This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger

This Tend Land has had many excellent reviews and was considered a novel similar to Where the Crawdads Sing. It is the story of four vagabonds who escape an incredibly hard life, only to embark upon a harder one. It was selected for the September selection for the Gables Book Club.

Odie, short for 12 year-old Odysseus, O'Banion and his older brother, Albert, have been orphaned and sent to live at the Lincoln School in Minnesota. Set in the throes of the great depression in 1932, the novel recounts the struggles of their summer and those of two other orphans, Emmy and Mose, a Sioux Indian. The Lincoln school was not one that was characterized by a loving and caring environment. Thelma and Clyde Brickman run the school and supposedly are responsive to the needs of those taken in for charitable reasons. Through a series of misfortunate events the four run away from the school after breaking into the Brickman's home and "kidnapping" Emmy and stealing the contents of the school safe. They set off in a canoe down the Minnesota River. Among the contents of the safe is a letter that Odie finds from his Aunt Julia, who lives in St. Louis. This discovery gives them a destination as their goal. Surely, they could live with her.  

From the Minnesota River to Mankato to St. Paul to St. Louis proves to be a dangerous and harrowing one for the children. It is filled with murder, revivals, revivalists, snake bites, childbirth, prejudice, a bit of young love, and some startling discoveries. It was certainly an odyssey for them, that fittingly concluded on Ithaca Street. The characters whom they meet along the way including Herman Volz, Sister Eve, Gertie, Mike Kelly, and the One-Eyed Jack, all are significant in moving the adventure along and contribute to the maturation of the protagonists. They all play a part in their realization of the importance of family, home, and forgiveness. Understanding that family is not just the blood relatives you know, but it also encompasses those with whom you connect.

Kreuger has written the novel from Odie's point of view. What makes it more compelling is that Odie writes it as an old man, with the ability to reflect on the events and understand their meaning with distance put between the occurrence and the penning of the book. He captures the voice of a 12 year-old in his writing at the same time allowing for that time of a different perspective. As an epilogue, he recounts what has happened to the four in the past 80 years, a technique that answered those questions that Krueger must have known would have lingered in the minds of his readers. It will be difficult to forget young Odie and his harmonica. A very enjoyable and well written read.