This Tender Land is a saga about four orphans told from the point of view of 12 year old Odie. Odie has been at a Native American residential school since his father's death, despite not being Native American. Along with his brother Albert, he experiences mistreatment and abuse at the school particularly from one teacher named DiMarco. When something unthinkable happens to Odie, the four have to escape and run as fast as they can. 

The novel is told in six parts, each with a distinct setting but the character growth and found family permeates the whole. In a strange way, this book reminded me of Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy but in all the best ways. There was a saga of broken and abused children finding love and security through almost insurmountable challenges, an over the top element, and beautiful prose about the land. This Tender Land had more nuanced characters than POT and no casual racism. 

This is a long book, but it reads smoothly and didn't feel like a slog. The audiobook is exceptional, which I alternated to when I was doing things so I could stay in this wonderful story. Highly recommend.