Into the Free by Julie Cantrell

Into the Free Reviews

• 
  Michelle

  Into the Free was an intense story, but I loved it and was pulled into the story and the characters' lives. The portrayal of their hardship was very realistic in that many abused children feel exactly the same way that Millie did. I appreciated that because so often people don't understand that abused children get a bit freaked out by loving families.
  
  Having worked with foster children for almost two decades, I saw this scenario often. Those same children are also very loyal to their own families, twisted as they might be. They are always waiting for the other ball to drop and to be hurt again. Too often that is exactly what happens. And they are drawn to the dark, dangerous types of boys. Many of those men start out amazing but once a girl is in a relationship with them, they are trapped. I felt really bad for the gypsy boy, River, because I do believe he sincerely loved Millie, but one never knows where that intense emotional stuff will lead, good or bad. In fact, her life often reflected the savagery of the dog that ate her own pups. I loved that metaphor and many of the other metaphors used in the story.
  
  At any rate, I adored this author's voice, and the way she wasn't afraid to show the ugliness of life in all of it's authenticity, including how people perceive things who have been wounded. Faith isn't about dressing up on Sunday and sitting nicely in a pew. Not all Christians are white, though southern preachers in those days very well may have tried to present it that way. I agreed with Millie when it came to the hypocrisy she saw. I don't think God cares about that. What He wants is our hearts and He will use everything and anything to bring us to Him. This story showed that well.
  
  Into the Free also showed strength and determination from a girl only used to seeing passivity, weakness, and neglect. Unfortunately, many women think they must stay and bear the brunt of the man's abuse. The strongest thing Millie's mom ever did was not to take him back after that last time where he nearly killed her. I understood the rage Millie felt toward her mom's depression. So well done!
  
  The Sloth character was great, but I also found it a bit disconcerting how she "saw" him even after she died. Then again, I can see a wounded child like Millie looking for comfort and security anywhere, even if she imagines it and believes it is real. When Sloth passed, she lost her best friend and the one person who seemed to care about her. The story was sad, but empowering at the same time. I like deep reads like this because they make me think about life, faith, and real love.
  
  I find survivor stories empowering. I didn't feel like anything was over-the-top. In real life, God doesn't always intervene. Most of the time, He doesn't. But He holds us when we hurt and carries us through. This story shows how anyone can survive and change the direction of their life. Even the most wounded people can still find God. There were many nuggets of truth in this novel that were an integral part of Millie's coming of age and her faith journey. I can see this book as a classic and I think it would make a great movie! Anyway, it's making my favorites list. It's fantastic!
• 
  Lisa

  A dramatically entertaining and hopeful story of a young girl who must grow up way to fast.
  
  SUMMARY
  Millie Reynold’s longs to escape the madness that incorporates her world. Her father is abusive, and her “nothing” mother just struggles to survive. When a caravan of gypsies dance through town, Millie 16, would love nothing more than to run away with them. Millie knows she cannot abandon her mama. Instead the gypsies leave Millie with a key which unlocks generations of family secrets. When tragedy after tragedy strikes her family, Millie must find the strength to overcome her family history and figure out who she really is and what she wants. Can Millie forgive and make her way into the free?
  
  “Oh, dear child. You’ve got a lot to learn about marriage. Any fool can choose the boy who sends her heart into a flurry. But there’s a big deep divide between desire and devotion. You better not choose the boy who makes you dizzy. No ma’am. You have to choose the one who is steady. Stable. Safe. Choose the one who loves you, through and through, for who you really are. The one who wouldn’t change a single thing about you even if he could.”
  
  
  REVIEW
  Millie’s favorite place high in the branches of a sweet gum tree. It serves as Millie’s lookout, so she can see beyond the misery of the shack that sits below her. The shack has leaky roof, a rickety porch and her mother who rarely gets out of bed. So Millie takes care of her, she has taken care of her for just about forever. As Millie watches a train go by in the distance she wonders what it feels like to be free.
  
  INTO THE FREE is beautifully written with vivid descriptions of rural Mississippi in 1936. You’re going to have to hold on tight once you start this book, because it will be difficult to put down. JULIE CANTRELL has woven an intense and gut wrenching tale of a young girl who must grow up much to fast when tragedy after tragedy befalls her family.
  
