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Book Review: A Daughter's Walk

by Michelle F

May 7, 2012

Jane Kirkpatrick's book, The Daughter's Walk sounded very intriguing. I was very curious to read about a fictionalized historical event. The conflict in the book involves a woman's decision to walk from Spokane, Washington to New York City to raise awareness for a more comfortable and modern woman's dress. The woman takes her teenage daughter along on the 3,000 mile journey. The daughter, Clara, is not happy about being pressed into this adventure. She walks with her mother and along the way learns some important truths about herself. Their adventure is a failure and when they arrive home, they endure great persecution from family and the community as a whole. Clara, decides to continue on with her life adopting a new surname and leaving her family behind. She spends the next 20 years working hard as an entrepreneur. Her actions are informed by the trials she faced on the fateful walk with her mother.

The book is interesting to read. It was not always an uplifting story because of the schism between Clara and her family. The book does come full circle with grace and love bringing the estrangement to an end. This gives the book a happy ending. The book was not what I expected at all. I have mixed feelings about it. I liked that is was based on historical fact, but I wanted it to turn out happily instead of leading to a 20 year estrangement. I think it was well written, but the narrative was a bit long and rambling in places. I also didn't like how Clara, who was so strong, didn't stand up to some of the characters in the book. I have mixed feelings about recommending this book to a friend. I was a bit disappointed in it myself, despite being excited to read it.

I received this book for the purposes of review from Waterbrook / Multnomah publishers. All opinions expressed are my own.