I stayed up way past my bed time last night finishing This Tender Place by William Kent Krueger. The publishers said its for fans of Where The Crawdads Sing. I hate when a book is being promoted on another book’s fame, but in this case I am not mad about it because I understand why they can be likened to each other. I actually think TTP is better because there wasn’t a dual timeline which is a trendy hook I dislike. In TTP we stay with the kids in 1932 and it’s fantastic!! This Tender Place will be in my top 5 of the year, and will probably be in many “best of 2019” lists because of the incredible writing, memorable characters, lots of drama and the very satisfying end. If you are looking for a book with substance I highly recommend it!

“We breathe love in and we breathe love out. It's the essence of our existence, the very air of our souls.” 

This book is one of the most beautifully written novels I have ever read. I tried to take my time and soak up every word, but found myself unable to put it down. This is a story about four orphans who flee from the school where they live after years of torment and tragedy. 

This novel has breathed new life into my reading, this is one of the most moving novels I have read. I feel like the author poured his whole heart into these characters and their story. This is about forgiveness, growing up, finding your own way, and what a true family is. This is set in the 1930's and it shows the harshness of the Great Depression. But it also shows the kindness and helpfulness of strangers as people learn to lean on each other through these hard times. These characters are interesting and complex. They have found their way into my heart and I was so invested in their story.

Oh I just loved this book so much! I think it may be my favorite of the year...

"God’s right here. In the dirt, the rain, the sky, the trees, the apples, the stars in the cottonwoods. In you and me, too. It’s all connected and it’s all God. Sure this is hard work, but it’s good work because it’s a part of what connects us to this land, Buck. This beautiful, tender land.”  

Now excuse me while I go read everything William Kent Krueger has ever written.

My expectations for This Tender Land were very, very high because I so loved his earlier novel Ordinary Grace. That story focused on a 13-year old boy, his family and a terrible tragedy that completely devastated them all. Like This Tender Land, Ordinary Grace was set in Minnesota, but its era was 1961, rather than the Depression. Ordinary Grace came before my blogging days, but I journaled about every book I read and gave it my very top grade at the time, A+. So why am I talking so much about a book I’m not reviewing? I suppose it’s that I want you to understand how high the bar was set, and why This Tender Land fell short for me.

As the book opens readers meet brothers Odie (the story’s narrator) and Albert, 12 and 16 who ended up at the school four years earlier after first their mother, then their father died. Close to both, is Mose a hulking Native American boy left mute when someone cut out his tongue. Rounding out this group that will soon leave the school is Emmy, the young daughter of one of the school’s teachers who is killed in a storm. While the school has many kind people working there, an awful woman runs it, having more interest in money than the children.

The four flee the school in a canoe, beginning their journey down the Gilead River. Though scared and without any great plan in mind, they have each other and a strong desire to find something more. So, the set up is good, some have compared it Huck Finn by Mark Twain. It’s been SO long since I read Huck Finn that I can’t possibly speak to that, but I can say that for me this book was just okay.

My biggest issue was that I just didn’t care about these kids. I never felt close to them and there was a lot that was hard to buy into. Also, too many lucky coincidences made the story feel forced. For example, communication with Mose was possible for all because it just happened that Odie and Albert’s mother had been deaf and taught them sign language. They in turn taught Mose and Emmy. This ability came in very handy on their quest, but really? Over and over, I had to overlook plot points that I found really difficult to believe.

The story was compelling enough to keep me going, but sadly not one I can truly recommend. Krueger’s writing is gorgeous and the Goodreads ratings are INCREDIBLY high, so you might not want to pay ANY attention to me!

“I’d heard little kids at Lincoln School cry all night long, and I’d heard Mose, too, but I couldn’t recall ever hearing a man cry this way. It made me think that no matter how big we grew or how old, there was always a child in us somewhere.”

If you’re a great lover of Depression era historical fiction, or particularly like stories centered on children, then This Tender Land may work very well for you.