  The cast of characters are intriguing, and I particularly liked Sloth, Millie’s elderly neighbor, and Mabel, a maid that works in town. The story is about loving people for who they are and forgiving them for who they are not. I enjoyed learning more about gypsies and appreciated the research Cantrell did for that part of the story. INTO THE FREE is the first book of a two book series, the second book is When Mountains Move (2013). You are definitely going to want to read both. I do!
  
  Three words for this book...Dramatic, entertaining and hopeful.
  
  “Ain’t nothing more important than loving your mama. Even if you can’t understand her. Love her. That’s all you gotta do.”
  
  “When it rains Gods be wantin’ us to sit still and take notice.”
  
  Publisher David C. Cook
  Published February 1, 2012
  Review
  www.bluestockingreviews.com
• 
  L.N. Cronk

  Julie Cantrell is a very gifted writer. I was very engaged in the storyline and felt connected to the main character until the very end of the story. As I was reading the majority of the novel, I anticipated that I would be giving the novel five stars - it was really, really good and the author has quite a way with words. The ending caused me to drop it down to four stars for two reasons. First of all, the author put a lot of "extra" material at the end of the book so I thought I had a lot left to read when it ended. I wasn't mentally prepared for this - I thought many more scenes lay ahead. Secondly, I did not care for the way things were wrapped up at the end. This could be due in part to the fact that I was so surprised that it ended so suddenly, but overall I felt the way the main character dealt with final events was not fleshed out enough and her final choices seemed to be made by default. I don't know, perhaps after I have had more time to mull over the events of the novel I might decide I should have bumped it up to a five, but after having just finished it I feel slightly hollow and let down after the tremendous writing of the majority of the book. Overall, however, I would definitely recommend this book to others. The real mark of a great book is one that will keep the reader thinking about it long after they have finished reading, and this book definitely hits that mark. I believe this is Ms. Cantrell's first novel and I expect that we will be seeing many great things from her in the future. One final remark, this book was categorized as Contemporary Fiction, but it is really Historical Fiction, in my opinion. I probably never would have downloaded it if I'd realized this because I don't typcially like H.F., but I'm glad I did. Definitely worth your time.
• 
  Karen

  There was a lot I really liked about this book and a few things I didn't care for. I really really liked the author's writing style. Reading it was a joy simply because of how Cantrell puts her words together. I liked the portrayal of the family dynamics of this poor unfortunate family, and how Millie feels responsible for her mother's happiness or lack of it, and for her father's abusive behavior. The first half of the novel was the best-- believable, true, strong narrative power, well-developed characters.
  
  The last half I didn't enjoy as much. I felt like many of the characters introduced later on were cliched and undeveloped. Maybe because there were so many of them crowding the scenes, compared to early on when it was simply Millie, Sloth, her parents and River. If the last half had lived up to the promise of the first half, this book would have easily gotten 5 stars from me.
  
  The last chapters were a strange combination of being too slow and too rushed, too thorough treatment of some areas and not thorough enough of others. The final scene with River, which had been built up throughout, was a disappointment to me. Also, I got a little tired of Millie's inner monologues as she tried to figure everything out, sometimes going on for pages and pages.
  
  Overall however, despite these few flaws, Into the Free is a highly enjoyable novel that deserves its place on the bestseller list.
• 
  Joy D

  Historical fiction and coming of age story about Millie, a poor girl living in Mississippi in the 1930’s-1940’s with her abusive alcoholic father and depressed drug-addicted mother. She interacts with the Romany travelers that arrive each spring and longs to follow them out of town, but the responsibilities and love she feels toward her mother make it difficult to leave. Her life is further burdened by a series of tragedies.
  
  This book is about decisions we make in life and the ramifications of those decisions. Oftentimes decisions must be made when very young and incapable of fully anticipating the consequences. It is also about the human responses to hardship and abuse. I thought the characters were well-drawn, especially the protagonist, and the writing flowed smoothly. This book contains an element of Christian theology, which was culturally appropriate for the time period in the American South. It shows both positives and negatives associated with “religious” people. I didn’t find it overbearing, but it will not be to everyone’s taste.
  
