Customer Reviews

The Broken Blade

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a teacher and a parent who is always looking for books which are appropriate and interesting to middle grade students. THE BROKEN BLADE is one of those rare titles that I enjoyed just as much as my students did. The 2,400 mile canoe journey of the main character, Pierre, is described in such a way that the reader actually feels he/she is paddling along with the crew. The landscape, the river, the interaction with the Lake Superior Ojibwe, and Pierre's fellow voyageurs, who are a rowdy and a very real bunch, are vividly depicted, and they all help bring this nineteenth century story to life. My students and I have decided that we want to read more about the voyageur period, and the first book on our list is WINTERING, the companion to this story.

Title: The Broken Blade
Author: William Durbin
Pages: 163

"The Broken Blade" is an excellent book based on adventure, courage, and hope. This page turner is about a teenage boy named Pierre who sets out on a treacherous journey and returns a man. Pierre's father has an accident with an ax and chops off his thumb. Without his laziness, Pierre would have had HIS thumb missing. So Pierre has to force himself to live the life of a voyager to raise money for his family. During his trip he meets Indians, bears, death, and suicidal rapids. But overall he met great friends and an inner strength he never knew he had. This book tells of amazing faith and survival, you will never want to put it down! I certainly loved this book and I'm positive you will too.

The title of the book I just read was Broken Blade it was written by William Durbin. It was published in 1999. The setting was on Lake Huron in Canada, around 1800. The main character is Pierre, along with Beloit and La Petite. The important point is that the only reason Pierre is on the river is because his dad cut off his thumb. The one part of the book that I did not expect is that Pierre is only 13 and is very well educated. I would recommend this book because is is fun and had a lot of adventure.

As life-long canoeist and a fan of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, I enjoyed following Pierre's journey as a member of a voyageur brigade. The characters in this book ring true to the spirit of the time, and the well-paced action keeps the story moving from the beginning to the end. I enjoyed both the realism and the theme of affirmation.

This book offers a vivid picture of the voyaguer period. Historically accurate and action-packed, this book should appeal to readers both young and old.

I'm recommending this book to all my friends. I think that this is the best book I have read in a long time. I really liked the fact that it started out so exciting(not like most books) and it continued to keep me very interested. I didnt know that canoening could be so exciting. Anna

I was looking for historical fiction for my 13 year old reluctant reader, and this was a perfect fit. He finds it easy to relate to the main character, and other than when I first gave him the book, has had no complaints before sitting down to read. Two-thirds through the book, he has asked for me to purchase "Wintering", the sequel. As a mom, I appreciate the qualities presented in Pierre, the main character. He has a strong sense of duty and responsibility to his family, he perseveres through physical and emotional trials, and he is clever and appreciates academics. The book is both entertaining and educational, as it presents the realities of the fur trade in 1800. This book is not a difficult read, and yet it is not boring. It would suit a wide range of reading abilities.

Title: The Broken Blade
Author: William Durbin
Pages: 163
The book "The Broken Blade" (taking place in France) was a very well writen, well thought out book. I especially liked how the book exploded into action on the first few pages. On page two Pierre (the main character in this book) is playing around off of his property when he hears commotion at his house. He comes home to find that his father has sliced his thumb clean off while chopping wood with an ax. His father gets medical attention but is unable to work for money. To help his family out financially, Pierre runs off at the age of 13 and signs himself up for the canoe crew of the North West Company to paddle many miles through dangerous rivers. The whole book is action packed with adventure and danger. Pierre found that paddling so far isn't as easy as it looks. His hands get blistered and the rest of his body gets too sore to even move.

Most of the conflict in this book is between Pierre and himself (debating whether or not he's going to make it) and Pierre and a devil of a man named Jean Beloit who was always making crude jokes.

The book ends when the crew finishes thier trip and heads home. When they make it back Pierre is 14 and all grown up, no longer a mere school boy but now a man, a voyageur.

The only thing I didn't like about The Broken Blade was in one scene when the brigade was heading down hill in the rapids and Pierres'canoe gets stuck at the end and another canoe is headed right for them. Pierres' Friend, La Londe, saves them but... well I won't spoil it for you!

This is a terrific book which combines rapid action and adventure with solid historical research. You acutally feel like you're paddling along with the voyageurs as they are shooting rapids, fighting storms, and trading with the Ojibwa Indidans. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to take a trip into a vital and exciting period of our history.

I like story's about canoes and hiking. This book was great. It showed me what the real adventurers had to go through. Wow think of all the time it would have taken Pierre to paddle if he would have counted the strokes the whole way. Sounds like an adventure i would like to take someday. thanks Mr. Durbin for a greaaat book! Jamie