Unpopular opinion time as all I have seen are rave reviews. I was at a 4/4.5 for the first 50% of the book and I was onboard with the praise for this book. After the midway point I could no longer tolerate the 12 year old boy narrator, I mean I get it, he's 12, so he is supposed to be emotionally immature. However, there was zero growth even after the multiple trials and tribulations this child experienced . By the end of the book, Odie was still struggling to understand the basics of empathy and still had zero critical thinking skills. Odie continually makes terrible choices and he is incredibly self-serving and self-centered.

I think this book could have been a 4 or 5 star rating if the narrator switched between Odie, Albert, Mose, and Emmy. It would have for sure had a 5 star rating if there was a central narrator of an indigenous person, perhaps the character Hawk Flies at Night. I couldn't help but feel that a story that was rooted in the horrors and realities of indigenous white washing schools was overwhelmingly a story about a 12 year old white boy that made it all about his own problems. My other issue with this story is that it relies on multiple character deaths or near-deaths to progress the story. The premise of the story, and the adventure alone should have been enough to propel the story forward so it just felt like a lazy thematic element reminding the reader of the tenuousness of life and death.

It's an easy read, but Krueger hammers you over the head with the same symbolism and high school level thematic elements. I could definitely see this being assigned to a 10th grade English class for students learning about literary elements for the first time. The harmonica and constant theme of music, the tornado god and other religious elements, the black witch... it was all just too much. For the critical reader, it's incredibly annoying.

This was an excellent historical fiction book. You are drawn into the story of four orphans and the journey they take in an effort to find a home that allows me a safe place to grow into the people they are meant to be.
But you don't just follow their story, you are presented with information about the Great Depression, the injustices Native Americans endured, the way people abuse the power bestowed upon them, the dynamics of family relationships, as well as friendships that develop through the difficulties the characters experience.

There were so many facets to the story. Your heart will ache at the tragedies and horrors the children in the story face. You will cheer them on as they begin to develop relationships and understand more about themselves and who they are deep inside. The back-and-forth understanding and forgiveness of themselves and others will tug on your heart strings.

And, in the end, how they find the forgiveness of others, of themselves, and of God, is miraculous.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It put me in mind of Huckleberry Finn. I did not see the twist coming at the end! Would highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC. 5 epic ⭐️ for this wonderful (and at times heart breaking) book. This, from the book’s synopsis describes it perfectly, “With the feel of a modern classic, This Tender Land is an en­thralling, big-hearted epic that shows how the magnificent American landscape connects us all, haunts our dreams, and makes us whole.” It was a Huck Finn/Stand By Me mash up. Highly recommend for men or women.

Odie and Albert have lost their parents. They are sent to a school for Native American children who must also live there, Odie and Albert are sent there as the orphanage is full. They are told the rules and what happens when they disobey. Odie easily gets into trouble. Odie and Albert make friends with a mute Native American. He can hear but not talk, His name is Mose. All three of the become friends with a teacher who has a little girl named Emmy. As time flies by, the teacher tells them that she can get them to live at her home for the summer as she needs help with her farm. The boys say yes and are excited to live with her for the summer. Unfortunately an event occurs that kills the teacher so the summer plans are “lost.” The three boys decide to leave on their own but when Emmy finds out, she wants to go with them. A decision is made to take Emmy with them as Emmy is so unhappy withe her new parents, Why is Emmy unhappy? How do they travel? Albert is planning on finding their aunt in St. ..Louis where they can hopefully stay. Will that happen? Is there a happy ever after?

This novel is fascinating and reads like a dream. It was very easy for me to get involved with the characters of this novel. I ended up caring very much about what happened to them. Their journey was an adventure with unexpected twists and turns, some of it was rather scary. They meet farmers struggling, traveling faith healers, families with no homes, and others. The novel grabs your heart without realizing it until you finish the book.

This Tender Land is a coming of age historical novel that follows four young orphans as they make the journey to St. Louis during the summer of 1932. This was my first William Kent Krueger book and I was very impressed by his beautiful prose and rich storylines.

