All the stars!! A coming-of-age epic adventure taking place during the Great Depression. Four orphans runaway from their school and travel along the river in a canoe (put me in mind of Huckleberry Finn) bound for St Louis. I love this story and can’t recommend it enough!


Thank you to Atria via NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Lincoln School, an orphanage with horrible caregivers who beat the children and subjected them to even worse daily working conditions, is where we meet Odie, Albert, Mose, and then Emmy.

The three friends had to get away, and they had their chance one night.

We follow them as they escape with Emmy who didn't originally live at the school and move farther and farther away from Lincoln School and the horrors they had endured.

Following the three friends and Emmy down the Mississippi river and meeting the folks along the River was mesmerizing.

The trip down the river also seemed dangerous but was amazing how the friends always had another friend/stranger helping out.

THIS TENDER LAND's lush writing had me not wanting to stop reading because I didn’t want to miss their adventures and I didn't want the book to end.

Mr. Krueger's writing pulls you in with his descriptions, lovable characters, and story line.

What a marvelous, master story teller Mr. Krueger is. His book even incorporated stories told by the characters within the book.

Mr. Krueger’s magic is indeed evident in THIS TENDER LAND and is a book that needs to be read by every book club and everyone who loves becoming engrossed in the lives of the characters in a book and the era.

This book is an absorbing tale of love, loss, and endurance and will fill your heart with the warmth that comes with feeling needed, helpful, and wanted.

You just have to read this book to understand its beauty and excellence. 5/5

This book was given to me as an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.

This book contains a lot of gratuitous child abuse. It was very distracting from the story. I did not enjoy it at all. I do appreciate the ARC from NetGalley.

The Odyssey meets Huck Finn in this endearing novel that is bittersweet and lovely. Four young "vagabonds" flee their abusive caregivers at school and set off in a canoe bound for St. Louis. Odie, older brother Albert, Emmy, and Mose must survive the wilderness as well as the odd and eccentric characters they meet along the way. Add to the mix a revival show and Sister Eve with her band of healers. There are both laughter and tears in this poignant tale of survival and growth as the youngsters continue their journey, never giving up hope they will find redemption in the end. And yes, they find answers and yes, the end may leave you breathless...but you will never forget this journey or these marvelous characters. I can't wait to read more of Krueger; he is magnificent!

Read if you like: coming-of-age stories, Depression-era fiction, stories about runaways, adventure stories

Caveat: Mentions of child abuse (specifically physical, sexual abuse is implied)

You can read the synopsis, so I won't recap it.

THIS TENDER LAND has already been compared to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which I get. This is definitely a sweeping adventure tale featuring a young preteen. However--I kept thinking of Stand by Me when I was reading it. There's danger, surprises, and lots of scrapes (and a murder or two)--but also a great sense of camaraderie between Odie, Albert, Mose, and Emmy.

William Kent Krueger effectively conveys the desperation felt by many during this time period: the cruel conditions at the Native American boarding school and the vulnerability of four kids on the run. Three keys of elements of that time period are also vividly brought to life: the Hoovervilles (homeless settlements), religious revivals popular during that time, and the protests of World War I veterans (which turned into police brutality). The shameful and little-known massacre of Sioux Minnesotans (approved by Abraham Lincoln) is also an important factor in the story.

I did notice that a Native American character (not Mose) was referred to as "the Indian" several times--I know it was standard use during that time, but it was a bit jarring.

I felt the final revelation about Odie's lineage was somewhat rushed, but it makes sense for the time period. My one complaint. Overall--if you like sweeping historical reads, check this one out!

Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This Novel is about four orphans who runaway from their school in 1932 during the great depression. On their journey to St Louis they meet many array of characters from farmers to families who either help or hinder them.

I LOVED this story. I loved the adventure these four characters are sent on and how different each one was to make this story magical. I loved everybody they meet on this journey and their significance to the story. I would give this story 100 stars if I could. If you could take a novel that is almost 400 pages and I feel like I dont want it to end that is a Great storyteller.

Thank you Atria books and Netgalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review!

