THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger (author of Ordinary Grace and Cork O'Connor mysteries) is a new work of historical fiction that received a starred review from Library Journal and was a LibraryReads selection for September. In an author's note Krueger says, "I've poured the best of myself into this story ... [as a key character says] 'open yourself to every possibility, for there is nothing your heart can imagine that is not so.'" Set in Minnesota in the summer of 1932, Krueger's novel deals with themes of social justice, survival, and belonging. THIS TENDER LAND tells the story of four orphans, "impish" Odie (the narrator) and his older brother, mechanically minded Albert, plus their very strong Sioux friend Mose/Amdacha and little Emmy whom they all try to protect. Together, the four take a canoe on the Gilead River towards the Mississippi in the hopes of eventually finding family in Saint Louis. Along the way, they encounter cruelty and kindness, sickness and hunger, as well as joy through friendship and music. Booklist also recommends THIS TENDER LAND, saying "teens will enjoy this historical crossover novel of adventure, and identify with its young protagonist." My only concern is the length – 464 pages is too long for a required read and only the more motivated students will select it as an independent choice. Those who do will find that the characters are appealing and their travels and adventures certainly pull readers through the story. Adults and book groups, particularly those who liked Where the Crawdads Sing, should definitely consider this heartland tale, too. Highly recommended.

Honestly, I’m not sure how to rate this. Was it well written? Yes. Did I feel for these orphaned children on their journey? Yes, but not as much as I thought I would. I was entertained, but I found myself wishing it would move along faster and/or slightly bored at times. This book definitely focuses heavily on characters, but the children’s journey was equally important to the plot (and sometimes, there wasn’t too much happening). I thought this would be a top 10 of the year but I just feel kind of lukewarm about it. I’m glad I read it, but I’m not going to shout about it from the rooftops or encourage you to go out of your way to read it. It’s well done but I didn’t LOVE it.

This Tender Land – hard to describe, easy to fall in love with, a must read! Don’t let a 500 page book seem daunting to you, you wont want it to end! Although it is a coming of age story, this book has very adult issues reminding one of when they read The Odyssey, a true epic journey. Odie is a very relatable and reliable narrator and the words we so beautiful throughout the book, I cant wait for everyone to read it!

This Tender Land is historical fiction at its best. Taking place during the Depression, it covers such topics as the separation of Native American children from their families in an effort to train them to blend in with the WASP culture of the country; the foreclosure of farms during the Depression; how the poor and dispossessed created encampments and shanty towns known as Hoovervilles, and other issues of that era.

The story is told by Odie, a not quite 13-year old, one of The Vagabonds, whose narration often takes on the wisdom/hindsight of his now more than 80-year-old self. His tale flows with beautifully descriptive phrases and characters that come to life in the telling. Here are two of Odie’s words of wisdom as the storyteller that he is:

"I believe if you tell a story, it’s like sending a nightingale into the air with the hope that its song will never be forgotten."

"Far better, I believe, to be like children and open ourselves to every beautiful possibility, for there is nothing our hearts can imagine that is not so."

This Tender Land is a story whose song will not soon be forgotten. Well worth reading.

This a wonderful and sweeping piece of historical fiction. In fact, the breadth of this work is so wide that you could easily place it in several genres. There are pieces of mystery, suspense, and magical realism. Krueger clearly did his research to write this book as it is intricately detailed and paints a clear picture of both the story and the historical aspects that surround it. It is just fantastic.

The characters Krueger creates are luminous and incredibly well developed. There are, admittedly, a few of the more primary characters who are not painted in such detailed strokes, but overall they are a collection of colorful, imaginative, and dynamic individuals with clear personalities. They are woven together in both major and minor storylines in a way that just seems masterful. The more I sit and think about this piece, the more I am enamored by it.

That being said, this is not a joyful romp. True, there are moments of frivolity and enjoyment, but overall I found this to be a piece based on sadness, melancholy, and pieces of history that are both depressing and embarrassing. The story is set in the height of the Great Depression, with portraits of humanity at their most desperate or in the depths of despair. There is also a focus on the ill treatment of Native Americans in America's past, with particular regard to the establishment and existence of Indian boarding schools and the massacre of 38 Native Americans, the largest mass execution in American history, via hanging in Mankato, MN following the Dakota War of 1862. Krueger writes about all of these events with respect and with a well-found knowledge. As mentioned earlier, his research for this book was certainly not lacking.