I loved getting to know the four main characters and following along with them on their journey which included many hardships and included important parts of American history from this time period. There were lighter moments but I would not classify this as an easy read. There were many tough topics that Krueger included and you can tell from his writing that he did his research. I did really enjoy their quest to find "home" and help them realize what the definition of "family" really means.

This is definitely a character-driven novel and it was one of those books that came together slowly for me. There are heavier and important moments that I don't want to downplay but it did, at certain points, feel a bit tedious. I did love seeing their journeys both literally and figuratively as they navigated this trek.

If you enjoyed Where The Crawdads Sing, it felt like a similar reading experience for me. The ending felt very satisfying and the detailed multi-layered characters added so much to this rich storyline.

This Tender Land introduces us to the Lincoln School in Minnesota, 1932 . A school that is run by a women with less than stellar convictions for children’s wellbeing, after all most are native Americans. Some of the instructors are caring people who work with the children while others are monsters that should not be allowed near any child. It is into this atmosphere we are introduced to our four main characters of Odie, Albert, Emmy and Mose. Four children who are left at the hands of the “black witch”. They leave on an epic journey to find a place to be safe. A home for them, where they are safe, fed warm and loved. They journey down the river into the great Mississippi from Minnesota, while being hunted by the “black witch” and her minions.

The journey is a physical feat, but also one of growth and understanding. They meet so many people struggling to survive, a landscape that is guided by the rise and fall of the river seasonally and the horrid conditions of the depression with huge groups of displaced people. I loved how Odie was the narrator and how the book followed his not yet thirteen year old understanding of the world. I enjoyed how they were family and understood so little about each other and themselves. They were brave and fearless, full of hope and need, looking for their place in the world.

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger is a wonderful read of an epic journey along a sweeping river of change.

The TENDER LAND is one summer’s journey for a band of children seeking refuge from a terrible situation during the Depression. Or so author William Kent Kruger would have the reader start his book believing and he does write well with prose that causes the mind to soar with imagination. But as the story progresses, this band of children meet an assortment of people and learn lessons beyond what would seem possible even for the times. It is towards the end that we realize Krueger has re-written the Odyssey with this new set of characters and location. His work is engaging and brave. This is a fascinating book, not easily forgotten. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

A courageous story of a makeshift family of orphans. So much love can be found within the pages of this book. As these three boys and little girl seek out the love and freedoms of the world they’ve never had, on the river. They find a safe place within this family they create, the bonds of which are tested as life’s realities come to light. They see the goodness and the harshness of humanity as they meet all kinds of people along their journey. I was inspired by how these kids took the very little kindness life had given them and let that shape their character, taking all the bits of good they encounter in. This book showcases love and kindness in an endearing way, Mr Krueger is a masterful storyteller. I fell in love with Odie, his stories and the beautiful way he sees the world and the people in it and was reminded to continue to hope that people can be as good as you believe they are.

Depression-era Minnesota is the backdrop for this tale of 4 vagabond adolescents as they travel down the Mississippi River in search of a new home and themselves. This Tender Land is narrated by Odie who along with his brother, Albert, mute friend Moses and sister-like companion Emmy leave the Lincoln Schoool, an indian training school, where they lived in search of Albert and Obie's aunt in St. Louis. While they transverse down the Mississippi River they come across a handful of colorful characters that will greatly impact not only their travels but also their futures. This Tender Land is a story about love, growing up, forgiveness and family.


I didn't go into This Tender Land expecting it to like it that much. I was completely surprised by how much this tale hooked me in from the beginning. My heart pounded with Odie's as I wondered if they would escape the harsh confides of the Lincoln School and the Black Witch (the headmistress). I'm not a religious person and was a little worried when God started getting mentioned so much in the story with one character. Ultimately that didn't impact my opinion of the story and the rational behind God's mentioning heavily in portions of the story made complete sense. William Kent Krueger beautifully paints the landscape of Minnesota but also highlights the harsh cruelty that face some in the heartland. No area in the U.S. is without its racism and it still exists today, sadly. If you're looking for a heart-felt historical fiction novel, especially not one set in WW2, pick up a copy of This Tender Land.

