Review of Grand River

[Kirsi Cultrera]

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

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4 out of 5 stars

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Life was hard in nineteenth-century Scotland. John Norman MacLeod was working in a distillery, but he had a dream: he wanted to become a landowner. He had been reading about the Americas and wanted to try his luck in Canada, where land was available and plentiful. John's wife, Fiona, cautiously agreed with the plan. They would immigrate with their two boys, John Angus and Daniel James. It was a risky plan, but it worked. After a dangerous sea voyage, they landed on the shores of their land of dreams.

The MacLeod family found their new home in Grand River. Three more boys, Roderick (Rod), Neil, and Norman, were born to the family. Although challenging in these northern latitudes, their life slowly settled between raising children and completing other daily chores. The years passed, and the two older brothers were already building their own lives. Even the three younger ones were all reaching the verge of adulthood and discovering their paths in life. John and Fiona were getting older. But were they happy in their land of dreams? Be that as it may, this was the only life their three Canadian-born sons had ever known. Norman loved his books, but Rod and Neil appeared to have inherited their father's adventurous spirit. War had broken out in Europe. When the long tentacles of world politics reached their remote part of the world, the two saw their opportunity to explore the world.

Grand River by J. Barry MacLeod is a fantastic fictional family saga of the MacLeod family. The book recounts the family's history, starting with John's parents, but its main focus is on the lives of John and Fiona's three younger sons. Rod, Neil, and Norman grew from boys to men during the early 1900s and experienced firsthand the horrors of World War I. The author had created three unique, lovable personalities. Neil wrecked his relationship with his first love and spent years trying to win the lady back. Rod's first love was undoubtedly flying; he was obsessed with anything with wings. Norman was the book nerd who later discovered that reality can be more miraculous than his books could ever teach him.

Reading this book was like traveling in time. As a history geek and historical fiction lover, I felt like I'd landed in heaven on earth. I was genuinely amazed by the author's comprehensive knowledge of history; he did a masterful job of mending historical events into this story. For example, World War I, the Spanish flu pandemic, the Great Depression, and even the early development of aviation were present in this book. Furthermore, these events plausibly affected the characters' lives. Grand River was a perfect picture of the times. Even the author's way of portraying the characters' feelings in different situations supported the specific atmosphere of the times. He never went into great depth in describing any character's inner thoughts. Instead, he often used their actions to express their feelings. For example, I could easily picture John Norman's irritation whenever he headed to his bottle hideout to sip his so-called medicine.

On the downside, this book's editing appeared unprofessional. Finding a truckload of errors from otherwise such a fantastic book was disappointing. Other than that, the only weaker point of this book was its beginning. The first chapter covered a long period and introduced a cavalcade of characters in three generations. The author's idea was probably to offer a background story, but the outcome was confusing, and getting the hang of the story was difficult. The problem, however, appeared primarily structural to me. Since the book's main concentration was on the younger MacLeod brothers, writing the beginning as a prologue instead of a chapter might have cleared the issue. Once the narration reached the younger MacLeod brothers, this story started gaining air under its wings.

I recommend Grand River by J. Barry MacLeod to readers who enjoy reading historical fiction and family sagas. Those who like war stories might also find this book enjoyable. I willingly reward it with a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. My main reason for not giving this book a perfect score is the insufficient editing. Besides that and the slight start-up difficulties described above, this book was a fantastic reading experience. With a bit of polishing, it would become one of those books I'd pick from my bookshelf for reading over and over again.

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Grand River
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Aleena Augustine]

Kirsi, your review of "Grand River" is insightful. You effectively summarize the plot and characters, highlighting the author's historical knowledge. Your critique on editing and structure is constructive, and your recommendation for historical fiction enthusiasts is helpful. Thanks for the great review!

[Rashad Deniro Price]

I enjoyed reading your review of this book. I think I am also appreciative of J. Barry MacLeod's vast knowledge of history, which has contributed to enriching this book. I am also a fan of historical fiction, so I might be picking up this book.

[Nwansimdi Mercy Someze]

Motivated by stories of the Americas, particularly Canada, where land was abundant, John convinced his wife, Fiona, to embark on a risky journey with their two boys, John Angus and Daniel James. Despite the perils of a dangerous sea voyage, they successfully landed on the shores of their dreamed-of land, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.

[Aaron Joseph Maupin]

This review provides a helpful overview of the book "Grand River" by J. Barry MacLeod. It highlights the historical context, well-developed characters, and immersive storytelling. However, the review mentions unprofessional editing and a confusing beginning. Despite these drawbacks, the reviewer recommends the book for fans of historical fiction, family sagas, and war stories. Overall, this review is sufficient and may motivate readers to consider adding "Grand River" to their library.

[Donaking]

The review of "Grand River" by J. Barry MacLeod praises the book for its comprehensive historical knowledge, engaging characters, and immersive atmosphere. The reviewer, a history enthusiast, appreciated the author's ability to seamlessly blend real historical events into the story. Although the book suffered from editing errors and a confusing beginning, it was still regarded as a fantastic read, earning a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Overall, "Grand River" seems like a worthwhile choice for fans of historical fiction and family sagas, and potentially even war stories.

[Jennifer Coxon]

Reading this book was like traveling in time. As a history geek and historical fiction lover, I felt like I'd landed in heaven on earth. I was genuinely amazed by the author's comprehensive knowledge of history; he did a masterful job of mending historical events into this story. For example, World War I, the Spanish flu pandemic, the Great Depression, and even the early development of aviation were present in this book. Furthermore, these events plausibly affected the characters' lives. Grand River was a perfect picture of the times. Even the author's way of portraying the characters' feelings in different situations supported the specific atmosphere of the times. He never went into great depth in describing any character's inner thoughts. Instead, he often used their actions to express their feelings. For example, I could easily picture John Norman's irritation whenever he headed to his bottle hideout to sip his so-called medicine.

On the downside, this book's editing appeared unprofessional. Finding a truckload of errors from otherwise such a fantastic book was disappointing. Other than that, the only weaker point of this book was its beginning. The first chapter covered a long period and introduced a cavalcade of characters in three generations. The author's idea was probably to offer a background story, but the outcome was confusing, and getting the hang of the story was difficult. The problem, however, appeared primarily structural to me. Since the book's main concentration was on the younger MacLeod brothers, writing the beginning as a prologue instead of a chapter might have cleared the issue. Once the narration reached the younger MacLeod brothers, this story started gaining air under its wings.

I recommend Grand River by J. Barry MacLeod to readers who enjoy reading historical fiction and family sagas. Those who like war stories might also find this book enjoyable. I willingly reward it with a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. My main reason for not giving this book a perfect score is the insufficient editing. Besides that and the slight start-up difficulties described above, this book was a fantastic reading experience. With a bit of polishing, it would become one of those books I'd pick from my bookshelf for reading over and over again.

Great review. This sounds like a perfect book for me (minus the errors and awkward start). I'm a big fan of historical fiction and have come to enjoy family sagas. I appreciate when an author can immerse the reader in the culture and feel of the period - it is very impressive. I will be adding this to my TBR list.