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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
The Boo (age 7) says..Definitely a 5 star book...plus 100 if I could. The ending was a bit sudden, but I love that a kid gets to be a reporter. The whole book was so good that I don't have a favorite part. This book made me think that being a reporter would be a good job...but my handwriting is kinda messy so I better use a typewriter. Kids who want to read this book should know that there is a mystery and there is a surprising part where a guy loses his boot with his foot still in it.
Parent note: Good book for parents to read with kids since there may be questions such as "Why did those people wear sheets and burn crosses" and "How did half the town die from the flu and is it the same flu we get now?" Topics covered: KKK, mining and union organization, war, death, and the Great Depression.
Parent note: Good book for parents to read with kids since there may be questions such as "Why did those people wear sheets and burn crosses" and "How did half the town die from the flu and is it the same flu we get now?" Topics covered: KKK, mining and union organization, war, death, and the Great Depression.
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow! What an incredibly written story! The characters really captured my attention.
i first read this book when i was younger, around Abilene's (the main character) age. for a book with a younger target audience, it has definitely aged very well for me. many years after my first time reading it, i've made it a tradition to reread it every year after that... this book is that good.
i don't want this review to contain spoilers, so i'm going to try to keep it simple and talk about some of my favorite aspects of this story-
i love the way everything in this book connects. the story of Manifest's past (1917-1918, i think) and Manifest's present (1936) intertwine perfectly. nothing is randomly "just there", you know? and i love the way you start to realize all these connections slowly as you keep reading.
the characters are developed very well. both the cast of 1917-1918 and 1936 are very fleshed out and feel very real. you feel genuine emotions for these characters.
also, writing style is absolutely amazing.
anyway, i give this book 5 stars. even if you aren't a 12-year-old anymore, it's a decent read. this review may be a bit biased though, since this book is one of my comfort books, haha
i don't want this review to contain spoilers, so i'm going to try to keep it simple and talk about some of my favorite aspects of this story-
i love the way everything in this book connects. the story of Manifest's past (1917-1918, i think) and Manifest's present (1936) intertwine perfectly. nothing is randomly "just there", you know? and i love the way you start to realize all these connections slowly as you keep reading.
the characters are developed very well. both the cast of 1917-1918 and 1936 are very fleshed out and feel very real. you feel genuine emotions for these characters.
also, writing style is absolutely amazing.
anyway, i give this book 5 stars. even if you aren't a 12-year-old anymore, it's a decent read. this review may be a bit biased though, since this book is one of my comfort books, haha
I read this to my class every year, and I will never get tired of seeing their reaction when we finish the book. This is one of my all time favorites, and I highly highly recommend it!
There were times when this book drug on, but overall it was a well crafted story with a lot of heart. I'm not always a fan of books that jump back and forth between two separate storylines, and it did make this novel a bit hard to follow at the beginning, but once you get to know both sets of characters it flows more smoothly. The last third of the book tied everything together brilliantly leaving the reader satisfied and with very warm thoughts about the novel.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Some of my favorite historical fictions are middle-grade. I think that may be because authors feel the need to be more relatable, more interesting, and spend less time on research and more time on the characters themselves. I appreciate how Vanderpool jumps right into Abilene's story, and with it, the story of Manifest. The duel timelines might put off some readers, but I like the way it breaks up the story and keeps things interesting. Abilene's story takes place in 1936, and she as she is doing work for an older woman, Miss Sadie, the latter tells her about what happened in the town of Manifest in 1918. The story covers all manners of appropriate history, including prohibition, the depression, World War 1, mining towns, immigration, and the spanish flu- and yet, Vanderpool deftly weaves these events into the story in such a way that it doesn't feel like checking off boxes, like it does in some historical fiction. Abilene is an endearing, curious girl that actually acts her age (for the time) and respects the boundaries of others and authority of adults.
I really would have liked to have spent more time with certain characters, specifically Ned Gillan, especially before he went off to war. It also took some time for me to become invested (about 1/3 of the book), but once I got to that point, I was all in.
All in all, this is a wonderful, heartwarming story, best read in a comfortable chair by the fire, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a depression era historical fiction that isn't all, well, depressing.
I really would have liked to have spent more time with certain characters, specifically Ned Gillan, especially before he went off to war. It also took some time for me to become invested (about 1/3 of the book), but once I got to that point, I was all in.
All in all, this is a wonderful, heartwarming story, best read in a comfortable chair by the fire, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a depression era historical fiction that isn't all, well, depressing.
historical fiction. Set in 1930's, but learning about her father in the same town in 1918. I really like the tone of the setting, and I read it straight through to find out exactly how it would all tie together. Although I could guess who was who early, it was interesting to see it dawn on her.
Read for family book club. I liked the way the story jumped back and forth between 1918 and 1936, and I loved the little gems stuck into Hattie Mae's newspaper articles. But, I didn't feel like the ending quite paid off.