Wow, what a story! It’s not often that I start a review off this way, but I’m a bit speechless right now — all I know is that this book is absolutely deserving of all the accolades it had gotten up to this point, so what better way to start this review than with the first thought that came into my head after finishing this one. The summary for this book refers to it as a “big-hearted epic” that has “the feel of a modern classic,” which is a description I definitely agree with, though beyond that, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to also use the word “masterpiece” to describe William Kent Krueger’s beautifully written newest novel. This is a book I would heartily recommend – one that packs a lot of heart and plenty of soul into a powerful, absorbing story with some of the most richly developed, endearing characters I’ve come across in awhile.

The story opens with our main protagonist Odie O’Banion, an elderly man now well into the eighth decade of his life, who is asked by his great-grandchildren to tell them a story — which, as a lifelong storyteller, is a task he is more than willing to oblige. He starts to recount for them the story of what happened to him during the summer of 1932 and from there, we are taken back several decades to when Odie was 12 years old and ends up with his older brother Albert at the Lincoln Indian Training School in Minnesota after their father dies. Odie’s lively personality and mischievous nature gets him into constant trouble with the school’s superintendent Thelma Brickman, who is given the moniker ‘the Black Witch’ for her cruel and ruthless treatment of the hundreds of children in her care, many of whom were Native American children forcibly separated from their parents and sent to the school to be educated. It is not long before circumstances force Odie to flee the school and together with his brother Albert, along with their best friend at the school, a mute Native American boy named Mose, and 6-year-old Emmy Frost, whom they all adore as a little sister in tow, they set out in a canoe, journeying along the Gilead River toward Mississippi in search of a place they could call home. On their journey, these 4 orphans, who nicknamed themselves “the Vagabonds,” encounter an eclectic mix of characters from various walks of life — people with good intentions as well as bad ones; depraved families displaced as a result of the Great Depression; people who themselves are struggling to survive, yet display a generosity of spirit that is unparalleled; a faith healer who helps Odie and the others discover their true selves; Gertie and the others they meet in the backwater shanty towns of Saint Paul. Along the way, the 4 of them must also reckon with the past and confront a cruel history — specifically the country’s inhumane treatment of Native Americans. In the end, the journey becomes one of self-discovery and regardless of the outcomes, each child’s life becomes enriched from what they experienced during that fateful summer.

Clocking in at nearly 500 pages, this book covers a lot of ground both thematically and historically, yet never once does it feel overwhelming or tedious to read. Krueger’s prose here is masterful, and as our narrator, Odie’s voice and the amazing story he tells is poignant as well as absorbing. This is very much a character-driven story with Odie and his fellow “Vagabonds” as the driving force of the entire narrative, however with that said, all the other characters that they crossed paths with at different points in the journey were equally important in shaping this into the powerful story that it became. For me, the best historical fiction novels are the ones that have the ability to transport me to a time and place where I feel as though I am experiencing the events personally alongside the characters, and without a doubt, this book absolutely accomplished that. More significantly though was the emotional resonance of the story, as I felt like I experienced the entire spectrum of emotions while reading this – whether it was anger at the way the children were being treated at the school, sadness at the plights of the families displaced due to circumstances not of their doing, joyfulness when Odie and the gang triumphed over one obstacle after another, hopefulness during those moments when even those people with the hardest of hearts were moved enough to help others in need (those were just a few examples). This was a story where every character touched my heart in some way, to the point that I was reluctant to see the story end because I wanted to be with these characters for as long as I could.