  The primary difficulty I had with it concerned an immediate “bouncing back” from trauma. Horrible things have happened Millie and I found her actions afterward difficult to believe. I felt something was missing in helping the reader understand her responses. There were also several historical inaccuracies, especially with respect to references to WWII, which were not necessary to the plot and could have easily been omitted. Content warnings include domestic violence, rape, drug abuse, and scenes involving animals that may be disturbing to sensitive readers.
• 
  Joy Kieffer

  Possibly one of the best books ever written. I found myself comparing this book to "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou. This author, however, was able to deal with the grittiness of abuse and despair without slamming the reader with details so sordid that we feel the need to go wash our hands and minds afterwards.
  
  The same hope is there, along with the lyrical quality of stringing words and phrases together that leave us yearning to become such writers ourselves.
  
  All of the emotions and bent coping mechanisms are there, true to life. After years of youth work and foster/adoption, I can only say kudos to Julie Cantrell for having the courage to express this reality for so many thousands, perhaps millions of people.
  
  We all need to hear this message, to listen to these hearts. How do we help someone we can't begin to understand? To read this book is to come away realizing that we all have felt this angst to some degree, and we all have the ability to hold out our hands to give life.
• 
  Cookielover

  This was the worst book in the world. I hated it and I probably need therapy now. Oh, the book started off good. The middle was wearing me out, but I had hope. But then the author screwed up with the last 50 or so pages. This book makes me so mad. The main character did something so out of character and you really didn't get her reactions. I am scarred for life and will probably have to rewrite a better ending in my head. The reason the character turned to God was unbelievably unreal. It broke my heart as I read because God is LOVE. I get bad things happen to some people, but I don't get how this book could end like this. Sure, she's going to marry Kenneth--but only because he's safe. Is that really the message? Always go safe? Because that's what Millie did. She was scarred and now she's runnin to safe and trying to justify it. I absolutely don't recommend it. It's totally a -5 star book, but don't mind me because I'm one for happy ending and books that ultimately change people for the better.
• 
  Karen & Gerard

  Into The Free by Julie Cantrell is an amazing read—WOW! I loved this historical fiction book set in Mississippi about faith, gypsies, death, grief, domestic violence, rodeos and romance. It is told from Millie’s perspective, a little girl searching for her identity, freedom and faith. The variety of characters in this book seem real and some I loved, some I didn’t. My favorite characters were Millie, Sloth, Bump, Mr. Tucker and Mabel. My least favorite person was Millie’s grandfather with her father and Mr. Miller close seconds. Hard to really say who was worse. Millie’s mother, Marie Reynolds, had a tough life but a strong Biblical foundation. She loved her husband although he beat her on a regular basis, at one point leaving her for dead. Millie’s mama turned to drugs to escape the pain which was very sad. The whole book was pretty sad but it had enough funny parts and bright spots to not be depressing. I actually cheered out loud for Millie when made the choice in the end that I hoped she would make.
  
  It shows no matter how bad things may be, there is always hope. It also portrays “Christians” in a realistic way, showing both good ones and bad ones. Yes, some people are big hypocrites, but not all. I liked the balance this book has along those lines and that everything is not always hunky-dory for believers. A main theme in the book is that God brings people into our lives to help and encourage us along the way.
  
  This book is an interesting read because it holds your interest on so many levels. It’s both an emotional and thought provoking read. I LOVED IT and look forward to the sequel to find out what happens with Millie next. I highly recommend Into the Free as a great read that would be an excellent book club choice too. It has thought-provoking questions at the end that would make for good discussion.
• 
  Shantelle

  I can't decide exactly what to think about Into the Free by Julie Cantrell. It was very dark and dealt with terrible physical abuse. I'm a sensitive reader so some of this was difficult to read. I think Millie's story was authentic, showing clearly her pain, confusion, anger, helplessness, and striving for light and life. Darkness. Also laughter and hope. But it's hard to read about evil going unpunished. It's hard to see a teenaged girl confused over what to think about her abusive father because many people adore him and see him as a hero. Also I thought the faith element of this story was confused. The abuser and the victims alike claim God. And in the end maybe Millie claims God, too, but the idea seems vague and and distant. Like God is just out there somewhere, watching over but not intimately involved.
  But what about Jesus Christ, who left His heavenly realm and came to us; became like us? He came to seek and the save. To serve and to heal. He suffered like us and was tempted like us, so that He would be able to be a High Priest who could sympathize with us. He is a close and personal God. A loving and tender Father.
  
  So yes, it wasn't my favorite book.
  
  My heart breaks for all those with a story like Millie's. I hope they can find strength, freedom, peace, and the love of the true Father.
  
