Title: The Road We Traveled
Author: Jane Kirkpatrick
Publication Date: Sept. 6, 2016
Publisher: Revell
Provided by: Revell
Subjects: Pioneers, Hardship, Uncertainty, Hunger.
Setting: Oregon Trail, 1845
Rating: 3/5
Pages: 340
Cost: $15
Amazon Link
Author Page
Synopsis:
When Tabitha Brown's son makes the fateful decision to leave Missouri and strike out for Oregon, she refuses to be left behind. Despite her son's concerns, Tabitha hires her own wagon to join the party. Along with her reluctant daughter and her ever-hopeful granddaughter, the intrepid Tabitha has her misgivings. But family ties are stronger than fear.
The trials they face along the way will severely test Tabitha's faith, courage, and ability to hope. With her family's survival on the line, she must make the ultimate sacrifice, plunging deeper into the wilderness to seek aid. What she couldn't know was how this frightening journey would impact how she understood her own life--and the greater part she had to play in history.
With her signature attention to detail and epic style, New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick invites readers to travel the deadly and enticing Oregon Trail. Based on actual events, This Road We Traveled will inspire the pioneer in all of us.
My opinions
The way that the author writes is very interesting. Most times, characters are introduced plainly and in a way that shares several significant details. However, in this book, it seems like characters are introduced more haphazardly... They are creating plans for moving west, yet we will meet someone and they are washing their hair or untangling a necklace. Its more uncensored, if that makes sense.
Strong points:
Its very very interesting to have a main character who is 65. There are several characters who could be considered main characters, however Tabby stands out the most to me.
Often in historical fiction, the main character is 18-25 so this is very original and I think I like it :)
Also, there is a nice vocabulary in this book. I have seen several new words:
Its neat and some of the phrases are time-period related so thats cool, sayings we dont use anymore like "a fly in the butter"
I think if I was to pinpoint my favorite scene, it would be about 2/3 of the way through when everyone is freaking out to begin with and then they run into a wild animal. Its a crazy scene!
Weak points:
In the beginning you are introduced to many, many characters. I almost wanted some sort of character chart or map to figure out who belonged to who and lived where. The book does include a "Cast List" however I was still very lost in the beginning.
For example, on page 28 there is a piece that reads:
"In the next room she could hear her brothers Albro, Octavius, and Clark's low voices, and a wistfullness to share anticipation with ached in her chest... her grandmother had distinguished her three children with singularity: Orus, Manthano, Pherne. And her parents had continued the tradition despite Pringle being a distinctive surname in itself. Virgilia? For her father, she knew, but still. Why not Virginia?"
Its almost chaotic, unless its just me. A few chapters in I finally understood more of what was going on, however the beginning was a bit hard to follow.
Also, the book doesnt seem to have a religious focus at all. I was under the impression that the book was Christian fiction however it doesnt seem to be explicitly included. The main character's husband was a preacher but religious references are few and far between.
EDIT: There is religion there, especially and the end of the book.
In the end, I think the author does a good job of connecting with the audience through the book. I never got into it but it didnt have errors or anything either.
To me, the target audience seems to be older women, who would connect with Tabby but many readers would like it.
Being about the Oregon Trail, its not exactly inspirational and people considering to purchase the book for someone else should keep that in mind. For example, there is a Donner party reference.
You can order a copy from Amazon here.
About the author
Jane Kirkpatrick is the New York Times and CBA bestselling author of nearly 30 books, including A Light in the Wilderness, The Memory Weaver, and A Sweetness to the Soul, which won the prestigious Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center. She is also the winner of the WILLA Literary Award and the Carol Award for Historical Fiction. Jane lives in Central Oregon with her husband, Jerry. Learn more at http://jkbooks.com
Author: Jane Kirkpatrick
Publication Date: Sept. 6, 2016
Publisher: Revell
Provided by: Revell
Subjects: Pioneers, Hardship, Uncertainty, Hunger.
Setting: Oregon Trail, 1845
Rating: 3/5
Pages: 340
Cost: $15
Amazon Link
Author Page
Synopsis:
When Tabitha Brown's son makes the fateful decision to leave Missouri and strike out for Oregon, she refuses to be left behind. Despite her son's concerns, Tabitha hires her own wagon to join the party. Along with her reluctant daughter and her ever-hopeful granddaughter, the intrepid Tabitha has her misgivings. But family ties are stronger than fear.
The trials they face along the way will severely test Tabitha's faith, courage, and ability to hope. With her family's survival on the line, she must make the ultimate sacrifice, plunging deeper into the wilderness to seek aid. What she couldn't know was how this frightening journey would impact how she understood her own life--and the greater part she had to play in history.
With her signature attention to detail and epic style, New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick invites readers to travel the deadly and enticing Oregon Trail. Based on actual events, This Road We Traveled will inspire the pioneer in all of us.
My opinions
The way that the author writes is very interesting. Most times, characters are introduced plainly and in a way that shares several significant details. However, in this book, it seems like characters are introduced more haphazardly... They are creating plans for moving west, yet we will meet someone and they are washing their hair or untangling a necklace. Its more uncensored, if that makes sense.
Strong points:
Its very very interesting to have a main character who is 65. There are several characters who could be considered main characters, however Tabby stands out the most to me.
Often in historical fiction, the main character is 18-25 so this is very original and I think I like it :)
Also, there is a nice vocabulary in this book. I have seen several new words:
- flummox
- foible
- somnolent
- gramo
- indomitable
- glebe
- etc.
Its neat and some of the phrases are time-period related so thats cool, sayings we dont use anymore like "a fly in the butter"
I think if I was to pinpoint my favorite scene, it would be about 2/3 of the way through when everyone is freaking out to begin with and then they run into a wild animal. Its a crazy scene!
Weak points:
In the beginning you are introduced to many, many characters. I almost wanted some sort of character chart or map to figure out who belonged to who and lived where. The book does include a "Cast List" however I was still very lost in the beginning.
For example, on page 28 there is a piece that reads:
"In the next room she could hear her brothers Albro, Octavius, and Clark's low voices, and a wistfullness to share anticipation with ached in her chest... her grandmother had distinguished her three children with singularity: Orus, Manthano, Pherne. And her parents had continued the tradition despite Pringle being a distinctive surname in itself. Virgilia? For her father, she knew, but still. Why not Virginia?"
Its almost chaotic, unless its just me. A few chapters in I finally understood more of what was going on, however the beginning was a bit hard to follow.
Also, the book doesnt seem to have a religious focus at all. I was under the impression that the book was Christian fiction however it doesnt seem to be explicitly included. The main character's husband was a preacher but religious references are few and far between.
EDIT: There is religion there, especially and the end of the book.
In the end, I think the author does a good job of connecting with the audience through the book. I never got into it but it didnt have errors or anything either.
To me, the target audience seems to be older women, who would connect with Tabby but many readers would like it.
Being about the Oregon Trail, its not exactly inspirational and people considering to purchase the book for someone else should keep that in mind. For example, there is a Donner party reference.
You can order a copy from Amazon here.
About the author
Jane Kirkpatrick is the New York Times and CBA bestselling author of nearly 30 books, including A Light in the Wilderness, The Memory Weaver, and A Sweetness to the Soul, which won the prestigious Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center. She is also the winner of the WILLA Literary Award and the Carol Award for Historical Fiction. Jane lives in Central Oregon with her husband, Jerry. Learn more at http://jkbooks.com
