Official Review: kindred Journeys by Marjorie Tapley-Olson

[ritah]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "kindred Journeys" by Marjorie Tapley-Olson.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Kindred Journeys by Marjorie Tapley-Olson is a work of fiction that takes readers on unforgettable trips to small, little-known towns and areas in America through its various highways and back roads. One of the trips details the story of a pregnant woman who encounters a great deal of misfortune on her travels.

After escaping her father’s wrath for the ‘mess’ she got herself into, a heavily pregnant Martha sets out on a road trip in pursuit of Farley, who skipped town when he found out she was pregnant. Her goal is to persuade him to settle down with her. However, not long after her trip begins, her car breaks down, and she ends up giving birth earlier than unexpected and to more than one baby. Despite this, Martha remains undeterred and continues her trip with her newborn babies in tow. Having left her broken down car behind and with no money in hand, she relies on hitchhiking to get her around. While trying to evade people’s growing suspicion of kidnapping and fighting off a predator, she makes a series of reckless decisions that result in her losing her kids. Will she ever get them back, and are they still live? What will Farley do when he learns about everything that has happened?

This novel is, without a doubt, one of the best character-driven narratives I’ve ever read. From the start, I was drawn into Martha’s personality, her complexities, and her quirks, despite the fact that I questioned most of her decisions. Despite Martha having reservations about telling lies, she told plenty of them and could whip them on the spot. At times, I thought some of her lies were unnecessary. At other times, I found it amusing how she fooled those she encountered with her lies up until I realized that she had fooled me too! The fact that I ate up one of her lies and was none the wiser impressed and surprised me because I thought I knew everything about her.

The other main characters’ distinct personalities also shined through because they breathed life into the narrative, steadily enticing me into their world of adventures and sometimes misadventures. I especially appreciated how the author masterfully depicts the characters’ self-reflection, the changing relationship dynamics between characters in different stages of their lives, and how their growth—and sometimes lack of it—affects how they continue to deal with events that come their way. Some of my favorite characters include Ariel and Michael, both of whom I quickly grew attached to. I found myself looking forward to their accounts and journeys in life. Michael’s intellect, sarcasm, and worldview intrigued me, while Ariel’s personality and determination fascinated me. Their contrasting personalities and meaningful conversations sometimes arguments made their interactions a pleasure to read.

Written in the third person, the author purposefully pulls readers back and forth between time periods, settings, and, of course, transforming characters. I loved that even though the story often shifts focus to a number of different characters, the plot never once lost focus. I very much enjoyed piecing together the links between the characters and their tales. I also relished the vivid descriptions of landscapes and towns they visited.

Some of the characters dialogues are written in dialect to convey their background; I found most of the dialect easy to read, while I found some that took me a while to get used to. I don’t mind a large cast of characters, but quite a few characters that only appear once are mentioned by name. I thought this was a little unnecessary because naming them gave the impression that they were important and that I would encounter them again.

This being the author’s first adult novel proves her to be a formidably gifted writer. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by Marjorie Tapley-Olson. I rate this superbly-written, multilayered tale full of twists and turns 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend this novel to anyone looking for a compelling character-driven narrative with a good sense of humor.

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kindred Journeys
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Like ritah's review? Post a comment saying so!

[crediblereading2]

Martha is such a strong character with all her lie, although lying is not a virtue. I really enjoy your review.

[roys1234]

Must be a good novel with twists and turns as Martha's life is full of twist and turns

[AmySmiles]

I can only imagine the tangle of lies she would have gotten herself too. There is a saying I believe by Mark Twain that "If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember." I enjoyed your review. Thank you.

[Dahmy 10]

Wow, such an amazing novel here... I'm going for this!!

[Cecilia_L]

I feel when a book features the kind of strong character-driven plot you described it transcends genres for me. Thanks for the wonderful review!

[Sahani Nimandra]

A person who is crushed under a difficult circumstances knows it's weight rather than the person who looks from the surface. It must be a touching read. There must be women in this world who has gone through so much in life this story is for them. Thank you for your detailed review!

[Jonida]

Such a strong story, I love the books where you get to know the characters in many dimensions. Thank you for your great review!

[Kristy Khem]

Wow! The plot sounds intense, quirky, and emotional. Martha sounds like a very good character, one that is likable and admirable. Thanks for reviewing. I'll add this one to my "to read" list.

[Ruba Abu Ali]

This one will be on my immediate to-read list. I appreciate an intricate novel with lively characters and an authentic dialogue. Thanks for the fantastic review; I enjoyed it immensely.

[Jackie Holycross]

Wow. I can’t believe she hitchhiked with newborns. That’s intense.

[gali]

A book following a pregnant woman's journey across time and half a continent sounds powerful. Complex characters, great character-driven tale, and smooth time transitions make a good tale. That it was well-edited is another plus. Martha sounds quite the character, with her flaws and strengths. Not for me, but I am glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for the review!

[Amy+++]

I don't think I will be checking this book out. While reading the sample, the book just seemed to move to slow for me.

[Aan Granados]

This sounds like a sad and at the same time intriguing story. I can't wait to find out if she ever reconciled with her children. Thanks for your review.

[Erick Muyesu]

I must admit that this is an intriguing fiction novel that everyone can look up to. I would love to read and see if I can feel what the reviewer felt like as stated in this review. Great piece