The writing, it goes without saying, is superb. I was hooked within mere pages and I didn't want to put this one down. Though it nears 500 pages, I finished it over the course of four days, reading well into the night on at least two of those occasions. I highly recommend this one for anyone who enjoys historical fiction. It is beautiful and wonderful and tells tales that need to be told.

Such a sweet story - with dimensional characters and a propulsive plot, I was rooting for these kids with my whole heart! The writing was gorgeous, almost lyrical, and I found myself constantly writing down various quotes as I read. I loved Ordinary Grace, the author's previous work, and this next book was just as good, if not better. Highly recommended!

"This Tender Land" was a solid 3 stars for me. I enjoyed reading it for the most part but it isn't a book I would recommend for others to read or ever reread myself. Things that worked for me as a reader - the author's writing style - this book is well written, and thoughtful, which at over 450 pages, was a relief. It's told from a single perspective, thank you, l0rd, because if I have to read another multi-POV historical fiction novel this month, blerg... Also, the author does a solid job worldbuilding/ relationship building so that these characters felt real and their story was easy to follow. Things that didn't work for me as a reader - the scope of the story felt way too small for the length of this book, while "This Tender Land" was easy to follow, it was also pretty boring. And then there was magical realism - which is my personal reading kryptonite. I usually avoid books with it because I know I don't like it, but it came out of nowhere at this end of this one like a sneak attack, and so I feel a responsibility to warn other readers.

The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or ever touched. They must be felt with the heart. Helen Keller, I imagine, lived that quote on a daily basis. She exercised her mind, heart and all of her senses to a deeper level which allowed her to appreciate so very much the beauty in life.
I think of Miss Keller’s words as I look back on books I have read. My most cherished books are those that when I close the book at the last page, I feel thankful that I have been allowed to read it. Isn’t that what we all want? A book that enriched our lives is worth reading and then rereading. A great story lives on passed from friend to friend, from generation to generation.
I predict that This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger will live on in our culture. This book is a magnificent, sweeping tale of four orphans during the Great Depression. Their situation is one that has been chronicled throughout history. The orphanage/school is dirty, dank and dark. The head of this institution is evil, mean and sinister.
But Odie, Albert, Moses and Emmy find each other and share the dream of finding a place to call home. With fortitude and grit these vagabonds decide to canoe the Mississippi down to Saint Louis to find the Aunt from Alberts memory, in the belief that she will shelter and protect them. Along the way they face adventures and danger that will keep you in awe of the effortless prose and glued to the pages. Their journey is one of suffering but also of hope, one that is cruel but also uplifted by kindness.
Great writers don’t settle. They never dial it in. When they know they can do better, they work until it is better. This book was six years in the making and the result of a rewrite over 3 years ago. Thank you Mr. Krueger for working so long and hard to give us this version.
This Tender Land, a coming of age story, showcases the best in what the human spirit epitomizes during harsh times and the guiding force of hope.
This book deserves more than 5 stars. I feel that This Tender Land will receive the rating of “cherished, enduring novel of consequence.” You deserve to read it. You need to read it.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #NetGalley #ThisTenderLand

Well.. I clearly am the minority on this one... surprise surprise would you expect anything different from Kendall ;).

Let me tell you what I really enjoyed about this novel. I give ultimate respect for the author in his research and his writing is off the charts. I was in love with the writing and enjoyed it so much.

Unfortunately, I have never really been a historical fan but due to the high praise and 5 star reviews I've been seeing consistently for this one I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and try. I did really good with the first half of the book and than I just struggled. I lost interest and felt it was too much historical fiction for me.

I truly thought the message behind the characters and story was beautiful but I was torn with the historical aspect. I felt it dragged on a bit too much for me with almost 500 pages. I felt myself wanting to skim and had to fight to finish.

Please don't let me review deter you from reading this because I know that I may be the outlier!!

