Helpful Score: 7
This book absolutely blew me away. It's one of the best historical novels I've ever read. Told in well-researched and sometimes excruciating detail, it chronicles the incredible journey of Mary Ingles over almost 1000 miles of uncharted wilderness back to her family after being kidnapped by Shawnee Indians. The writing is superb and puts you right in the middle of the action. You'll feel as if you are stumbling along with Mary as she climbs mountains, scales cliffs and endures freezing temperatures with only one blanket to fend off the cold.
I cannot reccommend this book highly enough.
I cannot reccommend this book highly enough.
Helpful Score: 6
This is an unbelievable story. It makes you really think about what a person can endure. Thom is a great storyteller. You are engrossed, you feel like you're part of the story. I could hardly put this book down and I've read it several times over. The other Thom books I have read are the same.
Helpful Score: 6
Based on the true account of the odeal of Mary Ingles after being kidnapped by Indians and her miraculous escape. After suffering unspeakable horror she manages to escape only to begin another battle to find her way home. Couldn't put it down!
Helpful Score: 3
This is my all time favorite book. I have never read a book twice, except for this book and I have read it three times over about a period of 10 years.
Helpful Score: 3
5 star. Woman gets kidnapped by Indians, pre revolution war. She escapes, follows the river home with friend.
Helpful Score: 3
This book is based on an actual woman who was kidnapped by indians and taken to live with them. The rest is the author's imagination about what happened. The story kept me on the edge of my seat and was hard to put down. This would be a book on my top 10 list. I recommended this book for my reading group and they loved it.
Helpful Score: 3
Mesmerizing story of capture and return journey of pregnant woman in 1775.
Helpful Score: 3
This is one of my favorite books! He's an excellent writer and the historical background and story are intriguing! Hard to put down!
Helpful Score: 2
I read this book years ago and recently read it over. I enjoyed it as much the second time, especially after visiting the Mary Ingles memorial site in Virginia. If you enjoy American western history this is a really good book about a very amazing woman.
Helpful Score: 1
Just finished reading this book. Wow! Could not put it down. This was the most intense story I've read in a long time. Can't wait to read more from this writer.
Helpful Score: 1
Absolutely a great book! Mary Ingles really is quite the character! This is a must read book.
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent book. I just could not put it down. One of the best I have ever read. Very well detailed, you are on the journey with Laura.
Helpful Score: 1
Loved it, what an amazing story of perseverance
Helpful Score: 1
This is the greatest story. My friend staci sent it to me and said I would enjoy it. so it sat around for a week or so and when I started it I couldn't down. You are really with her when she is following the river. After reading this book it lead to me reading all of James Alexander Thom's books and I enjoy the fact that he puts a little bit of real history in all his books.
Helpful Score: 1
The best book I have ever read. I could not read another book for 4 months after this one. I wanted to hold it close in my head and I didn't want to let it go. You can actually travel the trail that she did. Look her up. Loaned my first copy to a friend, who loaned it to another friend and I never got it back. Thank goodness I found a copy at Goodwill. Sorry plan on keeping it. DO NOT watch the Hallmark movie of this. Totally messes up the book. But isn't that how all book to movies do?
Helpful Score: 1
This author does such an incredible job of researching the areas he writes of. I was absolutely worn out after reading this book. We are such sissies compared to the women in this book and of this time.
Helpful Score: 1
I disagree with the YA category, it is a great book for everyone. One of the most memorable books I have ever read. Some scenes will stay with you forever.
Helpful Score: 1
This book is unforgettable. I have read it several times.
Helpful Score: 1
Hard to believe this harrowing story of escape from Indian captivity is based on a true story. Amazing!
Helpful Score: 1
Very good book.Could hardly believe it was real..
Helpful Score: 1
An excellent historical novel based on a true story. Much, much better than the made-for-TV movie.
Helpful Score: 1
This like all of Alexander Thom books was amazing in detail.. such detail. Reading this story I felt like I was there experiencing Mary Ingals trials and tribulations. Strong woman was putting it mildly. The complete loss she suffered yet the decisions she was forced to make showed how strong she was. Even when Gretchen lost her mind and was stalking Mary to eat her, Mary kept above the madness and still tried to get them both to safety again.The fact that Mary made it back to civilization after freezing, starving and against all odds she stayed focused. This story showed her determination to survive. This is definitely a story to pass on for others to enjoy.
