This Tender Land is a novel written by William Kent Kruege and was first published by Atria Books on 1 December 2019. The book was preceded by Ordinary Grace, which was the recipient of the 2014 Edgar Award for Best Novel.
The book follows the journey of four orphans as they try to navigate themselves across the US during the Great Depression. Odie, the main protagonist, leads a group of four as they attempt to find and be reunited with their long-lost Aunt Julia. However, along the way, they make many discoveries and self-realizations, which helps them to learn more about who they are.
This novel was extremely well-received, with the Washington Post stating that it was "Krueger's elegy for innocence is a deeply memorable tale." The New York Journal of Books also called it a "Long, sprawling, and utterly captivating, readers will eat up every delicious word of it."