I don’t give 5 stars very often, but this book definitely deserved it (actually, if I could give more stars, I would)! I’ve heard a lot about Krueger’s works over the years, though (I am a bit ashamed to admit) this is the first book of his that I’ve actually read (a wrong that I hope to rectify some time in the near future!). In a letter to his readers at the beginning of this book, Krueger talks about “pouring the best of himself into this story” and in asking us to read it, he is “offering [us] his heart” -- I am honored to have taken up this offer and in so doing, I can now count this among one of my favorite reads this year! If you get the chance to read this one, I hope that you will also love it as much as I have!

Received ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley

William Kent Krueger is a beautiful storyteller, and This Tender Land is more proof. I saved this book for a bit, because I knew I would want to take my time and absorb it. I was so right to do so!
The Lincoln School in Minnesota is a terrible place to wind up, more so during the depression era in the United States. It is even more harsh if you are Native American. 4 children realize this all too well and take off on their own, carving out their own worlds.
My review does not do this amazing book justice....you will be better for having read it.

This is my first William Ken Krueger book, and I have been missing out – what a wonderful storyteller.

This Tender Land is a journey-based narrative, framed as a story being told by 80 year old Odie (short for Odysseus) O’Banion, who is relating the events of the summer he, his brother Albert, and their friends Emmy and Mose ran away from the Lincoln School for Native American children. Set during the Great Depression, the children encounter many other individuals along their journey who have a lasting impact on the trajectory of their lives. One of the most interesting historical details included in the story is a traveling healing show that the children join for a time. This is a coming of age story, told from Odie’s point of view, but Albert, Emmy and Mose are all richly developed characters in their own right, and all have their own paths to take in this story.

This was a delightful reading experience that I didn’t want to end. I read in the author’s note that this is a companion novel to Ordinary Grace, so of course I immediately bought that one and can’t wait to enjoy more of Krueger’s wonderful storytelling.

This Tender Land is the story of four "Vagabond children" (orphans) on a journey during the summer of 1932. They leave dire circumstances at a boarding school for Indian youths in Minnesota with the goal of finding a better home with their aunt in St. Louis. Along the way they face harrowing events but somehow manage to keep going. They meet interesting characters, learn life lessons, and learn to rely on their developing instincts. It's a coming of age story that had me cheering Odie, Albert, Mose and Emmy as they searched for home. I appreciated the epilogue as well as the author's note that rounds out the novel and answered questions I'd had while reading.

"You're a storyteller. You can create the world in any way your heart imagines."

"That won't make it true."

"Maybe the universe is one grand story, and who says that it can't be changed in the telling?"

The main character, Odie O'Banion, is a storyteller and a musician, and an almost 13-year old with a penchant for getting in trouble, but always looking out for his family, no less.

This book was heartwarming, heartbreaking, and an atmospheric telling of a journey of 4 young orphans trying to find a better life. The characters within this novel are so wonderful and richly developed - and the scene in 1932 Minnesota depicted a land hit with economic hardship, but still beautiful in its natural surroundings. Everyone in the book had a special relationship with the land, and the title of the book was expertly woven into the story. It was a joy to read about each character, and Odie and Emmy were my favorites. Sister Eve was intriguing, as well. Reading about the children's escape from the Lincoln School in search of a new home made me feel for them and what they'd gone through. It's horrible to think that there are many similar stories that can be told about real people.

This novel felt long at times, but it was a beautifully rich story. There was one reveal towards the end that really surprised me! The author's note at the end is a must read - Krueger's research is spectacular and I want to read more on the history shared through This Tender Land.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the review copy of This Tender Land!

3.5 stars rounded up. I seem to be in the minority on this one and didn't absolutely love it. Having read and loved Ordinary Grace I was excited to have an ARC of this one but it fell a bit flat for me. Maybe from having such high expectations. The writing was lovely but I felt the first half dragged. A coming of age story about two white brothers ending up in an orphanage with Indians and their summer journey when they end up leaving/escaping the children's home along with their two companions also from the children's home.

Their story is a long, sprawling one and will captivate fans who enjoy stories such as Where the Crawdads Sing.

*This ARC was provided by the publisher, Atria via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book and love this author! He really knows how to tell a story. Thanks Net Galley for granting my wish.