Helpful Score: 1
Geat read! Novel based on true ordeal of Mary Ingles.
Helpful Score: 1
woman of courage, for months she was held captive by the indians, she was able to get away and had to walk a thousand miles to return to her own people. set in 1755
Helpful Score: 1
This book is an excellent read. I thoroughly enjoyed it - couldn't put it down - and have already recommended it to others. They tell me the same and are recommending it to their friends, as well. The author truly captured the pioneer spirit of this woman and how God helped her to endure all she went through.
Helpful Score: 1
AWESOME! This book kept me riveted! Due to my historical training, I immediately had to know more about this woman because of the writer's detail and authenticity. I am now on the hunt for more of this author's books. I would highly recommend this book to anyone!
This is the second time I have read this book, the first time 15 year ago. It is a very moving story of the survival of Mary Ingles escaping from the Shawnees and making her way back to her husband and civilization.
A good book to read.
My friend, who is a retired history teacher, recommended this book. It tells the true story of a frontier woman's escape and amazing journey home after she is kidnapped by Shawnee Indians. The author went to great lengths to capture as many factual details as he could of her journey, even following her route himself. I was riveted from the very beginning and couldn't put it down, reading most of it in one sitting.
The information in this book made for a page-turner, but I didn't really care for the style of the writing. Even though it is a historical novel, it is based on a woman's real adventures, and her perseverance through great trauma haunts me still.
This book is a great book; I loved it and would recommend it to anyone who loves history and the relations with the native peoples. After the indians maccacred most of her family she was kidnapped along with her 2 small boys, and she was ready to deliver a new babe herself. The horrors she endured in captivity and to get back to her husband were absolutely unbelievable. You will never believe the incredible courage, endurance and fortitude it took her to get back by following the rivers back to her home. She almost dies many times. I love James Thom; his books are so well written and throughly researched. "Long Knife" was another of my favorites. There's no way I'm passing it on to anyone but my family and friends.
One of the best books I have ever read ! I read it eight or nine years ago and I loved it ... I just re-read it with my book club and it was even better the second time . It is hard to believe that someone could survive a journey like that. The will to live is incredibly strong and Mary Ingles was an amazing woman. I would highly recommend this book.
A good book... wel written. A bit bloody. The men were portrayed as a bit chauvinistic which is probably correct for the time period. My book group found it hard to believe that people could survive that experience. You can tell we're a bunch of SOFT women!
Set in the mid 1700's, the fictionalized tale of Mary Draper Ingles capture and escape from Indians is an enjoyable read for a glimpse into what life was like in, what was then, the "frontier west." The author fictionalized a true story but he carefully researched the area west of the Appalachians.
Very interesting book.
I felt this was a brilliant book! I rarely read a book start to finish in one day, but this book was such a page turner I couldn't put it down. I certainly look forward to reading more from this author.
Incredible story based on fact. It started out very fast and interesting, but began to drag from the middle to the end of the book. Still a good historical based read.
What a powerful and painful story of the human spirit and the choices one must make to survive. Even though Mary Ingles survived her ordeal I find myself heartbroken by the choices she had to make. This book will haunt me.
Good read of incredible courage!
This is a wonderful story of a woman's strength and determination. For me the first chapter was very hard emotionally to get past but it is a very worth while book to read. James Alexander Thom is one of my favorite authors. He does a truly nice job of writting these true stories for us to enjoy.
5 star rating
Loved this book. Find it very interesting since it takes place in the Allegheny mountains where we live.
Loved this book. Find it very interesting since it takes place in the Allegheny mountains where we live.
Tremendous story, a real page turner, and knowing it is a true story makes it so compeling.
Follow the River is a nail biting re-telling of the true story of Mary Ingles. This young, 23 year-d mother was captured by Shawnee Indians during French and Indian war times. This is the account of her capture, escape, and long journey home through hundreds of men's of Appalachian wilderness. I found it to be well-written and carefully paced to keep the pages turning. It's a story that will be of special interest to readers with some personal interest in that particular geographical setting.
A novel based on the true ordeal of Mary Ingles not to mention a national bestseller.
"An extraordinary testimony to the indomitable strength of one pioneer woman who risked her life to return to her own people."
