One More River to Cross

Author: Jane Kirkpatrick
​Genre: Historical Fiction

Adversity can squelch the human spirit . . . or it can help us discover strength we never knew we had.

In 1844, two years before the Donner Party, the Stephens-Murphy-Townsend company leaves Missouri to be the first wagons into California through the Sierra Nevada. They enjoy a safe journey--until October, when a fierce mountain snowstorm forces difficult decisions.

The party separates in three directions. Some go overland around Lake Tahoe. Others stay to guard the heaviest wagons. The rest of the party, including eight women and seventeen children, huddle in a makeshift cabin at the headwaters of the Yuba River awaiting rescue. The months ahead will be long and at times terrifying. But with friendship, family, and enough courage to overcome their fear, these intrepid pioneers will discover what truly matters in times of trial.

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Reviewer: Tiffany Crosby

Until I read this book, I was unaware of this captivating snippet of American history. I had heard about the Donner Party (who hasn’t) but hadn’t heard of their predecessors who had also set out for the west as pioneers.

The different personalities of each member of the traveling party emerge quickly. I could feel the weight of the decisions that had to be made and the enormity of the risks taken in pursuit of a better life. The harsh realities of life in the 1840s is exposed through the personal stories of each individual and through the recounting of the daily tasks required just to survive. Each person is tested along the way as they try to forge an identity amidst the uncertainty of life in unknown territory. The women are especially challenged to break free from the bondage they’ve lived under pursuant to the cultural norms of their day. As afflictions mount and the necessities of life become harder to come by, you see people’s inner character start to emerge. You see fortitude and resiliency and courage nourished by faith overcome fear. You see how important it is to maintain hope and a sense of purpose to sustain the spirit. You heart melts as love starts to heal wounds of bitterness and anger and life lived together in difficult circumstances breaks down barriers and builds bonds. You almost feel like you’re eavesdropping as intimate stories are shared and life-altering memories are created.

You become so invested in the characters that you want a positive ending. You begin to feel disappointment as one trial follows another. As is often the case, the dream that propelled them forward and sustained them through many difficulties did not match the reality they would encounter once they arrived at their destination. The shattered illusion would become yet another trial they would have to face, and they would face it as they’ve faced everything else – together as a family. And you will cheer while wondering if just possibly they’re could’ve been another way for them to reach that outcome.

If you want a book that will draw you into an obscure piece of American history and leave you wanting to know more about this time period this is it. 

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group, Revell Division.

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Reviewer: Abigail Thomas

“They had gotten on a craft called faith and pushed out on the river. Sometimes the stream flowed calm and restful and sometimes it meandered and swirled the craft about. But it always took them to where they needed to go.”

I would say that Jane Kirkpatrick neatly sums up her book, One More River to Cross, in the quote above. Traveling cross-country in a wagon train, the Stephens-Murphy-Townsend party learned that living on faith is a powerful thing. Faith is what got them through winter snows in an unknown territory, when food was sparse but bellies needed to be fed. At times it was all they could really feed on.

In the beginning of the book, the party starts out together, already on their journey, and you are given a small glimpse into the lives of those who travel. As the story continues, the group begins to break off into smaller ones, choices needing to be made, families and friends split. Their journey becomes one of survival.

Jane Kirkpatrick does a wonderful job showing the struggles these characters go through and how their faith is tested. When some begin to lose hope, there’s always someone else to press them forward, urging them on. Fear is evident; fear of loss, of death. Questions are raised, choices questioned. Did they do the right thing by splitting off? Did they go the right way? Should they have even made this journey?

Faith, in the end, wins.

The author walks you through the journey right beside her characters, and though there are many to keep straight, I found it easier to remember who was who as I traveled along with them, though at times I did have to remind myself before continuing on. The map and the list of groups with who is in which, were very helpful as I became acquainted with this story, and I found myself revisiting them, the map especially.

If you’re looking for a novel that shares a piece of our history, one that is filled with strong women, family struggles, community, hope, trust, and faith, then this is a read I would definitely recommend.

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group, Revell Division.

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