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ellemnope 's review for:
This Tender Land
by William Kent Krueger
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
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.
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.