  ***caution: adult content. Deals with intense physical abuse, r*pe, death, etc.
• 
  Barb

  I really enjoyed this coming of age story. I had no idea until after I finished listening that it was classified as Christian lit. I'm glad I didn't know beforehand because I certainly wouldn't have chosen it if I did.
  
  But I have to say the spiritual/religious aspect of the story seemed appropriate in the main character's quest to better understand herself. The story never came off as preachy. Yes, the bible, belief and god were mentioned but all in the context of the characters and their experiences. It made sense for them to talk about and think about these things as it related to their experiences. Never did I feel like they were trying to convince me of anything.
  
  I loved the reader, Luci Christian Bell, she did a wonderful job with the voices and the accents. This was a quick read/listen, I wanted to know how things were going to turn out for the main character, young Millie Reynolds, who has more to deal with than she deserves. This story has great relationships, though many of them are dysfunctional. The dialogue is realistic and the way events unfold are believable but often sad.
  
  I'm looking forward to listening to the next book in this series. I hope that it will have all of the things that I enjoyed in this story and none of the things I typically fear will be included in Christian lit.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Andrea Cox

  The narrator, Luci Christian Bell, did a fantastic job capturing the location (Mississippi) with her accent and inflections. This made the listening easy.
  
  I struggled with the Dogwood bit, small as it was. There is nowhere in the Bible (and I checked seven different versions) that says the cross Jesus died on was made from a Dogwood tree.
  
  The abuse (physical and sexual) within the story was so realistic that it was difficult to read at times. It’s hard to capture such atrocities in organic ways without its feeling clichéd or trite, but the way they were written upon the pages of this novel felt true to life.
  
  I wasn’t comfortable with the “ghost” of Sloth hanging around. That was unrealistic, as when people die, they don’t get to stick around to “haunt” us who remain behind.
  
  It was really fun to have the Romani as some side characters. This is a unique ethnic group that isn’t featured in fiction often enough. The Romani characters in this story were the most memorable to me. “Gypsy” was used in reference to these characters as well. I just wanted to mention that, because, from what I understand, some Romani consider that term derogatory toward them. This is a historical novel, so perhaps the term is a period-accurate reference.
  
  There are just enough “I’m not comfortable with this” things in the two Cantrell books I’ve read (Into the Free and The Feathered Bone) that I’m thinking her books might not be to my taste. There are large portions of both books that were right up my alley and quite enjoyable, but those niggling little things that bugged me were enough for me to say, “No more.”
  
  Trigger: rape of a teenager
  
  Content: drugs, expletive, derogatory term, rape, profanity
• 
  Christie Hagerman

  This is a book full of contrasts, of appearances that promise one thing but open up to reveal a totally different scene. Our heroine Millie's Mississippi in the 1930's and 40's is full of trees that sing, fascinating Gypsies, small farms, and enchanting forests. Look a bit further and you find drugs, gossip, abuse, and racism filling the beautiful land. Behind religious piety you find hypocrisy and self-righteousness. Within people on the fringe of accepted society you find honesty and compassion, and within those of the upper class, well, a lack of both. A creative young girl filled with life and energy turns out not to be a child at all, but an "old soul", as her mother has told her, who must forfeit childhood to survive the traumas of her everyday life.
  
  I don't really care for novels with abuse, but I was so drawn into Millie's life that I couldn't help but keep reading. The words flowed like poetry, and I found myself smiling at the descriptions of how a character felt, how the landscape came alive, how the tree embraced the scared child.
  
  The author's character development is superb. Millie's voice is so strong, so appropriate for a nine-year-old that I doubted the author would be able to continue making Millie believable as she aged. I was pleasantly surprised. I was so taken by Millie's story, by the cards she'd undeservedly been dealt in her young Life, that I wanted to jump into the pages and bring her into my own home. I cheered when people showed her kindness, raged when another hard knock threatened to rob her of any hope. I read straight through this book and was very disappointed when it ended. I will be anxiously awaiting the sequel.
  
  Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the netGalley.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
• 
  Joyce

  I would actually rate Into the Free by Julie Cantrell 3.5 stars. It tells the story of a 16 year old girl, Millie, who has grown with a father who is abusive and a mother who has become addicted to morphine and uses that to cope with the harsh reality of her life. From the beginning of the novel when she has just turned 16 until the end of the novel when she is now 17, she goes through death of her father and her mother on the same day in totally different circumstances, falling from a tree and suffering many injuries from it, being taken in by another family after her parents' death and being abused by the father in that family, and finally building a relationship with 2 people in her life who show her acceptance, love, strength, and her way to finding peace with God. In the midst of all her difficulties and tragedies, she finds that she does not have to be like either her father who rages at life or her mother who lived in fear and withdrew from life. She discovers that she has the strength to make choices and that God is someone she can trust. She also learns to find good and love in her life and that she doesn't need to run off somewhere else to find it. Cantrell has written about a person's search for and relationship with God in a very refreshing and creative way. All of the elements of Christianity are there, but it is not wrapped up in 'religious' trappings. The only reason I did not rate it higher was because I found the writing style to be on the rough side and not always easy to follow.
• 
  Beth

  After taking a couple of days to sort through my feelings about this book, I was still conflicted. I’m not sure how clear this review is going to be because I’m still not sure of some of my feelings toward the book. This was a beautiful, heart-breaking, raw story. From the opening scene, this story packs an emotional punch, wrapping around your heart throughout the entire story.
  
  The easy part first: Cantrell’s writing is beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. I inhaled her words and didn’t want to come up for breath. I love that she wrote in first person, and get this – I didn’t even notice it was in present tense until 60% into the book. Usually I love first person, but hate when it’s in present tense. The fact that I didn’t even notice really took me by surprise and is an indicator of Julie Cantrell’s skill as a writer.
  
  Millie’s struggles were heart-breaking to watch, but at the same time, I was buoyed by her resilience and strength. I wanted to despise her father, but I never felt that I could truly do that. His character is probably at the epicenter of why I am so conflicted about this novel. I am in no way saying that Cantrell portrayed spousal abuse as okay, however, horrible circumstances from a person’s past do not give them an excuse for horrible things they in turn do to others. I do not want to be quick to judge because I have never been in that kind of situation, but at some points, it seemed like he got off too easy in Millie’s mind. Sure, you can understand the person and why they might be the way they are, but that doesn’t mean their actions are excused. I guess I just wanted Millie’s character to touch on that a bit more. Maybe it was there, and I was just so appalled that I didn’t notice. Also, Millie’s story is to be continued, and maybe she’ll come to this realization later on down the road.
  
  Some events that almost seemed to be horrific for the sake of the plot. They felt more like devices to show how horrible Millie’s life is, rather than taking place in the plot’s natural flow. It’s hard to touch on key plot points without giving important parts of the story away, so I won’t go into detail. When the great, big, horrible thing happened, I was conflicted over the aftermath. Again, this could be my natural resistance to the very nature of some of the events from the story.
  And herein lays my inner conflict. Obviously, these events are painful to read about, and being a female, and, well, a human, my heart cried out for justice for Millie. So, I’m not sure how much of this is my unwillingness to let that alone for Millie’s sake and how much of it is true displeasure with the plot.
  
  Stellar writing in a story that certainly left me feeling conflicted. Cantrell’s writing and story-telling abilities are well-deserving of praise, and the fact that I had such a strong, emotional reaction to this novel goes a long way in my book. There are several wonderful characters, and a review could be done about each of them on their own they are so multi-faceted.
  
  I am rooting for Millie (and sweet Bump!) wholeheartedly, and I am very eager to continue with her story in When Mountains Move.
  
• 
  Kathleen (Kat) Smith

  A long black train scrapes across Mr. Sutton's fields. His horses don't bother lifting their heads. They aren't afraid of the metal wheels, the smoking engine. The trains come every day, in straight lines like the hems Mama stitches across rich people's pants. Ironing and sewing, washing and mending. That's what Mama does for cash. As for me, I sit in Mr. Sutton's trees, live in one of Mr. Sutton's cabins, sell Mr. Sutton's pecans, and dream about riding Mr. Sutton's horses, all in the shadow of Mr. Sutton's big house.
  
  I can only guess where the boxcars are going and where they've been. I pretend they carry "limber lions, testy tigers, and miniature horse wearing tall turquoise hats.
  
  "Where do you think it's going?" I ask Sloth.
  
  "Into the free," he says.
  