This Tender Land is one of my most anticipated books for September. I enjoy William Kent Krueger’s Cork O’Connor series, but I loved his standalone novel “Ordinary Grace” which is so much more than the mystery is seems at first glance. While neither a sequel or prequel, This Tender Land does begin in a rural town named Lincoln and the Lincoln Indian School but our characters spend some time in New Bremen, the same fictional Minnesota town as “Ordinary Grace“. It is a paddling-down-the-river story meant to recall Huck Finn and Jim on the Mississippi. This story is focused mostly on the Mississippi’s tributaries, the Gilead and Minnesota Rivers, not joining the big river until St. Paul, near the end of their journey, but the slightly picaresque adventures are similar.

It all begins at the Lincoln Indian School where the idea of “Kill the Indian, Save the man.” is practiced with cruelty and greed by The Black Witch and her husband. Odie O’Banion, a bright and clever young man is frequently on the receiving end of her ire. Just when Odie sees a chance for something better, his hopes are dashed, so he escapes with his brother Albert, his best friend Mose, and Emmy, a recently orphaned young girl The Black Witch wants to adopt.

They take a canoe and head toward St. Louis where Odie and Albert have an aunt. Along the way, they meet all sorts of people, the kind that takes away your faith in humanity and those who restore it.



This Tender Land is a wonderful novel. I love how this story highlights the history of Minnesota, the cultural genocide, and the literal genocide of Native Americans, the struggles of poor families during the Depression. I also like how each character is well-developed and complex. We even learn some context that makes the Black Witch a little more complicated than the pure evil she seems to be. Not much, but some.

I have always had a fondness for picaresque stories. This is a new addition to a long, proud tradition. This is a story about the power of friendship and love and how we make our own families and how those families lift us up in the world.

This Tender Land will be released on September 3rd. I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.

This Tender Land at Atria Books | Simon & Schuster
William Kent Krueger author site
Boundary Waters by William Kent Krueger review

Interesting read with well-developed characters. Good for fans of Before We Were Yours and The Orphan Train. Give this to patrons looking for thoughtful historical fiction.

5+++++++++ stars!!!! Another book that I don’t think I will be able to properly write a review on. This Tender Land is the perfect title for this remarkable story written by William Kent Krueger. This exceptional story taking place during the depression is about four orphans and the rivers that guide them home. Albert, Mose, Odie and Emmy are courageous, unforgettable children who escape abuse from The Lincoln Indian Training school. Along their journey they meet many different people, some good, some evil but ultimately the River and the unforgettable people they meet help them find their way. The first book I read by Krueger was Ordinary Grace which was also exceptional. , William Kent Krueger deserves praise for his outstanding storytelling. Thank you Atria books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC for a completely honest review.

Orphans Odie and his older brother Albert are the only white kids at the Lincoln Indian Training School in Minnesota. It seems the headmistress, or the Black Witch as she is to known to her students, has it out for Odie and he is constantly in trouble. After an incident occurs in 1932 that could land Odie in even more trouble, the two brothers, along with their friends Mose and Emmy, decide they have no choice but to run away from the school. They set off down the Gilead River in a canoe in search of a place they can call home. Along the way, they have many adventures and encounter some interesting people, both good and bad. Ultimately, this is a story of loyalty, the power of forgiveness, and of finding one’s place in this world.

Every so often a book comes along that you know is special., and this is one of those books for me. It was an absolute delight to read. It is beautifully written-almost poetic. Though it almost 500 pages, I was not ready for this book to end and, indeed, wish it had gone on for at least 500 more pages. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. It is an absolute masterpiece of historical fiction and the best book I’ve read this year, hands down.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this incredible book in exchange for my honest review.

This tale of 'killing and kidnapping and children pursued by demons of a thousand names' begins in the Lincoln School in 1932, Minnesota, on the banks of the Gilead.

I closed it in awe of William Kent Krueger's superlative storytelling. He remains very high on my must read list and I look forward to whatever he writes next.

This has so much content on so many levels that it is very hard to describe. On the surface it is the story of four children in the Midwest during the darkest days of the Depression, running from the horrors of abuse at an Indian school and following the rivers south hoping to find and aunt and the dream of "home." It is the story of the wrestling of Good and Bad, of the Old Testament God of Fury and the New Testament God of Love. It is of the homeless trying to create their own home, and the orphaned creating a new kind of family. It is about trust not always being total, about people not always being right - or wrong, it's about a whole lot of things and happening at such a pace and sometimes with such violence, the poor children can scarcely hold themselves together. But there is also great love, and hope, and wonderful, caring people too. It's quite a book, more of an experience than a story. Highly recommended.