Would I read something else by this author? Absolutely! His writing is phenomenal!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Atria for the advanced arc in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars for me on this one.

Publication date: 9/3/19
Published to GR: 9/3/19

5 AMAZING STARS!

The story takes place in the 1930's during the Great Depression in Minnesota. Odie and Albert are two white orphaned teenage brothers who live at the Lincoln school. It's a school for Native American Indian children who are forcibly separated from their parents and sent there to be educated. Four and Albert are forced to live there as well, with the Indians. They were the only two white orphans in the school. Mrs Brickman who was known as The Black Witch was the school superintendant. This school was very abusive.

Albert and Odie escape from the school with their two friends Nose and Emmy. They steal a canoe heading towards Mississippi. They are so happy that they have their freedom and are on a journey. They meet some lost souls and others. They are on a great adventure.

This story was Amazing! It was an epic adventure story. I was glued to the pages from the very beginning. I loved Ordinary Grace but I loved this one more. I loved the journey where this book took me. It reminded me of the story of Huck Finn.If you didn't like that story, I think you will still love this one.
I loved the characters and loved this book more than Ordinary Grace. This book had everything that I loved in a book. This book was so long but I felt like it was very fast paced. I cant believe I waited so long too read this. I knew it was going to good but I wasnt expecting it to be as amazing as it was. I just fell in love with the characters and he brought them to life. This was beautifully written. I felt that when the author writes he paints pictures. I could see everything vividly in my mind while reading it. It amazed me. I think this is one of the best books I ever read. Its so unique and different from other books. I was actually sad when it ended because I wanted more. I wanted this book to go on forever.

This was a Traveling Sister read and so far we all loved it and it was a fun discussion.

I want to thank Netgalley, Atria Books and the author for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️ Review ⭐️ I fell hard for William Kent Krueger’s writing with his 2013 bestseller, Ordinary Grace, and have been eagerly awaiting this follow-up.
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Like Ordinary Grace, This Tender Land is told from the point of view of a boy on the cusp of adolescence. Our hero is Odie, a 12 year old orphan being raised as one of the few white kids at an Indian school in Minnesota during the Great Depression. Abused and mistreated, Odie, his brother Albert, their friend Mose, and a six-year-old orphan named Emmy run away to escape the cruel headmistress after a terrifying turn of events. They take off down the river, hoping to join up with the Mississippi and make their way to St. Louis where Odie’s and Albert’s aunt lives. Along they way they encounter heartbreaking scenes of squalor and poverty, join up with a traveling Christian revival camp for a while, and are taken prisoner by an unstable, one-eyed man. The story is impeccably told in Odie’s voice, and I felt utterly immersed in the landscape and the time period. Like Ordinary Grace, the story explores questions about God and faith, but not in a preachy way. The book is a beautifully written odyssey, and the journey is long and winding. It did feel long at times, which was my main issue with the book, so I recommend going in prepared for the slower pace. Overall, an immensely satisfying read from a master writer!
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Many thanks to #Netgalley and @atriabooks for a free digital copy in exchange for my review.
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This releases September 3 and is one of this month’s BOTM picks. Is it on your list?
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#thistenderland #williamkentkrueger #historicalfiction #bookreview #bookstagram #booklover #alwaysreading #bibliophile #readersofinsta #readersofig #booksofig #bookblogger #lovereading #bookishladiesclub #bookalicious #bookishlife #bookish #booksbooksbooks #recommendedbooks #readathon #readingoutside #summerreading #infinitetbr

Rating: 5 captivating stars

Wowie, wowie. What a masterpiece! This is in the Top 5 reads of 2019 for me, if not the top read this year. Run to your nearest book outlet and get this book. You will not be sorry. That is much more lavish praise than I usually provide in a book review, but William Kent Krueger’s latest book has earned it.

This is a coming of age adventure story told by Odie O’Banion. His 83 year-old self is recounting the summer of the Vagabonds, which happened when he was 12, in 1932. The Vagabonds were made up of Albert, Odie’s 16 year-old brother; Moses the mute Sioux boy who was about 15; and Emmy, the 6 year-old daughter of their favorite teacher, Mrs. Frost. Albert and Odie were also orphans. The four kids fled the Lincoln Indian Training School in Minnesota after a night of violence and betrayal. What transpires after that are a series of encounters that help shape the kid’s vision of the world. The Indian Training School was a place of brutality and abuse. They were better off just the four of them on their own, but the schoolmistress there was intent on tracking them down after they fled.

