Official Review: The Tractor by Steven Wilkens

Rachaelamb1 · Post by **Rachaelamb1** » 24 Aug 2016, 23:10

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Tractor" by Steven Wilkens.]

3 out of 4 stars

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The Tractor by Steven Wilkens is a Christian fiction novel.

Shortly after the death of his wife, John decides to hold a garage sale with the assistance of his daughters. His grandson, Grant, lends a helping hand while admiring John’s old, broken-down tractor. When Grant is expelled from school for two weeks, John takes him under his wing and the two decide to restore the old tractor together. During that time, they really learn about one another and begin to truly bond. They both begin to realize they are a lot more similar than they thought.

I enjoyed reading this story. It is heartwarming and sweet. I love the grandfather and grandson bonding experience. While this story focuses much on the grief that John is experiencing from losing his wife, it is also a coming of age tale as Grant matures through his interactions with his grandfather. I also appreciate the hint of romance sprinkled throughout the book. The sweet little love stories of both past and present made me smile.

This is not an action-packed novel. The plot is simple and there are no huge surprises to be found, but it is an enjoyable story nonetheless. Even though I can not say that there is anything that makes it completely unforgettable, I found myself interested throughout the whole book. I was not necessarily dying to find out what would happen next, but I did want to see what the characters would say next. This story places more emphasis on characters than on plot which is something I love, but others may not.

Unfortunately, there are a few minor grammatical errors in this book. There are not many and I did not come across any major ones so my enjoyment of the book was not hindered by this. There are also a few areas where the dialogue falls flat and situations are over explained. For instance, at one point, Grant and another person are piecing together some information which is already known by the reader. The dialogue here feels contrived rather than natural and I would have liked for the author to have come up with some other way for the characters to “discover” that information.

My rating for The Tractor is 3 out of 4 stars. The strong themes of faith, family and love are what carries this story. While I wish the book had a little more polish, it is still an enjoyable read. Anyone who is looking for a pleasant and uplifting story, should give this one a try.

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The Tractor
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Cee-Jay Aurinko · Post by **Cee-Jay Aurinko** » 25 Aug 2016, 06:13

Amazing review Rachaelamb1! The grandfather and grandson working on the tractor together is something that a lot of people can relate to. I would definitely read this book.

Rachaelamb1 · Post by **Rachaelamb1** » 25 Aug 2016, 22:17

Thank you! Yes family bonding moments are always wonderful! Hope you get a chance to check out the book

Heidi M Simone · Post by **Heidi M Simone** » 26 Aug 2016, 10:36

Great review, Rachaelamb1! I like the idea of it being a heartwarming read. Those are nice to read sometimes. I agree with you said about polishing the read a bit. I also don't like forced or unrealistic dialogue. However, I'm glad that you were able to enjoy the read, regardless!

Rachaelamb1 · Post by **Rachaelamb1** » 27 Aug 2016, 09:14

Thank you! The male bonding experience is touching and the dialogue between them is great, but there were a few areas that were not smooth. I am glad I got to read it though!

kimmyschemy06 · Post by **kimmyschemy06** » 26 Sep 2016, 06:27

Sounds like a nice and warm story about family bonding. I like books about family and this seems like something I would enjoy. Too bad, though, about the flaws. Great job on the review.

Kourtney Bradley · Post by **Kourtney Bradley** » 26 Sep 2016, 07:53

Sounds like a nice read that would be enjoyable to take a break and wind down with. Congrats to the authror! & thank you for sharing your review!

zero_macabre · Post by **zero_macabre** » 26 Sep 2016, 08:39

Simplicity definitely doesn't mean boring! Thank you for the great review.

LifeTimeBookAddict · Post by **LifeTimeBookAddict** » 18 Oct 2016, 22:51

Great review, Rachaelamb1! I like that this is a Christian novel, too. The old tractor on the front cover is what drew me to reading your review, and although I don't recognize the make of that tractor, I am drawn to it because I grew up on a farm, and now tractors are monstrous, not like the ones we had on our farm. I can see how the boy would mature and grow closer to his grandfather while trying to rebuild the tractor. I can see how this would be a story more about relationships, too. There's so much history behind farming and the different equipment that goes into it. There is also danger and accidents involved and stories that are passed down with it. A lot can be learned from observing the way someone helps an older, wiser person restore something that is meaningful. It brings back my own memories, good and bad, of living on a farm, driving farm tractors and trucks, and the times that I bonded with my own father. I don't remember my grandfather because he died when I was an infant, and he was only in his late 50s. I would like to read this book someday.

Kdonegan91 · Post by **Kdonegan91** » 22 Oct 2016, 23:13

Great Review! I live in a small farming community so this hit home for me. Your review made it even more compelling. I will be reading this in the near future. Thank you

Rachaelamb1 · Post by **Rachaelamb1** » 14 Nov 2016, 03:35

Kdonegan91 wrote:Great Review! I live in a small farming community so this hit home for me. Your review made it even more compelling. I will be reading this in the near future. Thank you

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