- From back cover
"An extraordinary testimony to the indomitable strength of one pioneer woman who risked her life to return to her own people."
- From back cover
Book Description
Mary Ingles was twenty-three, married, and pregnant, when Shawnee Indians invaded her peaceful Virginia settlement, killed the men and women, then took her captive. For months, she lived with them, unbroken, until she escaped, and followed a thousand mile trail to freedom--an extraordinary story of a pioneer woman who risked her life to return to her people.
Inside Flap Copy
Mary Ingles was twenty-three, married, and pregnant, when Shawnee Indians invaded her peaceful Virginia settlement, killed the men and women, then took her captive. For months, she lived with them, unbroken, until she escaped, and followed a thousand mile trail to freedom--an extraordinary story of a pioneer woman who risked her life to return to her people.
Mary Ingles was twenty-three, married, and pregnant, when Shawnee Indians invaded her peaceful Virginia settlement, killed the men and women, then took her captive. For months, she lived with them, unbroken, until she escaped, and followed a thousand mile trail to freedom--an extraordinary story of a pioneer woman who risked her life to return to her people.
Inside Flap Copy
Mary Ingles was twenty-three, married, and pregnant, when Shawnee Indians invaded her peaceful Virginia settlement, killed the men and women, then took her captive. For months, she lived with them, unbroken, until she escaped, and followed a thousand mile trail to freedom--an extraordinary story of a pioneer woman who risked her life to return to her people.
Mary Ingles was twenty-three, married, and pregnant, when Shawnee Indians invaded her peaceful Virginia settlement, killed the men and women, then took her captive. For months, she lived with them, unbroken, until she escaped, and followed a thousand mile trail to freedom--an extraordinary story of a pioneer woman who risked her life to return to her people.
Mary Ingles was twenty-three, happily married, and pregnant with her third child when Shawnee Indians invaded her peaceful Virginia settlement in 1755 and kidnapped her. For months, they held her captive. But nothing could imprison her spirit. With the rushing Ohio River as her guide, Mary Ingles walked one thousand miles through an untamed wilderness no white woman had ever seen. Her story lives on--extraordinary testimony to the indomitable strength of one pioneer woman who risked her life to return to her own people.
This was a great read excellent!!!!
I've been a voracious reader for 50 years. This is one of my favorites of all time. I read it as a young mother and have reread it often.Very moving and thought-provoking story.Dont think I'd have been as brave under the circumstances.Excellent book for teen-agers, too.
Awesome book! very riveting.
I recommend this book to anyone
Great read, real page turner.
This book is based on the true story of Mary Draper Ingles, a 23-year-old wife and mother living in Western Virginia. While her husband was out hunting one day in 1755, Mary's village was attacked by Shawnee Indians. She, along with her two young sons and sister-in-law, was captured and taken to a Shawnee village northwest of their home. After 2 1/2 months she managed to escape. She, along with a German woman who'd also been taken captive, followed the New River to reach Mary's home. Traveling by foot for 40 days, they covered a distance of as many as 800 miles, barely surviving near starvation and hypothermia.
Author James Thom researched this story carefully and offers a vivid picture of Mary's courage and perseverance in the face of unimaginable odds. This true story is amazing, and Thom does an excellent job bringing it to life.
Author James Thom researched this story carefully and offers a vivid picture of Mary's courage and perseverance in the face of unimaginable odds. This true story is amazing, and Thom does an excellent job bringing it to life.
I read this book years ago, long before there was a movie about this true life experience that one very brave yet scared and determined woman decided to embark on in order to get home where she felt her life was instead of the life she was forced into living by her captors.
While I enjoyed the movie it was not as good as the book, which is the way it usually seems to be.
While I enjoyed the movie it was not as good as the book, which is the way it usually seems to be.
Very good story.
I can't believe that so many people rave about this book. I found it to be tediously painful to read. Trudge, trudge, trudge; bad thing happens. Trudge, trudge, trudge; bad thing happens. I admit that it took tremendous strength and courage to live through all that happened. It just was all so depressing. Thom's writing is cliche strewn and his Native Americans are portrayed as if they are straight out of a 50's western. I read this book because it was recommended by several relatives. I bought a few Thom books, read this one and got rid of all the others because I thought this was so poorly written.
I have owned this book for over 15 years. I love it! I would greatly recommend it.
Excellent book. Loved it.