  I watch the train until it disappears completely. I don't know what Sloth thinks free looks like, but I imagine it's a place where nine-year-old girls like me aren't afraid of their fathers. Where mothers don't get the blues. Where Mr. Sutton doesn't own the whole wide world.
  
  I climb higher in the sweet gum and hope the engineer will turn the train around and come back to get me. Take me away, to the place Sloth calls the free.
  
  In the novel Into the Free by Julie Cantrell, the reader is taken into the depression era-Mississippi in 1936 where Millie Reynolds longs to escape the madness that marks her world. With an abusive father and a 'nothing mama,' she struggles to find a place where she really belongs.
  
  For answers, Millie turns to the gypsies who caravan through the town each spring. The travelers lead Millie to a key that unlocks generations of family secrets. When tragedy strikes, the mysterious contents of the box give Millie the tools she needs to break her family's long-standing cycle of madness and abuse.
  
  I received Into the Free compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. I think Julie Cantrell does an exceptional job at keeping the reader engaged in difficult story of child abuse and shows how Millie has to learn to trust God again when she thinks He has abandoned her. I think this relates to many readers who mistake God's silence as abandonment instead of simply trusting God's timing in all things will bring about a greater good in the end, and how much forgiveness is needed more for the victim than for those that inflict the pain. It is a freedom that needs to be released so the healing can happen, otherwise bitterness and resentment only grow in our hearts. This one rates a 5 out of 5 stars.
• 
  Stephanie Wright

  Since the beginning of creation, God has desired daily interaction with His children. At the same time, His children have desired to interact with the world that He created rather than Him. That has left each of us, at times, feeling a void and deep pain. God has also desired to teach us His ways instead of the world's and yet we are continually held captive by the world and its many snares, oases, and traps. In Into the Free by Julie Cantrell, we are introduced to a cast of characters, each with his or her own desires, snares, oases, and traps. Millie Reynolds is a young girl who is trapped by the conditions of her home but also by the fears and disappointments of her life. Her parents are trapped by failed dreams, addiction, and loss. Millie's foster family is trapped by outward appearances, lost dreams, and blindness.
  
  However, within this imperfect world are guardians and angels who teach us about God's love, grace, and mercy. They teach us how to forgive and unconditional love. In Millie's world she encounters Sloth, her elderly next door neighbor in the former slave quarters where Millie and her family lived. Later she meets the gypsies, the Romany travelers who teach her about herself and her strength. There is also Mabel, the housekeeper who works for her foster family, and Bump, the cowboy who wins her heart by teaching her about love, patience, forgiveness, and ultimately freedom.
  
  If you have battled with the forces of this world and feel trapped, downtrodden, and scared - then this book is for you. If you are a champion of the outcasts of this world - then this book is for you. If you are a child of God - then this is definitely for you!
  
• 
  Joleen

  This was a rough one. I’ve actually started it several times over the last few years and couldn’t get past page 25. Seeing it unfinished recently I decided to pick it up again. It didn’t take long for me to realize why I stopped the other times, but I decided to keep going.
  
  When I got to about 87% I almost put it back down. There are some things I cannot read easily, and, had I known that was coming, I would have closed the book a lot earlier. At that mark I was so bothered I had to look at other reviews. Apparently I’m in the minority here. In honesty I can’t rate this as high as others have.
  
  This book spans Millie's life from ages 9 to 17. In all that time very little good happens to her except the friendship of an elderly neighbor named Sloth and a gypsy boy who followed her for years when their band was in town. Her home life was a mess and violent. To be honest, although the event that happened at 87% nearly made me put down the book forever, I continued and I’m glad I did, because it wrapped up fairly well.
  
  On a better note, the author's writing is very good. It’s told from the girl's perspective and uses language appropriate for her ages and for 1938 in Mississippi. Also on a good note, although it took a long time to get there, the faith message was done well.
  
  If you decide to read it, get ready for a bumpy ride.
• 
  Casey

  “Into the Free” had a very visceral pull on me as a reader. I was reeled into this story of a girl growing into a woman, a girl living in conditions I couldn’t imagine withstanding, and yet she gave me a dose of courage and beauty I didn’t realize I needed.
  
  It takes amazing talent to tell a story with strife and a desperate search for wholeness, in a way that doesn’t make it seem as though the book has no plot or direction. The writing voice yanked me into the pages of the story and watching Millie make her choices gripped my heart.
  