They travel down several rivers heading toward the elusive St. Louis, Missouri. It's where Albert and Odie's Aunt Julia lives. They think they will find a home there. This is set during the heart of the depression. The communities they encounter are generally poor, and the farmers either have lost their farms, or are on the verge of losing them. There is a touch of Huck Finn to Odie’s experiences. He starts out thinking that God is a Tornado. Based on his life’s experiences to that point, that seems like a rational conclusion. By the end of the book, his attitude has changed. He understands the value of forgiveness.

Please do yourself a favor and get this book. Read it cover to cover. I found the Epilogue and Author’s Notes to be especially informative. It is not an easy, breezy, light-hearted lark of a story. It has guts, and heart and it does not pull a punch. But oh, the ride it provides. Don’t miss it.

‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, Atria Books; and the author, William Kent Krueger, for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I read and love the author’s previous book Ordinary Grace and was excited to learn he had a new book coming out. Goodreads described it as enthralling, big-hearted and epic and having the feel of a modern classic and I can’t think of better words to describe it. I loved this story about four orphans who escape the Lincoln School in Minnesota during the summer of 1932 and try to find their way to their own definition of home. Odie O’Banion, his brother Albert, their best friend Mose, and their sweet friend Emmy spend their summer canoeing and heading for the Mississippi River and along the way encounter adventure, danger, and self-discovery. Odie is an old soul with a larger than life personality. Their escapades were fun to read about and often left me at the edge of my seat. ⁣
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I was most affected by the realization of how Native American children were treated during this time. The author does such an amazing job of weaving the historical aspects into this book and showing you through this story the atrocities committed against these innocent children. The author’s note at the end of the book just solidified how much I loved this book and appreciate all that I learned from it. This is historical fiction for those who aren’t necessarily fans of the genre. I fell in love with Odie and flew through the pages and finished the book learning more than I ever expected to.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I typically review Christian fiction; while This Tender Land is a coming-of-age story of a young boy's desperate search for an accurate view of God, it is definitely outside the realm of Christian fiction. It did, however, give me a lot to think about as I share the love of God with those whose life experiences have caused them to view Him as uncaring and even cruel.

Odie and his brother, Albert, are orphans placed in the care of the Lincoln Indian Training School, although they were not Native Americans. There they were often beaten and isolated. Any glimmer of hope was almost immediately extinguished. Circumstances led them to flee from the school and the law accompanied by six-year-old Emmy and a mute Sioux named Mose. Their paths crossed those whose actions contributed to Odie's view of God, sometimes confirming, other times softening.

Outside of frequent vulgar language, the story is very well written, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read it. I was provided a copy from Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

I love a good coming-of-age story and this was a great, wholesome read. The plot, the characters, and the storytelling made this epic read like a modern-day classic. Readers will love traveling the Gilead River with four orphan friends as they search for home and a new definition of family during the Great Depression.

A true masterpiece. This Tender Land is a story of four orphans who take to a winding river in 1932 - each in search of something. But this river is alive - stealing pieces of their hearts, and yours, washing up secrets downstream. These orphans and the people they meet along the way will swirl through your thoughts long after you finish reading.

“This Tender Land” by William Kent Krueger, Atria Books, 464 pages, Sept. 3, 2019.

In 1932, Lincoln Indian Training School in Minnesota is a boarding school for hundreds of Native American children who were forcibly removed from their homes. The only two white boys are Odysseus “Odie” and Albert O’Banion, who are orphans.

Odie narrates the story as he is in his 80s and looks back on their lives.

When Odie is 12, he is often in trouble. Albert, 16, is better at following the rules. Their best friend is Moses Washington, a nonverbal Native American. Albert and Odie know how to sign because their mother was deaf.

The school superintendent is Thelma Brinkman, who is cruel. The Brinkmans embezzle money from the school. Cora Frost teaches reading and homemaking and is kind. She is a widow with a daughter, Emmaline, 6.

