The Daughter's walk: A novel.

Author:  Jane Kirkpatrick

My recommended age: 13+

Their recommended age: NA

Publisher: WaterBrook Press

Number of pages: 375 Including Epilogue

Publisher’s description:

"In 1896 Norwegian American Helga Estby accepted a wager from the fashion industry to walk from Spokane, Washington to New York City within seven months in an effort to earn $10,000. Bringing along her nineteen year-old daughter Clara, the two made their way on the 3500-mile trek by following the railroad tracks and motivated by the money they needed to save the family farm.  After returning home to the Estby farm more than a year later, Clara chose to walk on alone by leaving the family and changing her name. Her decisions initiated a more than 20-year separation from the only life she had known.

Historical fiction writer Jane Kirkpatrick picks up where the fact of the Estbys’ walk leaves off to explore Clara's continued journey. What motivated Clara to take such a risk in an era when many women struggled with the issues of rights and independence? And what personal revelations brought Clara to the end of her lonely road? The Daughter's Walk weaves personal history and fiction together to invite readers to consider their own journeys and family separations, to help determine what exile and forgiveness are truly about."

My thoughts:

Lovely Book, story, and characters.  I often had to chide myself that FRANKLIN DORE WAS AND IS A FIGMENT OF MS. KIRKPATRICK'S IMAGINATION.   When Clara is unfairly treated, it makes you just burn with anger against Ole.  When the walk is taking place, you can feel the heat, the hunger, the pain, yet, strange happiness with her.  You grow to hope that she marries the man of her youth dreams. And feel shattered when she doesn't. You cherish Olea and Lousie with Clara.  And Franklin finds a cozy place in your heart.  And, yes, you do get rather angry at him when he makes his decision.   You feel the devastation as her dreams plummet, and she has to lower her goals. And the final joy of reunion.  Even though it is strained.

Cons:

Other then BLANK not marring Miss BLANK (can't tell you what each represents), which isn't a true con, I suppose there is:

Helga had a sexual interaction at 15 that ended up with a baby, but she doesn't like how it came about, and tries to protect her daughter's from the same problem.

Clara and Franklin kiss before being married.

Pros:

It is a very truthful story.  I like how the writer took tough things, and made them easy.  Helga learned much from her adultery, and tries to keep her daughter's from the same fate.  

Clara deals with many pitfalls in her life, but she learns to dust herself off, and try again.  Thus giving a good example in perseverance. 

It is very touching, very emotional, and very good.

Language:

I can't remember any.

Romance and Sexual relationships:

Clara falls in love twice, and kisses Franklin.  

Helga has a baby through adultery.

Violence:

Helga shoots and injures a tramp who is bothering them while on their walk.

Clara shoots and misses a man trying to steal their things.

Drugs and drink:

None.

Random Snippet:

"Then the third call, at three in the morning.

Franklin's voice cracked, "Shes gone".

"What? Who? Sharon's gone?"

"No", he said, "The ship, it went down and-"

What! No! No, don't tell me that"

"What is it?" Olea asked, stepping out from her bedroom, the kitchen phone having awakened her.  I shushed her.

"January 27" He wailed "I don't know what she was doing in those waters, but the Germans sank her on January 27.  No lives were lost,  and they didn't even try to save the cargo. Ours was the only cargo lost."

"The garments? They're...gone?  Nothing was salvaged?" I thought of the beaded cape.

"Nothing" He said. "If it had been, the Germans would have taken it."

"Are you certain? Are you?"

"I am. I'm...so sorry...I..."

"I'm ruined," I told him, sinking into a chair. "We're ruined."

Franklin had been right those years before: Only God and love last, with the latter having a statute of limitations.

Ratings:

I say 13+ for some of the romance and sexual themes in it.  An old enough person, mainly girl, I don't think would have a problem with it.

Now, for my rating, It is a VERY good read, very easy to read and understand. Not dry in the least, it flows well, flashbacks and foresight are well defined, the emotion threaded in with it is golden.

So, I hereby pronounce my review:

5 STAR!

Where you can buy it at:

You can either buy it form WaterBrook itself for 14.99 not including shipping, or Amazon for 8. 90. not including shipping, again.

*I received this book from Books 4 bloggers; A free book reviewer program. If you would like to join B4B, go HERE.


Does it bother anybody else when writers put 'A novel' on their book title? I mean, come on, its not like we can all SEE that it is a novel. Plus, Most of us READ the back of the book.
Or is it just me being...weird me.