  There is such beauty in this book. Obviously the story won’t be for everyone, but it really encompasses so much of what I look for in the novels I love. A desperate yearning, a tension filled search for her right place, a longing from the hand of God to touch her.
  
  I loved the faith message so much in this novel. It’s not overt, not even something you would necessarily pick up, because it’s lived. It fills the pages and encompasses the end…I absolutely loved how the book ended.
  
  A literary novel, but it’s not written in a stuck-up or stodgy manner- it’s a novel that wrapped around my heart and left me just the right amount of changed.
  
  This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers through CFBA for my copy to review.
  
• 
  Anna

  Set in Mississippi during the Depression Era, Millie lives in a rundown shack with a mother whose broken and an abusive father. She views the world from the branches of the sweet gum tree near her home. Soothed by her neighbor Sloth, Millie knows love. Even after the death of Sloth, Millie experiences Sloth's presence. Every spring the Gypsies come through town. They embrace Millie and Millie dreams of traveling with them "into the free". They help Millie to unearth the secrets of the past that have haunted her mother. Millie feels abandoned by those who should love her most, including God. Tragedy strikes Millie, not once, but twice and she is left to depend on the kindness of strangers. A great coming-of-age story that portrays the resiliency of the human spirit, and desire for faith. Looking forward to the sequel.
• 
  Brianne

  Into the Free by Julie Cantrell is a riveting novel about love, loss, hope and faith. Millie Reynolds, the main protagonist, has gone through a lot of hardships throughout her life. She always grew up looking at the riches and glory of Mr. Sutton's household compared to her more average life in a small cabin on his plantation. As Millie grows and has more experience she grows in her character through the thoughts of her family, her faith and her view on life.
  
  Overall, I would give this book five stars. I enjoyed reading the viewpoints of Millie, and the way the characters interacted. There are some difficult parts to read in this book, but it only adds to the idea of overcoming hardships in your life through faith and love. It was a wonderful read and I really recommend it.
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  Renea Winchester

  From the first paragraph this author captured my attention. Lyrical, poetic, and well written. I can't wait to read Julie's next book. Excellent book.
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  Dana

  I absolutely LOVED the first half of this book. I loved how it was written, loved the magical characters Sloth, River and Millie. Although it describes a girl living through terrible circumstances, I thought it also painted beautiful thoughts, landscapes and ideas.
  
  I enjoyed the second half, there was definitely a change in atmosphere. However I thought the end was rushed and the emotions felt a bit forced at times.
  
  Overall I really enjoyed it, I will admit the plot didn’t exactly go the way I was hoping it would. But I’m not mad. Will definitely read the second book.
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  Margaret

  I am undecided on what I think about this book. It took me a while to get used to the narrator and in the meantime I was able to become somewhat invested in Millie's story.
  
  For starters, I was confused about the handling of Millie's feelings about her father, it alternated between love, pride and disgust. I understand the psychology behind it but I never felt convinced that the author herself was clear in exploring the ambiguity of the situation. So, rather than the character feeling conflicted, it came across as the author was conflicted and perhaps confused. To me, that was an awkward handling of the situation.
  
  The abuse was a bit too realistic and uncomfortable to read but the aftermath and trauma seemed unbelievable, it appeared disjointed to me.
  
  All in all, not a bad read but just not cohesive enough for my taste.
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  Daphne Self

  The book started off amazing well written in the POV of a 9 year old.
  
  After reading quite a few more pages, I grew weary of the prose. Do I really need to read about a stray eating her own pups? No. And in rural areas, strays hardly ever starved because of the abundant rabbits, squirrels, rats, and other rodents.
  
  I understand that the girl lived a hard life, but I was hard pressed to believe her life as one as it was written. My grandmother and mother grew up poorer than dirt poor, so this book push the limits of believability.
  
  Later on, the POV never matures. Millie is 16, but her POV still reads as a 9 or 10 year old.
  
  I again grew weary of reading about all the hospital time and the lamenting on life. The book grew stagnant, what most would refer to as the sagging middle.
  
  Because of very little character growth, I felt detached as I read this book. Why should I care about Millie? I wasn't given any reason to do so. At one point in the story, she stood up to her father and then at another point later on, she bowed to physical assault. Girls like that, who grew up in that day and age would have been tough, true survivors. And as for the rape scene: where was the devastating feeling afterwards? It wasn't there. The character pushes the whole ordeal to the side. This is a major event, show the devastation or at least show the denial.
  
