FAR AWAY HOME, an Historical Novel of the American West: Aislynn's Story- Book I (I)

This is one of the most unsatisfying books I have read in a long time. I read it for a book club meeting; did not select it on my own as the story is not one that particularly interested me. I am a life-long student of history however so thought I'd give the book a try. The chapters are episodic at best. With a few exceptions, most characters are just representational mouth pieces, i.e, one dimensional. I believe many espoused views that would be exceptional for the time in history - i.e., charitable and open minded about living near former slaves, understanding of religious rights of the Mormons when there was great fear and anger about the Mormons at the time having been violently driven out West. I also found the main character to be a very frustrating character that was most implausibly surrounded by men that just went along with her every whim, which I think is highly uncharacteristic of the times. Characters espousing late 20th century viewpoints did not exist in the mid-19th century. While the book was inauthentic for the historical times, the supposed romance was idiotic. The main character's first husband is killed off in a very perfunctory manner simply so the main character could get together with the rival lover interest. Gone with the Wind this is not (as described on the author's webpage, [...]. And then the ending is most unsatisfying - such an abrupt ending, completely unexpected. I hope the main character's train is derailed, and that's the end of her, ha-ha! No need to read more or waste your time with such an amateurish effort. I'm glad I only spent 99 cents for the e-book version.

This book isn't even worth the $0.99 I paid for it. The story jumps from one improbable emotion and situation to the next. There seems to be a few very important events for the story that are introduced and completed in about 1 paragraph, requiring the reader to go back and re-read and say "What?!" and then swiftly move on to a long and drawn out emotional tantrum that is completely insignificant and childish. The errors are distracting. The characters are boring, underdeveloped, and silly. The main character randomly vacillated between "scandalously" flirting with men and feigning ignorance about the basic interactions between men and women. This book is completely unbelievable, which might be excusable if only the story made more sense or made me care more. Save your time, buy a candy bar, and catch a Lifetime movie. This could have been a great historical novel if the history were accurate. It could have been a great romance novel if the emotions and characters made any sense.

Oh man....I rarely write reviews....avoid this book. Its starts out very sad, and the characters are confusing. The love of Tim for his neighbors wife is just disturbing. (Spoiler alerts!!) No family would cast a 17 year old orphan into the world either...nor would a family who lived in the tenements have $600 worth of silver...from there on its just horrid. The only slightly interesting part was the travel across the country from NY to Utah. The meals she supposedly prepared were impossible in that time, given the way way they traveled. It was though 2 people wrote the book, one for the first two thirds and another for the end....the last 50 pages are so filled with bizarre behaviour Im still reeling! Why did Moran "need" the black prostitute?? Was he the one beating her?? Why did Aislynn lose the baby? How did she get back to NY without any money?

The author can write well, but the plotline is like a bad acid trip. Just say no.

Unpredictable novel, that kept me reading, but I was disappointed that the ending wasn't an ending at all. I know there is probably going to be a sequel, but I would have liked a more definite ending.

Totally irritating to end a book so abruptly. There was no indication on the kindle version whether or not there was to be a sequel. Glad I paid only .99 cents for this one

I came on here to write a review but Traveler could have written it for me. I agree with EVERYTHING said in Traveler's review. What a sophomoric story with an implausible heroine and a terrible ending. Thank goodness it was short and only $.99. Gone with the Wind? This couldn't even come close. Very disappointing! If you haven't read Gone with the Wind for some unknown reason, buy that instead of this book; even though it's dated it's got a story that doesn't read like a high school book.

Poorly developed characters. A strange, almost sexual relationship between the little boy Tim and the mother of the principle character, Aislynn. As Aislynn and Tim mature, their relationship is as odd as the one between Tim and Aislynn's mother. Potential lovers or brother-and-sisterlike? Changes come to the characters without warning - one minute Aislynn isn't attracted to a man, flip a page and she can't keep her hands off him. The scene where one of the male characters asks Aislynn to be his mistress will be instantly familiar to anyone who read Gone With the Wind. Plagiarism? I also found the prostitutes of the story always referred to as whores very offensive, as in "The girl's dark skin and coarse hair registered her as a Negro, her dress told Aislynn she was a whore. Aislynn's eyes were drawn to a fresh gash across the whore's neck..." Historically inaccurate - the characters in 1870 are ordering items from a mail order catalog when the first, small, mail order catalog didn't start until 1872 and Aislynn charges .75 for a pastie, an astronomical price for a food item at that time. Don't waste your money - not even on the .99 Kindle edition.

The ending was lame. I don't know why an author would put so much into the book and then just end it abruptly. I see why it was 99 cents.

I couldn't put this novel down - finished it in a day! Far Away Home is a wonderful combination of historical fiction and romance with a western twist. The writing is beautifully smooth and full of historical detail. Set in the 1860s, the story of a young girl trying to make it as an independent woman is timeless. Our heroine, 16-year-old Aislynn Denehy, heads west to find work and reunite with the man she loves. To complicate matters, she is accompanied on the journey by a man who loves her. She encounters the challenges of the time: the danger of disease, attacks by Indians and outlaws, racial and religious prejudice and the poor treatment of women. Each chapter ends with a hook that pulls you through to the next, but it was the love story that captivated me - and kept me guessing. The ending is a perfect opening for a sequel.

From the description on Amazon, this looked like a great book that would follow in the steps of other books on the westward movement. I had hoped for more historical references, too. Quite the contrary, however. The structure and syntax seem more on the level of a (very) young adult book, not one meant for adult readers. Such simple sentences bored me very quickly, and I finally gave up. It isn't even a good fluff book for beach reading.

Nor did the characters seem believable, maybe due to a lack of development by the author. The main character should have even much more mature based on her life experiences as laid out early in the book. Instead, she seemed childish, immature, and completely lacking knowledge of how people (men) behave.

I don't recommend this book if you are accustomed to stories more intricately written. Next time I will get a sample of a book before purchasing it.