Customer Comments

Ive been wanting to watch this movie but must read book first. Loving all the top-notch reviews. Guess I'll break down and buy the book.

Would love to own this book! PCT is a Bucketlist place for me. Bet this book has beautiful pics.

I finished this book with a sense of satisfaction and a deeper understanding of what women had to endure and suffer in the late 1800's, early 1900's. The Daughter's Walk was fascinating and I was absolutely stunned to learn of the journey that mother and daughter took. 3500 miles!! (We complain about a 3-mile walk in the neighborhood.) The story that continued after the infamous walk is the author's view on what may have happened to Clara, the daughter, after they returned to Washington. Jane Kirkpatrick did extensive research that led her to tell the story as she did. Kirkpatrick was assisted in her research by members of the Estby family and various documents and city records. I am inclined to believe that Kirkpatrick must have gotten some of it right. If not, it still made for an exceptional story. Well done. The Daughter's Walk is based on the true story and 3,500-mile historical walk of Helga Estby and her eighteen year old daughter, Clara, that began in May of 1896. The fashion industry offered a wager to Helga Estby to walk from Spokane, Washington, to New York City within seven months in an effort to earn ten thousand dollars and save the family farm that was in foreclosure. The women were asked to wear the new reform dresses, to show that women were strong and just as sturdy as men and could accomplish anything in such attire. Their expected arrival was to be December 13th, with exceptions and extensions for illnesses. Along the way, the women could accept food and lodging but not ask or beg for it. There were many supporters en route but there were those that scoffed at the women's dresses and considered them vulgar and obscene for their fashion notion and traveling unescorted. Helga Estby was a supporter of women suffragettes and never believed that the journey could be unsuccessful. After a year away from the farm, mother and daughter return home to heartbreaking, tragic circumstances that will devastate relations and split a family apart. Clara chooses to walk away from her family and must find her own way in the world. It is a story of strength, utter sadness, unlikely friendships, and a woman's ability to succeed against all odds and provide for herself. Yet, Clara proves to be a woman that cannot succeed without the strength and support of the family ties that bind us all. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it will be a story that I will always remember. A story of incredible will and courage. The Daughter's Walk changed lives of mother and daughter forever.

What an amazing read this was! I loved every minute of this book and I do wish Maryka Biaggio had more to offer. Parlor Games was just, well, it was YUMMY!! I started reading it and I just couldn't get enough. When it ended,(and I HATED that it ended!) Biaggio has written a juicy fictional account based on the real May Dugas de Pallandt van Eerde, the Baroness, that was a page turner for me. I couldn't wait to learn what May was up to next...and May was certainly up to A LOT. I have chosen to keep this review short and simple, if only to prevent me from gushing an essay. May Dugas is a young woman wanting more than her small Michigan town has to offer. May adores luxury and sets out to find those riches in Chicago. Why and how May gets to Chicago had me raising my eyebrow. Let's just say that May Dugas reminds me of that clever, conniving vixen, Scarlett O'Hara. May has a certain way about doing things and it is mostly for her own selfish gains. However, May's questionable ingenuity did not endear her less to me. She has her faults, one being a fugitive from justice, but I still wanted her to come out on top. After all, May wasn't completely heartless. When she loved, she loved deeply and she did have her generous moments. Regardless, May is a very likeable character and her escapades take her around the world and back again, traveling in style and hobnobbing with the very best, all the while being hunted by a relentless Pinkerton across three continents. As I said, May had a certain way about doing things and some of those things were very questionable. Parlor Games is just the right mix of love, intrigue, betrayal, extortion, blackmail, and adventure and it has absolutely found it's way to my "all-time favorites" list. I loved it!!