What a wonderful coming-of-age story about four orphans who long for a family and a place to call home. Set during the depression, the story touches on many of the struggles people were facing during those years. Most especially heart-breaking was that of the Native Americans. I had heard of the Indian schools, but this book gave an insider’s view into what went on at some of the schools.

The story centers around two brothers who were sent to the Lincoln school because they were orphans. Albert and Odie were very close. Albert was the brain and Odie was somewhat of a troublemaker. While living at the school, they became close friends with a Sioux named Mose who was around their age. They also became close to a favorite teacher, Mrs. Frost, and her young daughter Emmy.

A situation unfolds that force the four children to flee the school in a canoe, heading for the Mississippi river and hopefully to find Albert and Odie’s only family in St. Louis. Naturally, their journey is fraught with peril and along the way, the children begin to find out who they really are and what they are seeking in life.

With an abundance of adventure and bittersweet moments, their story comes full circle, with a very surprising ending. This was an awesome read that is sure to end up on the bestseller’s list. The author’s remarks at the end of the story are a “must read” as well.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

I’ve read several novels by this author and really liked Ordinary Grace very much, so when I received an ARC of #This Tender Land, I was very excited.
This is a disturbing account of four orphans who leave an abusive living situation, and make their way along the rivers of Minnesota, in an attempt to find family in St Louis. It is during the depression, when times were tough, money was hard to come by and food was scarce.
This is their story of what makes a family, the generosity of strangers, even when they don’t have much to share, and the dreams that everyone shares, no matter their situation.
William Kent Krueger is a beautiful writer, with a superior knowledge of the landscape of the area and the Indian lore that dwells there. It’s probably my favorite read, so far this year.
My thanks for the ARC from # NetGalley and #Simon and Schuster.

While this book is not a Cork O'Connor story, it will certainly well worth the time it takes to read it. This Tender Land showcases f Mr. Krueger's talent, versatility in writing and knowledge of his subject. The narrator states that he is a story teller. If you have ever met Mr. Krueger you know he is a story teller of the first degree. He will even tell you he always his stories going through his mind - I have a grocery list. This Tender Land starts off with a description of the treatment of children at the Indian School which is really rather hard to read, but continue on, the journey is so well worth the trip. I love Cork O'Connor, but in some respects this one has that whole series beat.

4 Stars.

A beautifully written character driven novel about the meaning of family and friendship and most of all the definition of home.

It’s 1932 and the Great Depression has hit and hit hard.

In Minnesota, four young orphans attend the Lincoln School - a school for Native American children. Odie and Albert are brothers, Odie is often in trouble for something, frustrating his older brother Albert to no end. Moses, is mute, and uses sign language to converse. Emmy has recently lost everything and is now being cared for by the owners of the school, whose cruelty knows no bounds.

Odie, Albert, Moses and Emmy soon realize that they must make a run for it if they want to survive. Their solution? Fleeing in a canoe on the Mississippi. Four orphans on a journey none could ever have imagined. The waters are treacherous as are some of the people they encounter. There are a few people however whose hearts are quite dear, including Sister Eve, whose magic won me over. On their own this group of four learns to trust their instincts and each other. Finding themselves and what each strives for most in life. Home, family, friendship, love, loyalty, trust and the ability to believe.

“The Tender Land” is a character driven novel about life’s journey. It is a novel I absolutely adored - I loved the characters and the vivid descriptions of the land and everything the characters were experiencing. The character of Odie simply grabbed my heart and wouldn't let go! I liked the first half of the novel a tiny bit more than the second half, hence the four v five star rating however, I still really liked it and can’t recommend it highly enough.

A huge thank you to Milena Brown at Atria Books, NetGalley and William Kent Krueger for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on Goodreads and NetGalley on 8.6.19.
*Will be published on Amazon on 9.3.19.

I loved this! This is exactly the kind of book I would have devoured when I was in upper grade school through high school. The author,William Krueger, does an excellent job with #thistenderland in thrusting you directly into the story and you become a part of the action, heartbreak and discovery of self of each of the children at the heart of the tale. While this is based in a real point in time in middle America it is still fictionalized and is dramatic in its pacing as well as its satisfying ending. I thank #netgalley for this ARC to read and review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest published review. It was a privilege.

