Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - This Tender Land

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This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger

18 reviews

aksmith92's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The Setup: This Tender Land is a beautifully crafted historical novel set during the Great Depression. It follows the journey of four orphans—Odie, his older brother Albert, their Native American friend Mose, and a young girl named Emmy. Fleeing the brutal conditions at the Lincoln Indian Training School in Minnesota, they embark on an epic journey down the Gilead River, seeking freedom and a place to call home.

The novel is rich in themes of resilience, friendship, and the search for identity amidst the backdrop of a troubled America. Krueger masterfully captures the era's social injustices, particularly the harsh realities faced by orphans and Native American children. As the children encounter kindness and cruelty along their journey, they learn profound lessons about trust, love, and the human spirit.

The story is not just about the physical journey but also explores moral choices, the complexities of faith, and the enduring power of hope. Through Odie's narration, readers are immersed in a poignant tale that skillfully balances adventure with deep emotional and spiritual growth, even for a barely thirteen-year-old!

What I Loved: This story was compelling. It was filled with vivid characters and an evocative portrayal of the American Midwest during one of its most challenging periods. All the characters were original and unique and provided interesting perspectives in the novel, even if you didn't necessarily like them. Anyone reading this story would likely be hesitant to put it down. Kent Krueger is a storyteller, and for that, I am so grateful. I loved exploring faith, love, and hope and how each person battles with that exploration and journey. I loved the tie to family and what family means. I also loved the characters and felt attached to them as they worked their way down the Gilead River to a better future. It was a complex and complicated read - this is slightly historical in the early 1930s - times were insensitive, and this novel had some challenging topics. But I was immersed and loved it.

Why Not 5 Stars? I was close to rating this five stars, but unfortunately, it just fell slightly through the cracks at the end. While I absolutely adored this novel, the ending felt rushed. Kent Krueger was trying to tie everything into a neat bow, and while I do think he did that successfully, it was all somewhat thrown at you in the end.

I must say, though, that I did like the official ending. There was a bit of a plot twist I didn't see coming. So, even if it was slightly rushed and thrown together, I did enjoy it nonetheless.

Overall, This Tender Land will stay with me for a while. It's a beautiful story with even a dose of magic (maybe!). I would highly recommend it.

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tea_time's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

themdash's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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thukpa's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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thepurpleseal's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

kelly_e's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Title: This Tender Land
Author: William Kent Krueger
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.75
Pub Date: September 3, 2019

T H R E E • W O R D S

Atmospheric • Tender • Layered

📖 S Y N O P S I S

In the summer of 1932, on the banks of Minnesota's Gilead River, Odie O'Banion is an orphan confined to the Lincoln Indian Training School, a pitiless place where his lively nature earns him the superintendent's wrath. Forced to flee after committing a terrible crime, he and his brother, Albert, their best friend, Mose, and a brokenhearted little girl named Emmy steal away in a canoe, heading for the mighty Mississippi and a place to call their own.

Over the course of one summer, these four orphans journey into the unknown and cross paths with others who are adrift, from struggling farmers and traveling faith healers to displaced families and lost souls of all kinds.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I have heard nothing but glowing things about William Kent Krueger's books, so it's surprising to me This Tender Land was my first venture. Basically all I knew was that it had Huckleberry Finn vibes and involved a river odyssey, and I was quite fine with knowing so little going in. What I got was an absolute treat!

Kent Krueger sure knows how to write! Set during the great depression and following the epic journey of four orphans, it is so beautifully written I could picture absolutely everything - the kids, the River, the sweeping landscape, the desperation. The pace is on the slower side, yet I think it works in order to get to know each of the characters intimately and to develop so many stories within one.

This coming-of-age story covers a lot of ground with major themes of self-discovery, the search for home and belonging, and the idea of possibility. Despite so many obstacles, the quarto persists. I was along for their journey. Another thing this novel does incredibly well is showcase the dark side of American history. Oftentimes, these aspects of the past are swept under the rug on purpose, but they need to be known.

Overall, this is an evocative and tender tale with so much depth and memorable characters full of hurt, potential and resiliency. One that will stick with me for quite some time. This Tender Land was my first read by William Kent Krueger, yet it definitely won't be my last.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who like epic journeys
• historical fiction lovers
• fans of Huckleberry Finn

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Of all that we're asked to give others in this life, the most difficult to offer may be forgiveness."

"Everything that’s been done to us we carry forever. Most of us do our damnedest to hold on to the good and forget the rest. But somewhere in the vault of our hearts, in a place our brains can’t or won’t touch, the worst is stored, and the only sure key to it is in our dreams."

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

"Love comes in so many forms, and pain is no different."

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