Review of Grand River

[Kennedy NC]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Grand River" by J. Barry MacLeod.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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As humans, in our bid to achieve a better life, we make many decisions. The effects of the decisions we make can either be positive or negative and can change the direction of our lives forever. Grand River by J. Barry MacLeod tells the story of the MacLeod family and their struggles. John Norman moves out of his town in search of a better life; he has five sons, each son with his dreams and aspirations. Neil, his fourth son, has a considerable interest in engineering. Rod, his third son, is interested in flying and aviation. His last son, Norman, loves books and the acquisition of knowledge. The boys chase their dreams from their childhood and are determined to become successful. However, the events and wars in the 1900s seem to have other plans in store for them. Read this book to follow the journey of the MacLeod sons. It certainly is not a funny story, but you will enjoy every bit of it.

I have picked quite an interest in reading books set in the 19th and 20th centuries. Therefore, I found this book exciting. The events in the book took place in the 1900s and covered the war between France, Germany, and Britain. In addition to providing essential information about the sufferings of the people and the army during the period, I got a picture of a time when people survived without phones and how relationships died as a result. The author's writing style was detailed and straightforward, as I could comprehend most of the words used in the book.

I felt different emotions while reading this book, especially while reading the last chapters. I saw how the sins of a father affected his son, who followed the exact steps his father took. I wept on his behalf. The book covered themes such as love, poverty, religion, and war. The author employed the use of suspense and surprise in the novel, and I could not have predicted the events that took place in the book. I highly appreciated this, as tension keeps a reader immersed in a book.

Unfortunately, I found a lot of errors while reading this book. Therefore, it was not professionally edited. I wasn't happy with some of the events discussed in the book, as I felt there was a lot of unnecessary repetition.

I rate this book three out of four stars. I could not rate it higher because of the numerous errors in it. However, it was an excellent book filled with helpful life lessons. I recommend this book to lovers of war stories and books set in the 1900s.

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Grand River
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[José Cortez]

The author could take this book for another round of editing. This is an awesome book.

[Sarah Sonbol]

I like reading historical fiction during WWI and WWII. It is an interesting era with wars that changed the course of events in the whole world. Nice review.

[Edem Michael]

The time at which the characters existed is quite strategic, and it drives them to make necessary decisions. I would love to know how John Norman's son survived. It'd be good to know that they acheived their dreams. Good review.