There are minor spoilers in this review but nothing that would ruin it for you…Let me start by saying I loved it and couldn’t put it down. I had to know what happened to Odie and Albert, Emmy and Mose. The book’s setting begins in the Great Depression; a time of personal strife and true poverty for so many across America. As Krueger notes in the Author’s Note (don’t skip reading this part – it is really interesting and well worth the read), “it was a time of desperation in our nation, with the best and the worst of human nature broadly on display.” For Odie and Albert times the worst was truly on display; as their father had unexpectedly just died and they are beginning a rather unpleasant life at the Lincoln Indian Training School, which seemed more like reform school than actual educational institution – at least for them in the form of Mrs. Brickman.

After a particularly bad incident preceded by a tornado that killed Mrs. Frost, the one woman who seemed to be their chance at salvation, the boys decided it was time to run. With a little help on the inside, Odie, Albert, Mose and Mrs. Frost’s daughter Emmy set off in a canoe to escape the school, its abuse and importantly, Mrs. Brickman, aptly dubbed by the children, “The Black Witch.”

What I liked about the book: I thoroughly enjoyed how the book is not just about their Huck Finn-like adventures down the river, but the lessons they learn along the way about each other, about what is important, and how they gain their greatest power from the whole not from the individual; that together they are strongest. Odie learns the importance of trust, and a restored sense of what faith in God means to him.

I also liked how Krueger brought in the tent religions that were so popular during that time when people were looking for anything to hang on to in terms of faith; and how music was the great soother of downtrodden souls. Eve was a very charismatic character whose dual personality – good when it came to Odie and Emmy and yet of course a bit of a sham. During the difficult times and their “four vagabonds” travels, it was such a visual to imagine Odie playing his tunes by the fire and spinning his tales to entertain those around him.

What I didn’t like – or liked less: I did like how Krueger wove in future Odie talking about looking back. I do like when authors use this writing treatment. Krueger used it very sparingly in this book at the very end. He could have deployed it more; but it was a nice way to wrap up the novel and provide character closure.

Highly recommend.

Like most fans of William Kent Krueger, I've become accustomed to the annual release of new book in his Corcoran O'Connor series where the characters are familiar and I feel like I've watched his kids (and others) grow older as Cork battles evil in and around the northern Minnesota town of Aurora. In sharp contrast, This Tender Land, like the previous stand-alone book Krueger wrote called Ordinary Grace, is set primarily in southern Minnesota and is neither a mystery nor fast-paced. There are evil people to be sure and it is, indeed, a page-turner, but not in the same way. The characters are deep and pull at the heart-strings throughout the pages of this book. The primary characters are children finding their way in the harsh world during the Great Depression and battling through hardships that those of us alive today can scarcely imagine. Though it doesn't feed the same hunger for mystery that the Cork O'Connor series satiates, this book will make you feel many emotions and it is beautifully written. I found that I could not put this book down and it only took me two days to devour it. Like Ordinary Grace, I think This Tender Land is at the top of the heap when it comes to books by William Kent Krueger and I hope that he continues to find time to pen these wonderful novels while still feeding us our regular helping of Cork on the side.

received an advance copy of William Kent Krueger’s This Tender Land from Atria Books and NetGalley in return for this honest review. My brief advice is, if you are one of the MANY people who loved this spring’s smash hit from Delia Owens entitled Where The Crawdads Sing, definitely add this one to your list!

Set in the early 1930s in Minnesota, there is a horrific orphanage/Indian School called The Lincoln School which is home to the orphaned O’Bannion brothers Odie and Albert. Odie is a 12-year old whose independent streak makes him a regular target for the abusive adults who rule the place. Along withn their best friend Mose and a tragically orphaned young girl named Emmy, they set off down the Mississippi River in a stolen canoe on a journey reminiscent of Huckleberry Finn,

Their adventures are entertaining, and the reality of the hundreds of Native American children who are at the school ostensibly to be educated (but who are being stripped of their language, culture, and family relationships) is haunting. Along the way they cross paths with other seekers and lost souls, and have some terrifying and heartwarming experiences. It’s a terrific adventure story on its own, and when you add in the orphans’ search for family and home and the history of Native American exploitation, there is an added bonus.

Can be enjoyed on a variety of levels. For me, Crawdads was kind of meh (ending ruined it for me), but I really enjoyed this one. Four stars.