sprawling saga of two families intertwined across race, class, borders and time. With more than a few surprises along the way.

A layered multigenerational debut novel covering an expansive time period. I enjoyed the writing and how the characters were intertwined. The use of photos throughout the novel enhanced the reading experience. The photos provided a nuanced glance into moments in time which also included several historical events.

This was an engaging read with likable characters. My only issue was the large amount of characters and having to keep track of everyone. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

When a book review says the book I am about to read will be similar to Homegoing – I AM ALL IN. While I would have rather read this in hard copy to be able to flip back to the list of character easier I couldn’t stop reading! Told over the span of 50+ years this beautiful book tells the story of multiple characters. I loved the short, engaging chapters to learn about each character and how their lives intertwine. The writing flows, there are happy and sad times, but these people keep prevailing. My words wont do this book justice – you will have to read it.

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

A large, and at times to be honest unwieldy cast of characters take the reader from the 1950s to 2010. This isn't a conventional family saga; it's not always clear how the individuals will hook back into the main but that's sort of irrelevant. Told in a series of what are more or less vignettes. it tackles many enduring American issues, most notably racism. It moves back and forth in time and place (the former can be a tad distracting as you reset where you are in the story.). If this seems like a lukewarm review, it's not. This is an intriguing and important book which I suspect will provoke much discussion. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of literary fiction.