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There are currently 23 member reviews
for Follow the Stars Home
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Gaye R. (Coupeville, WA)
Unknown History Revealed
The best part of this book was that the story introduces the reader to Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt, a courageous adventurer. Lydia, who along with her husband, Nicholas Roosevelt, their infant son and toddler daughter, navigated the waters of the mighty Mississippi River in the first steamboat to travel from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. Leaving in the autumn of 1811, the reader is introduced to more "characters" such the Great Comet of 1811 and the New Madrid Earthquake. I'm often troubled about the "hidden" contributions women have made to society and yet appreciative to discover the strength of these women in our history.
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Lynn D. (Kingston, NY)
Historic 1811 River Trip
This is a well researched story of a little known, but important, event in American history. In 1811, a very pregnant Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt, joins her husband, Nicholas Roosevelt on the first steamboat trip down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. Many details are very interesting, such as childbirth conditions, the descriptions of the boat and the navigation challenges. The impact of the massive earthquake they experienced was told in an exciting way. However, the parts concerning Lydia's family life tend to be repetitive and did not bring these characters to life enough for me. Overall, a good story.
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Donna M. (Kennesaw, GA)
Follow the Stars Home
A welcome trend in historical fiction is to present little-known figures who play significant roles in history. Development of the steam engine included women such as as Lydia Roosevelt, daughter of an architect and married to Nicholas Roosevelt, a man very much her senior. She shared the work with her husband on an experimental journey on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.
This book is offered as a re-imagined story of their most important voyage. By re-imagining Lydia, the book creates a character dedicated to the work and her family and a determined colleague to her husband. It is written almost as a diary, detailing daily problems and solutions.
The novel contains an interesting story, but the repetition of affectionate displays between the husband and wife quickly became a bit tiresome. It is true that Lydia Roosevelt began the voyage while eight months pregnant and with a young daughter as well and faced many challenges. While the voyage, its successes and difficulties provided the core of the story, the daily family life and the affection continually expressed were very prominent and without much emotional depth.
I would recommend this book for general readers who would like to learn about a little-known part of history but also remind readers that it is a re-imagining of the character and not a biographical retelling.
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Molly A. (Pryor, OK)
"Follow the Stars" Is a So-So Read
In Diane C. McPhail's latest book, "Follow the Stars Home," the reader is introduced to an enterprising young family attempting to travel the Mississippi River on one of the first ever steam paddleboats. The story is narrated by Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt, the matriarch, as the family begins their travel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a planned destination of New Orleans, Louisiana.
"Follow the Stars" starts out a bit slow, and Lydia spends a fair portion of her narration bemoaning her father's disapproval of her marriage to her much-older husband, Nicholas. She is also eight months pregnant and mother to a toddler, Rosetta. However, the adventures they encounter along the way keep the story moving and provide intrigue to the reader. I was particularly fascinated their travel over the falls in Ohio, and by the earthquakes in 1811-1812 that devastated the lower Mississippi region, especially the town of New Madrid (now Missouri).
Overall, it was a good read, but the story would benefit from less repetition and more spice. The major historical events that took place were somewhat over-shadowed by Lydia's insecurities and self-indulgence in her controversial marriage.
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Cindy C. (Withee, WI)
Lots of potential but a disappointing read
I wanted to read this book because I had recently read a non-fiction book where Benjamin Latrobe was mentioned and the narrator of this book is his daughter. The book taking place during the New Madrid earthquake was interesting and had potential to be more so. I also found the author's notes and questions at the end of the book to be interesting. As to the story itself, I may have enjoyed it more with a third person narrator. Lydia is referred to as intrepid, but often times I found her to be fearful and a whiner. This story had so much potential and I found it to be an okay read, but nothing exceptional.
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Gwen C. (Clearfield, PA)
Follow the Stars Home
How could a book that had a historic river adventure on an inaugural steam & paddle boat including dangerous waterfalls, birth, continuing earthquakes, a fire, river geysers, Indians and needy people turned away be tedious? I blame narrator Lydia with her mind flitting around concerns for her father's approval of her husband Nicholas, her children's wellbeing, her mother's death, etc. Daughter Rosetta's every move bored me. I think a good rewrite would make a much better book…or even a movie
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Julie P. (Spring Lake, MI)
Follow the Stars Home
I love historical fiction, and this was a topic about which I knew little - the first steamboat on the MIssissippi River, how it came to be, and the story of its first journey, but this novel failed to engage me for some reason. Maybe it was the writing, which seemed overly descriptive, particularly about Lydia's marriage, her love for her husband, their age difference, and her children. None of this added to the story, but rather made it seem to plod along. McPhail included some interesting facts and anecdotes, especially towards the end when the earthquake occurred, and they were maneuvering through unknown, destroyed territory. I appreciated the fact that Lydia was an intelligent, independent young woman who seemed determined to be a part of her husband's contributions. Overall, an interesting topic, but could have been more engaging.
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