This is book one of the Kinship and Courage Series; book 2 is No Eye Can See; book 3 is What Once We Knew. I was captivated during each one, hardly able to put them down. I awoke early, stayed up late.Historically accurate, with vivid details, dynamic characters, deep themes, real conflict! Because I read them one after another, what I've written below applies to the trilogy, thus the length. Kirkpatrick seems to say, “Let me tell you about a woman who . . . . She finds a secret place in me and brings it to the surface. I saw myself over and over—and wondered how I would have faced the challenges of this westward journey. But in truth, my own journey has borne challenges of unwanted change, loss, betrayal, fear, and self-discovery, all of which have involved a testing of my faith.” From the journals of Ezra Meeker, 1852--“One of the incidents that made a profound impression upon the minds of all: The meeting of eleven wagons returning and not a man left in the entire train; all had died, and been buried o the way, and the women returning alone.” This entry serves as the seminal idea for Kirkpatrick’s trilogy. On a wagon train going from Wisconsin to Oregon/California, the men die from cholera. Women and children must decide what to do—they turn back, but change their minds and head to new lives. Madison “Mazy” Bacon, wife of Jeremy, is the central character, a young wife living in Southern Wisconsin, with a future which appears promising and predictable (Mazy likes routine). A loving marriage, a well-organized home, the pleasures of planting an early spring garden—these are the carefully cherished dreams that sustain her heart and nourish her soul. But all that changes when her husband sells the homestead and informs her that they are heading west. Mazy’s life is ripped apart—her love for Jeremy is tested, her boundaries are stretched, and her faith is challenged. At the same time, her life and the lives of eleven other women are melded together as they face themselves, their fears, their hopes, their strengths and weaknesses, their personal likes and dislikes, their habits of thought and action, their dreams, their abilities, their losses and grief. The journey west binds them together through reluctance and longing and into acceptance and renewal. They learn to accommodate, to give one another space, to accept and love. They share life—and each of them discovers things about herself that she never would have known otherwise. Each of them faces her motivations, her faith or lack thereof—and grows.tElizabeth Mueller, Mazy’s mothertAdora Wilson, indulgent and needy mother of Charles (a snake of a man, evil) and Tipton, an immature flirt, manipulative and self-centeredtLura Schmidtke, somewhat mousytSuzanne Cullver, blind mother of two boys (Clayton and Sason)tSister Esther Maeves, who is taking four Celestials—Cynthia, Mei-Ling/Deborah, Naomi, Zilah—Chinese girls who are contracted to wed tBetha Barnard, Mazy’s sister-in-law, who is mother to Jason, Ned, Sarah, and Jessie (Ruth’s daughter)tRuth Martin, separated from her husband who has been in prison for five years for the death of their sonThis trilogy explores human character, reveals the value of community, and speaks to the significance of women and their relationships to themselves, one another, and to God. “Koinonia”—shared life—is the result of shared suffering and celebration.
I love this genre but found the writing to be more stream of conscience than deliberate description and dialogue. Some of the characters went from being loved to irratating and almost whiny. Also I got this at a book sale and didn't realize it was a Christian lit book. I don't think that's the reason it fell short for me but maybe...I mostly just skimmed the preachy sections but I think the style just was too haphazard. I'm still willing to try the next book in the series and see where the story goes.
Do You like book All Together In One Place (2000)?
Mazy's world is turned upside down when her husband, Jeremy, sells their land and decides, without talking to her first, that they are going to get West. Mazy hates change and she is reluctant at first but she took a vow to love and honor her husband and that is what she will do, but she's not opposed to telling him ever five minutes that she's not happy. We are taken through the journey of heading West and are introduced to numerous of characters, most of whom get on my last nerve. I wanted to like this book so bad, but I just couldn't. I don't stop reading most books that I don’t like but I had to make myself pick it up and I had finally had enough. The story, much like their journey, dragged on and on. I felt like they were never going to get to their destination. I felt like I was walking along side the wagon, with dust in my face, sweat on my brow, the sun beating down and in desperate need of a shower and I was only on page 174! Once Jeremy, one of the last guys, died I called it quits. I get anxiety just thinking about this book. The characters were annoying. The plot was annoying. And the story line was annoying. I don’t recommend it.
—Kristie
This was another good book by Jane Kirkpatrick telling of the immigration of pioneers to the state of Oregon via California from Wisconsin. The friendship and combined strength of the women in this book told the story of survival at all kinds of levels; grief, celebration, leadership, companionship and friendship. I really enjoyed Jane's reference Biblically to some of the scriptures mentioned. Our foremothers where great believers and often it was their faith alone that helped them confront their challenges. Elizabeth reminded me of my grandmother Sylvia as I remember her when I was a little girl; a widow, very faithful in her spirituality and fun to be around.
—Wanda
I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as the first Kirkpatrick book I read a couple months ago. Maybe after that one I had too high of expectations. The main characters I felt invested in, but some of the other women I had a hard time remembering who was who and what made them distinct from each other. There were also times that seemed so rosy amid tremendous trials, with the perspective of great faith and trust in the Almighty, that I wondered if pioneer peoples really would have felt/thought this way. I hope so. But it didn't quite seem real to me. It was interesting enough story that I want to know what happens to the women next, though.
—Katrina
