On the Bank of the Chippewa by Steven Lomske
On the Bank of the Chippewa
Steven Lomske
5 Stars
Pages: 302
Genre: Family Saga, Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction
Published: March 24 2022
Publisher: Independently published
Publisher's Blurb
Hidden beneath the cold, damp farmland of Michigan lies an incredible, heartwarming family saga of sacrifice and heroism waiting to be unearthed.
The masterfully crafted, fast paced story comes to life through the lives of three brothers as they experience the joy and hardship of growing up in an evolving, rural town during the turbulent events of the mid 1900s. They must fight for what they believe in and eventually find the truth about their family legacy.
The young brothers, Paul, Gustav and Steven live in harmony until their love for the same woman, deception, jealousy, and tragedy shatter their trust in each other. Two of the brothers seek out their own unique paths in life leaving Steven behind. After the brothers separate, Steven unexpectedly discovers his grandfather’s awards and scars from WW1 that were locked away and forgotten in his grandmother’s musty, hope chest. When the brothers are reunited by an unexpected event that finally exposes the shocking truth to a long held secret, it is unclear if the peace that follows redemption will bind the young men together again, or will greed tear the family in two? These events imaginatively transport the reader back in time to experience generations of family lore and leave you to decide whether or not the brothers' ancestors' beliefs, sacrifices and heroism determined their destinies.
Through the brothers’ grandmother’s wisdom and faith, the boys are taught that their lives are like the Chippewa River that flows through their farm. The strong current will carry them where it wants to take them, no matter how hard they fight it. The story will make you laugh, cry and hopefully search your soul to understand the power of forgiveness and question if the risk or reward of sacrificing for loved ones or your country is truly worth it.
The masterfully crafted, fast paced story comes to life through the lives of three brothers as they experience the joy and hardship of growing up in an evolving, rural town during the turbulent events of the mid 1900s. They must fight for what they believe in and eventually find the truth about their family legacy.
The young brothers, Paul, Gustav and Steven live in harmony until their love for the same woman, deception, jealousy, and tragedy shatter their trust in each other. Two of the brothers seek out their own unique paths in life leaving Steven behind. After the brothers separate, Steven unexpectedly discovers his grandfather’s awards and scars from WW1 that were locked away and forgotten in his grandmother’s musty, hope chest. When the brothers are reunited by an unexpected event that finally exposes the shocking truth to a long held secret, it is unclear if the peace that follows redemption will bind the young men together again, or will greed tear the family in two? These events imaginatively transport the reader back in time to experience generations of family lore and leave you to decide whether or not the brothers' ancestors' beliefs, sacrifices and heroism determined their destinies.
Through the brothers’ grandmother’s wisdom and faith, the boys are taught that their lives are like the Chippewa River that flows through their farm. The strong current will carry them where it wants to take them, no matter how hard they fight it. The story will make you laugh, cry and hopefully search your soul to understand the power of forgiveness and question if the risk or reward of sacrificing for loved ones or your country is truly worth it.
Review
This is an engaging tale that follows the life of Stephen and his family, on a farm in rural Wisconsin, between 1965 and 1981.
A story of hope, romance, discovery and tragedy that takes us from the Vietnam conflict through to the early 80’s told from the point of view of a farmer living close to the Chippewa River.
What is not to love about this riveting saga that in turns makes you laugh and cry as the main protagonist relates the key happenings on the farm where he lives with three generations of his family?
From deer hunting expeditions when he was young, through college football matches and eventually to adulthood and all that comes with growing up, Stephen goes on a roller coaster of a ride as he attempts to understand the history behind the farm and the family.
The author has written an extremely readable narrative that sucks you in right from the start. The characters are well defined and relatable. The situations have a realistic feel and the reader will be able to draw parallels with their own lives as some of the family history is unveiled.
Whilst reading this, it brought to mind memories of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie and to some extent John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, comprising as they do, of great family drama (Prairie) and characters that will live in the memory long after finishing the book (Mice).
Touching on the futility of the war in Vietnam, racist feelings during the 60’s and 70’s, the hippy culture, drugs, jealousy, love and plenty more, all summed up by relating the happenings with the behaviour of the river in the book’s title.
If I really like a book then it deserves 4 stars. This one has something special about it that merits a full 5 star rating. It was difficult to put down and the story was entirely believable without resorting to unlikely shocks and twists.
To sum up, this is a delightful story, well written and has the ability to pull on the reader’s emotional heartstrings in all the right places as Stephen, Gustav and Paul’s stories unfold over almost 20 years.
A story of hope, romance, discovery and tragedy that takes us from the Vietnam conflict through to the early 80’s told from the point of view of a farmer living close to the Chippewa River.
What is not to love about this riveting saga that in turns makes you laugh and cry as the main protagonist relates the key happenings on the farm where he lives with three generations of his family?
From deer hunting expeditions when he was young, through college football matches and eventually to adulthood and all that comes with growing up, Stephen goes on a roller coaster of a ride as he attempts to understand the history behind the farm and the family.
The author has written an extremely readable narrative that sucks you in right from the start. The characters are well defined and relatable. The situations have a realistic feel and the reader will be able to draw parallels with their own lives as some of the family history is unveiled.
Whilst reading this, it brought to mind memories of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie and to some extent John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, comprising as they do, of great family drama (Prairie) and characters that will live in the memory long after finishing the book (Mice).
Touching on the futility of the war in Vietnam, racist feelings during the 60’s and 70’s, the hippy culture, drugs, jealousy, love and plenty more, all summed up by relating the happenings with the behaviour of the river in the book’s title.
If I really like a book then it deserves 4 stars. This one has something special about it that merits a full 5 star rating. It was difficult to put down and the story was entirely believable without resorting to unlikely shocks and twists.
To sum up, this is a delightful story, well written and has the ability to pull on the reader’s emotional heartstrings in all the right places as Stephen, Gustav and Paul’s stories unfold over almost 20 years.
The Author
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