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The Journey
Follows two women across the Canadian wilderness in the late 1800s, bringing to life an honest history, Chinese laborers and Indians on the frontier.
307 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
4 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
Anne Cameron
62 books50 followersBarbara Anne Cameron (born August 20, 1938 in Nanaimo, British Columbia) is a Canadian novelist, poet, screenwriter and short story writer.
Cameron legally changed her name from her birth name, Barbara Cameron, to Cam Hubert and later changed her name from Cam Hubert to Anne Cameron. She has written under these names.
Much of her work is inspired by Northwest Coast First Nations' mythology and culture.
An out lesbian, Cameron lives in Tahsis, British Columbia. She has previously lived in Powell River and has spent most of her life on Vancouver Island.
(from Wikipedia)
Cameron legally changed her name from her birth name, Barbara Cameron, to Cam Hubert and later changed her name from Cam Hubert to Anne Cameron. She has written under these names.
Much of her work is inspired by Northwest Coast First Nations' mythology and culture.
An out lesbian, Cameron lives in Tahsis, British Columbia. She has previously lived in Powell River and has spent most of her life on Vancouver Island.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 11, 2009
This is the story of Anne and Sarah (and eventually Ruth), who travel through Canada in the mid to late 1800's from a dusty prairie town to the lush, wet shores of the Pacific.
It is a fairly mainstream depiction of the trials and tribulations of the westward migration around that time, but told from a feminist perspective. The main characters are hard working women who make their own way through life without needing men to rescue them.
Cameron also weaves in other bits of history, like the plight of the Chinese who were worked to death building the railroads, and the racism towards the native people and those of African descent. There is some violence, but for the most part it is over quickly and is neither gratuitous nor unnecessary. (The same is true with the sex, only it's even more rare and mostly implied.) Some of the dialogue is a bit modern sounding, but none of it is hokey or strained.
If you like historical fiction, especially Oregon Trail era books, and you also like lesbians (or at least implied lesbianism), this is a yummy comfort novel that you can come back to again and again.
It is a shame this book is out of print - it's really a timeless classic of a feminist western. I stumbled upon it in a used bookstore and bought it not knowing that it had lesbian themes running all through it, or anything else about it. I think it was destiny, because I love this book and have read it more times than I can count.
It is a fairly mainstream depiction of the trials and tribulations of the westward migration around that time, but told from a feminist perspective. The main characters are hard working women who make their own way through life without needing men to rescue them.
Cameron also weaves in other bits of history, like the plight of the Chinese who were worked to death building the railroads, and the racism towards the native people and those of African descent. There is some violence, but for the most part it is over quickly and is neither gratuitous nor unnecessary. (The same is true with the sex, only it's even more rare and mostly implied.) Some of the dialogue is a bit modern sounding, but none of it is hokey or strained.
If you like historical fiction, especially Oregon Trail era books, and you also like lesbians (or at least implied lesbianism), this is a yummy comfort novel that you can come back to again and again.
It is a shame this book is out of print - it's really a timeless classic of a feminist western. I stumbled upon it in a used bookstore and bought it not knowing that it had lesbian themes running all through it, or anything else about it. I think it was destiny, because I love this book and have read it more times than I can count.
January 10, 2013
I love both Anne Cameron and historical fiction, so this one was a winner.
It combines typical Cameron themes with 19th century Western Canadian history. It pays attention to often marginalized groups like the Chinese who built the railroads, and the people who were here first.
Most of Anne Cameron's novels have a similar theme: scrappy gal survives abusive circumstances by sheer pluck, hard work and ignoring gender roles. Scrappy gal finds love, often but not always with with other scrappy gal. Scrappy gal acquires child or children somehow. Rape or just picking up strays are some of the ways. Supportive friendships are forged with other people who live on the edge. Men are optional and frequently abusive, though there are some good ones. Scrappy family finds happiness on the land on the B.C. coast or Vancouver Island.
If this sounds flippant it is not meant to disparage the works. Any book by Anne Cameron will make you feel better for having read it. Social injustice is a big theme in her work, but Anne is impatient with whiners and with political correctness. Her characters make their way in the world because they are strong and resilient and won't take no for an answer. The world would be a better place with more Anne Cameron characters in it.
It combines typical Cameron themes with 19th century Western Canadian history. It pays attention to often marginalized groups like the Chinese who built the railroads, and the people who were here first.
Most of Anne Cameron's novels have a similar theme: scrappy gal survives abusive circumstances by sheer pluck, hard work and ignoring gender roles. Scrappy gal finds love, often but not always with with other scrappy gal. Scrappy gal acquires child or children somehow. Rape or just picking up strays are some of the ways. Supportive friendships are forged with other people who live on the edge. Men are optional and frequently abusive, though there are some good ones. Scrappy family finds happiness on the land on the B.C. coast or Vancouver Island.
If this sounds flippant it is not meant to disparage the works. Any book by Anne Cameron will make you feel better for having read it. Social injustice is a big theme in her work, but Anne is impatient with whiners and with political correctness. Her characters make their way in the world because they are strong and resilient and won't take no for an answer. The world would be a better place with more Anne Cameron characters in it.
March 28, 2018
I loved reading this book. I love reading historical novels, especially in the 1800's +/- with strong women characters. This was about Anne, a 14-year old and running from the beatings of her uncle who is always drunk and abusive. Then there is Sarah and she is running away from weird men who are vigilantes who strung up her lover and weren't so nice to her either. How these two women met is interesting and how they help each other cross through the West is just inspiring. Women rule!
January 24, 2021
I read this coming of age novel set in the 19th century West for a book club. It had a happy ending after a bunch of various crises (barroom brawls, tarring and feathering, bad weather, a wagon train, and even camels). The club zeroed in on the fact that this was a 1980s book when books with/about lesbians were pretty scarce.
September 24, 2018
I loved this story!!!
Thank you Anne Cameron for yet another glorious read!!
Thank you Anne Cameron for yet another glorious read!!
May 30, 2015
I feel conflicted about how to rate this book. Although I absolutely loved the majority of it and squealed when Anne and Sarah finally admitted their love for each other, I very much disliked the rape scenes. The use of rape as a plot device or some kind of homophobic explanation for a villain's actions is disgusting. It's not that I don't think rape should never be written about, but when an author sprinkles it in for some shock factor I just feel disgusted. I also felt that the ending was very abrupt.
Despite all that, when it was good it was SO good!
Despite all that, when it was good it was SO good!
October 16, 2011
Not enough stories about strong women from the 1800's. We know they existed and Sarah and Ann were proof of that. This story showed how difficult it was and how they perservered and friendship and love blossomed from it. I enjoyed it on many levels. There is a good dose of adventure, some action, love and humor.
May 21, 2012
my favorite book.
I read this book every year. I have two copies because the first one is in three pieces from being over read, I can't bare to throw it out. I love this book. I love Anne and Sarah.
I read this book every year. I have two copies because the first one is in three pieces from being over read, I can't bare to throw it out. I love this book. I love Anne and Sarah.
July 27, 2011
Loved it!
March 24, 2016
I loved this book! Some of it reads like a lesbian pioneer woman's fantasy...I'd never read anything quite like it. :)
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews