Book Groups Comment on THIS TENDER LAND
Earlier this year, we ran a contest that gave 10 book groups the chance to win up to 10 advance copies of William Kent Krueger's latest stand-alone novel, THIS TENDER LAND, and give us their feedback on it. We’ve compiled the comments from our winning groups, which you can see here. Many thanks to all who read the book and took the time to share their opinions with us.
Claudia and her groups, Cozy Conversations Book Club and Columbine Lit Ladies, from Littleton, CO
What did your group think of THIS TENDER LAND?: It was a fantastic opportunity for two of my book clubs. One group traveled to Georgetown, CO to have High Tea and discuss the book in 19th-century Victorian building. The other group met at my home and had a potluck dinner with all dishes made from Depression-era recipes. We ate on table linens I collected from the 1930s-40s era. The author will be in Denver on September 15th, and we all plan to attend and have our books signed. Both groups absolutely LOVED the book.
Book Rating: 5
How would you describe this book to a friend?: THIS TENDER LAND is a heartfelt book with engaging characters on an eventful journey. They were all searching for someone or a home to make them feel complete. The story kept the reader engrossed until the end, which was satisfying and offered much discussion.
Would you recommend this book to a friend?: Yes, we have already recommended the book to others and have even shared our copies because it will keep the reader involved until the last page.
Janet W. and her group, Back to the Book, from Dillsburg, PA
What did your group think of THIS TENDER LAND?: Everyone in our group really liked the book and expressed delight in being given this opportunity. We all gave it a grade of A and 5 stars. Our in-depth discussions covered a range of topics, including the outstanding development of characters, the empathy we felt for the four main characters, the comparison of this book to classic novels (Twain’s THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, Brontë’s JANE EYRE, Baum’s THE WIZARD OF OZ, Lee’s TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, and many Dickens novels), our perceptions of revival meetings before and after reading the book, the Depression, spirituality, mysticism, orphanages, American history and the Gilead River.
Book Rating: 5
How would you describe this book to a friend?: It is the journey of four orphans who escape from horrific circumstances along a river in the Midwest during the Depression. It tells about the good and evil people they meet, and how each arrives at his or her final destination. It is a must read, a page-turner and an epic novel.
Would you recommend this book to a friend?: We would all heartily recommend this book. Some of us have already recommended it to friends and suggested it to friends for their book clubs to read when it is published. We feel it is a contemporary classic with great depth. It is a book where the characters come alive and their fate really matters to the reader.
Karen B. and her group, Mirasol Book Group, from Palm Beach Gardens, FL
What did your group think of THIS TENDER LAND?: They loved it, one of the best received books. There was not one dissenting opinion.
Book Rating: 5
How would you describe this book to a friend?: This book is a moving adventure of four orphaned children working their way down the river to a better life. It's about self-discovery, set against the backdrop of the Depression, giving us an inside look at the shantytowns and traveling gospel shows that were prevalent at the time.
Would you recommend this book to a friend?: Yes, because I enjoyed it so much.
Anne B. and her group, Tea Sweethearts Book Group, from Albuquerque, NM
What did your group think of THIS TENDER LAND?: It was memorable and beautiful.
Book Rating: 5
How would you describe this book to a friend?: This is a Depression-era saga that tugs at your heartstrings. It’s an unforgettable story written as a classic, which gives you hope, courage and triumph.
Would you recommend this book to a friend?: Yes.
Eva D. and her group, The Fiesta Book Group, from San Antonio, TX
What did your group think of THIS TENDER LAND?: We enjoyed all the characters; it was fast-going and good content.
Book Rating: 5
How would you describe this book to a friend?: Like reading HUCKLEBERRY FINN, always on the run, escaping to a better life.
Would you recommend this book to a friend?: Yes. It has taken us places where we never go and given us empathy for others. The human struggle from childhood made it troubling and meaningful to witness their struggles.
Muriel L. and her group, St. Andrew Readers, from Marion, IA
What did your group think of THIS TENDER LAND?: The 10 members who participated in the discussion felt that THIS TENDER LAND was a book that kept their interest and was hard to put down. A former history teacher in the group commented on how factual the book is concerning the Depression era and the treatment of Native Americans. The comments about the book were all positive [SPOILER ALERT], except for the part about the special time-altering powers Emmy possessed. It was pretty much the consensus of the group that this idea was just too unbelievable. One member pointed out that the narrator, Odie, had alluded to the fact that some parts of the story were just ”blooms on the rose bush.” Not every part of the story was to be taken as gospel truth.
Book Rating: 4.5 and 5 were the two ratings mentioned by group members...nothing lower.
How would you describe this book to a friend?: It’s hard to limit oneself to two or three sentences to describe the book. Summarizing the comments many in the group made, this is what we came up with: THIS TENDER LAND is a captivating story of four children on an epic journey, and also a factually accurate account of life during the Great Depression. The struggles of farmers, Native Americans, orphans and many people in general are described well. William Kent Krueger is adept at character development and digs deep into the souls of his characters, and thus into each of ours. THIS TENDER LAND provides the reader with an enthralling adventure, but at the same time a spiritual journey with thought-provoking questions about God.
Would you recommend this book to a friend?: All in the group would recommend or already have recommended this book. One member who is in another book group has talked to her group about reading it when it is published. Many have talked to friends about the book. We would recommend it because it is a captivating, imaginative story. The idea of four young people setting off on a journey where they will meet all sorts of people, have conflicts and make decisions affecting themselves and others is the outline for an interesting story. Our group members can appreciate a well-written book of historical fiction and feel this one contains factual and noteworthy material about the Depression era and also Native American culture, prejudices and injustice. In addition, the many references to God/Creator in the novel provide some thoughtful material to discuss and reflect upon.
Susan J. and her group, Murder in Sin City, from Las Vegas, NV
What did your group think of THIS TENDER LAND?: While it is not the normal book that our mystery club would read, many of us had read ORDINARY GRACE. We enjoyed the book very much. I especially enjoyed it as I am originally from St. Paul, MN, and could easily imagine the places that he described.
Book Rating: We gave it a 4.5 overall rating.
Would you recommend this book to a friend?: Yes. We have all recommended it to someone else or other book clubs to which we belong.
Karen O. and her group, The Sweet Pickles, from Overland Park, KS
What did your group think of THIS TENDER LAND?: All members but one really liked the book.
Book Rating: 4
How would you describe this book to a friend?: This is a story about four young kids during the Depression who are fleeing an oppressive and dangerous situation. Each of them has talents to help the others in the group. They have good and bad experiences along the way. Ultimately, they are all looking for a place to call home and to feel safe in.
Would you recommend this book to a friend?: Yes, and in fact, we already have.
Amy S. and her group, Literary Society Dames (LSD), from St. Charles, IL
What did your group think of THIS TENDER LAND?: Overall, the group liked the book.
Book Rating: 3.5
How would you describe this book to a friend?: Set in the Midwest during the Great Depression, THIS TENDER LAND tells the story of four orphans who escape a cruel Indian boarding school in search of a home. Along the way, they learn about life (the good and the bad) while forging their own identities and becoming a family to each other.
Would you recommend this book to a friend?: Yes, we all agreed we would recommend it and have already passed along our books to others.
