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jackgoss's review against another edition
2.0
Sweet. Quaint.
Not for everyone or every mood.
There is no drama or conflict to overcome. Just quaint little episodes, in the spirit of Leave it to Beaver, or Lassie, but with less drama.
Kinda nice when you need a cozy break from stress, but dull after a couple chapters.
Not for everyone or every mood.
There is no drama or conflict to overcome. Just quaint little episodes, in the spirit of Leave it to Beaver, or Lassie, but with less drama.
Kinda nice when you need a cozy break from stress, but dull after a couple chapters.
debr's review
3.0
The curve of time is one of those stories that definitely seems impossible. One woman on a 25 foot boat for months with five kids in the rugged Canadian wilderness? Pre cell phones? For that alone it is worth reading. I also got the sense that she was a no-nonsense lady who got this done through more than a bit of nerves of steel. And I can’t say because of this that this is a woman who would be easy to like, but that isn’t really the point or her obligation. It’s an incredible story. It is also a story that is very much of a time. I would hope no one would treat ceremonial or seasonal dwellings or burial grounds of native peoples today the way she treated them, which was as so as much a thing to be explored or entered into as a neighborhood park or your own house, but no one would disrespect their own dead like that, I don’t think- in any case that was painful to read and I felt embarrassed for her in those writings, while recognizing, again, it is of a different time when that standard of seeing native cultures as a curiosity rather than worthy of respect was far more the norm. As another reviewer wrote, this was “a sorrowful reminder of what was acceptable behavior in the past.” I wish I could say I could separate that from other parts of the book, which are incredibly beautiful and exciting, but I really can’t.
cinnamonpuns's review
3.0
I enjoyed the day to day details and adventures in boating and exploring with children. I struggled to get through how she spoke about the indigenous cultures and the lack of respect for the villages they encountered.
daniella_lo's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
5.0
zeljana's review
5.0
Around a hundred years ago, a widowed woman and her five children spent 15 summers on a small boat cruising the coast of British Columbia. This memoir describes their adventures and places they visited with lots of details about biology, geology, and the history of the area. There is very little info about the family itself, which I found refreshing. If such a book was written today, the focus would be all on the author, and used for self-promotion.
It is so fascinating especially because the parts Blanchet traveled with her children are still very wild and were even more desolate at that time. There is a particular type of person who can thrive in such an environment. I always admired those who had the courage to explore the frontier, moreover with five young children in tow. This is not the old trope of a man against the wilderness; Blanchet and her children are a part of the landscape. She was such an extraordinary woman and it is remarkable how she raised her children with such passion for nature and exploration.
I particularly loved the descriptions of the people they met during their summers. It reminded me of a real-life Northern Exposure. A nostalgic look into another era, a lot more authentic and wholesome. A truly great book.
It is so fascinating especially because the parts Blanchet traveled with her children are still very wild and were even more desolate at that time. There is a particular type of person who can thrive in such an environment. I always admired those who had the courage to explore the frontier, moreover with five young children in tow. This is not the old trope of a man against the wilderness; Blanchet and her children are a part of the landscape. She was such an extraordinary woman and it is remarkable how she raised her children with such passion for nature and exploration.
I particularly loved the descriptions of the people they met during their summers. It reminded me of a real-life Northern Exposure. A nostalgic look into another era, a lot more authentic and wholesome. A truly great book.
rachel_reads_regularly's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.75
spiderfelt's review
3.0
I'm giving myself permission to let this book go. It has been an interesting read at times, however I felt more frustration than delight. The lack of geographic continuity or adherence to any chronology left me constantly wondering how did they get from here to there? was this before or after that bit? where are the other children? What about story and character? For the most part, the author is interested in the landscape and seascape. The environment is her only real character. When their compass is lost overboard, she mentions its absence but refuses to explain the circumstances, simply saying 'we won't go into the details'. That could be a story. Tell me more. I want to know about her children. How did they grow, change and manage in this small boat chugging up and down the coast? She refers to her youngest son as a ball and chain. I can infer what she means, but I'm only guessing. Tell me more.
With the caveat that I am not a sailor, nor do I aspire to be one, it was difficult to imagine anyone having the bravery, tenacity and patience to take on the journeys the author shares. There is no doubt that these were heroic journeys. In the retelling, she ignores the hardships and privations they must have endured. Perhaps a more well-rounded story is impossible to expect from someone in this era, a widowed mother doing the best she can with a boat full of children just grins and grits her teeth.
Her descriptions of the Coastal BC waterways renewed my desire to travel and explore these remote inlets, but more likely as part of a chartered sea-kayaking and camping trip than motoring my own boat full of small children.
With the caveat that I am not a sailor, nor do I aspire to be one, it was difficult to imagine anyone having the bravery, tenacity and patience to take on the journeys the author shares. There is no doubt that these were heroic journeys. In the retelling, she ignores the hardships and privations they must have endured. Perhaps a more well-rounded story is impossible to expect from someone in this era, a widowed mother doing the best she can with a boat full of children just grins and grits her teeth.
Her descriptions of the Coastal BC waterways renewed my desire to travel and explore these remote inlets, but more likely as part of a chartered sea-kayaking and camping trip than motoring my own boat full of small children.