The school is near the Gilead River. A tornado touches down. The school isn’t hit, but Cora Frost’s farm is destroyed. She is killed, but Emmy survives. After Odie kills the teacher who’s been beating him, the four children escape down the Minnesota River in a canoe. They are trying to reach St. Louis where the O’Banion brothers’ Aunt Julia lives.

The children, especially Odie, are searching for how God fits into their lives. They come across dangerous people and kind people.

At times the prose is overly sentimental and the novel drags in the middle. But the combination of “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “The Odyssey” will entertain many readers, including those new to William Kent Krueger’s books.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

When several orphans escape abusive treatment at an Indian School in Minnesota in the 1930's, they take a canoe journey down the Gilead River and their lives are irrevocably changed. This is an epic saga, with themes of faith lost and found; alienation of man, society, nature, and self; discovery of who makes up a family, and more. With echoes of Mark Twain thrown in, it's one to anticipate and savor.

In the prologue of This Tender Land Odie, our central character and narrator, was an elderly man telling his great grandchildren a story.    Throughout the book I had cause to think back on the Prologue with relief.     Why relief?    Because for the rest of the book he was a young boy and more than a few times along the way I became worried about how things were going to turn out. At these times I was able to  remind myself Odie eventually became an old man.    He told us there would be <b>"...courage in this story and cowardice. There will be love and betrayal. And, of course, there will be hope. In the end, isn’t that what every good story is about?"</b>

His words were so true and this novel had all the hallmarks of not just a good story but a brilliant one.    The writing was something truly special and I highlighted passage after passage.   The author William Kent Krueger inspired in me an amazing depth of emotion.   How I loved the four children, and wanted the best for them, whilst simultaneously despising others.      His story flowed like a river which was perfect since so much of this novel was set on a river.

When Odie and his elder brother Albert were orphaned they ended up at the Lincoln School.   Run by rogues and tyrants (and a smattering of caring adults) this school was far from nurturing for its orphan and native American students and Odie, moreso than others, was singled out for punishment.    Life here was defined by isolation and mistreatment so I was both relieved and thrilled when the brothers, together with Mose a close friend and six year old Emmie managed to escape.    They got away in a canoe and for days, weeks and months they travelled on (and camped beside) the Gilead, the Minnesota and then finally the Mississippi rivers.   Along the way they encountered their share of the elements Odie first mentioned - courage, cowardice, love, betrayal and hope - but also fear, joy, anger and freedom, darkness and light.   They grew up before their time but more than anything they had a huge helping of what it was to be family.    The four children were so beautifully protective of each other.     At the school Odie had realised   "... the truth I saw every day was that we were on our own and our safety depended not on God but on ourselves and on helping one another".    This applied equally once they escaped and help each other they did.

I could go on.   I don't want to be done with this story, with these characters.     My saving grace (excuse the pun) is that I have not yet read Ordinary Grace by this author.   You can be sure I will be making this a priority.

My thanks and congratulations to the author for this wonderful and highly recommended novel.  Thanks too to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which it was my pleasure to provide.

I discovered William Kent Krueger through a series of fortuitous events, culminating in Krueger's appearance at my city's annual book and author festival this past spring, where he completely charmed me and my companions. I've since begun working my way through his canon.

This Tender Land is a companion novel to Ordinary Grace, insofar that it takes place in southern Minnesota, but it is in a different time period and has different characters than his breakout success Ordinary Grace, so they can be standalone reads.

Krueger begins this narrative at an Indian boarding school, using historical details to convey the abuse and neglect that was prevalent. The story centers around Odie, his older brother Albert, and two friends they make through the school. The four of them are orphans and, in the early days of the Depression, they strike out on their own, taking to the river, believing the unknown difficulties ahead of them are preferred to the dangers of the life they're leaving behind.

As this modern-day Huck Finn story is revealed, as we grow invested in each individual, themes of family, sacrifice, faith, and love emerge. It's a beautiful account of facing difficulties and misunderstandings, and ultimately, finding hope and redemption.

I have no doubt this book will make as much an impact on the literary world as Ordinary Grace did, if not even exceed its impact.

(I received a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)