  The ending was lacking. What spurred her to make that decision? And why did she excuse Jack's behavior? He was a evil man and just because he wanted a family gave him no right to be abusive. Forgive him? Yes. But excuse his actions? No.
  
  This book was okay in my opinion, but not one I would try to read again. I can see it as a classroom's required reading, along the lines of To Kill a Mockingbird or Where the Red Fern Grows. It's got enough clout for the analytical mind to rip apart for discussions and essays.
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  Rambling Readers

  Into the Free is a southern coming-of-age tale of pain and freedom. Julie Cantrell drew me into Millie Reynold's story from the very first page. The depth and symbolism woven into the pages give Into the Free a literary quality unmatched by more lighthearted books. Cantrell tackles many heavy subjects in her latest novel, including death, physical and emotional abuse, and addiction. Reading each event from Millie's perspective, makes her pain more tangible. I truly doubt that any reader will not be impacted by the obstacles that Millie faces in her quest for freedom.
  
  The story begins in 1936 when Millie is just 10 years old, but shouldering the burdens of an adult. Seven chapters later, it is 1942, and Millie is a teenager still battling the same scars of a turbulent childhood and facing new struggles, but also the dawn of new dreams. Cantrell creates a unique cast of gypsies, cowboys, poor farmers, and proper southern families, that all merge to create a cohesive and powerful plot. Each group offers new experiences and insights into life, making the plot more intriguing and unpredictable. The migrating gypsies with their magnetic charm and colorful scarves add whimsy and romance. Meanwhile, Millie finds unexpected comfort and acceptance in the rodeo, but where does she truly belong? That question kept me turning the pages. Millie's story is a narrative of harsh realities, but ultimate freedom and hope. I cannot wait to read Julie Cantrell's sequel and see where Millie's journey leads.
  
  I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from NetGalley, courtesy of David C. Cook. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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  Finney Moore

  Loved this book!, i can’t wait to read the sequel.
  I love any book by a Mississippi author and this was a very good interesting story. Millie is the main character and she had a tragic childhood ...but perseveres through a few good people who took interest in her.. Sloth and Bump and River were great characters... and Mabel!
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  G

  Into the Free: A Novel leaps into the life of Millicent Reynolds, a young Mississippi girl at the end of the Depression. Milli’s father, Jack, is a violent, alcoholic, rodeo man whose wife has turned to morphine to survive the abuse. Milli and her mother live in old slave quarters on a plantation, surviving on Jack’s winnings and the money they earn from doing laundry for the wealthy in town, Milli and her mother eek out an existence. Milli befriends a group of gypsies, intending to leave with them, but stops when her father almost beats her mother to death.
  
  The perverse air of melancholia that permeates Milli’s life makes the this novel difficult to begin, but hooks the reader with Milli’s desire to pull herself out of the abusive circle. As Milli turns to people for help, Milli learns to see through facades to discover true meaning of Christianity and love, where money and appearance are not important. Intense book, not for the faint hearted, but a highly rewarding read.
  
  Received Galley from NetGalley.com
  
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  Donna

  This gets 5 stars just because of the visceral reaction I had to this. This book made me still and quiet and had such an effect on me. I doubt I will forget this girl's plight. I loved the writing style of this author, especially the descriptive strokes. It was rich and vivid and enthralling. The MC's POV seemed very grown up for a 10 year old, but it came off as very believable and very heart breaking. I also loved the character development for most of the main characters. They were well drawn and so plausible. I felt I could see them. I would have liked a little more detail and understanding about some of the 'lesser' characters.
  
  Now there were some things I didn't care for.....the ending, for one, and her conversion. The ending seemed rushed and sudden, and so did her conversion.. There was some kind of disconnect with that, but that was easily forgivable because of the strengths that seemed to speak to me. This would have been 4 stars but the story held me hostage...so 5 stars.
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  C. Clark

  I met Julie Cantrell at a writer's conference and bought her book because she was such a gentle, easy soul with a passion for writing. The book stunned me in its first few chapters, with its dark story line, but as the girl evolved, as the story took shape, I fell in love with the characters and setting. Well written and quite memorable. I'll never think of gypsies or rodeos the same again. The end was a bit predictable but I see this book as more of a character development, and I thoroughly became enthralled with Millie's journey.