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majestic_socks's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
jsl's review
5.0
Ok, so it took me longer than usual to read this because of moving and vacations but I loved it so much!
honniker's review
3.0
This book was not what I expected. I am interested in cross cultural relations and people growing up in other cultures. I've read several books (fiction and non-fiction) about children who were captured in Indian raids.
I thought this was going to be the story of Cynthia Ann Parker and how she adjusts to living with the Comanche, only to grow up and fall in love with the war chief Wanderer. And it's true it was about that, to an extent. But honestly that takes up maybe the first third of the book. The rest of it pans out to discuss what was going on with the white people and the government and other major events in white-native relations during that time period.
The writing itself is a little pompus. The first thing I noticed as I began this book, was the author's use of adjectives. I mean, a sprinkling of adjectives is good but *everything* and *everyone* had strings of adjectives attached to them. I've already returned the book otherwise I'd treat you to examples of "His bronzed face seemed to be chiseled from stone as he gazed across the golden windswept plains, and viewed the snaking black river of buffalo." It was kind of annoying. The other thing that was a little annoying were the Comanche words. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of using other languages in books (Watership Down and A Clockwork Orange are two of my favorite books partly because of that reason.) But there is a wrong way and a right way to do it and this was the wrong way. The Author decided that every character should be named by both their Comanche name as well as the English translation. But she uses the English translation throughout the book. So the first time you're introduced to a new Comanche character the sentence is something like "Nocona, Wanderer, was with (Comanche Name), Night as he looked over at (Comanche Name), Eagle. Needless to say it's very confusing and considering the fact that she uses the English translation 97% of the time throughout the rest of the book, it's rather pointless.
Despite these complaints, the book was rather interesting. As I mentioned Cynthia Ann's adoption of the Comanche lifestyle is about the first third of the book. Because of this, there are a few spots that I feel were anti-climatic. The courtship between her and Wanderer for example. I thought it was going to be a major part of the book and instead it was rather meh. It was obvious however, that the author did a lot of research on the culture. There were details about lodging and lifestyle and culture and while some of it was a little too much for me, other parts of it were quite interesting. The other thing this book did well was show the timeline of the end of the Comanche lifestyle. Basically, within the space of a generation, the people went from free ranging the plains to living on reservations. Another interesting thing about this book, was that it showed the violence. The whites were violent, the natives were violent. Everyone was violent.
Ultimately, I came away from reading this book with a deep sense of sadness. Though it's not one of the best books I've read, it definitely has made me think and because of that, I gave it three stars.
I thought this was going to be the story of Cynthia Ann Parker and how she adjusts to living with the Comanche, only to grow up and fall in love with the war chief Wanderer. And it's true it was about that, to an extent. But honestly that takes up maybe the first third of the book. The rest of it pans out to discuss what was going on with the white people and the government and other major events in white-native relations during that time period.
The writing itself is a little pompus. The first thing I noticed as I began this book, was the author's use of adjectives. I mean, a sprinkling of adjectives is good but *everything* and *everyone* had strings of adjectives attached to them. I've already returned the book otherwise I'd treat you to examples of "His bronzed face seemed to be chiseled from stone as he gazed across the golden windswept plains, and viewed the snaking black river of buffalo." It was kind of annoying. The other thing that was a little annoying were the Comanche words. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of using other languages in books (Watership Down and A Clockwork Orange are two of my favorite books partly because of that reason.) But there is a wrong way and a right way to do it and this was the wrong way. The Author decided that every character should be named by both their Comanche name as well as the English translation. But she uses the English translation throughout the book. So the first time you're introduced to a new Comanche character the sentence is something like "Nocona, Wanderer, was with (Comanche Name), Night as he looked over at (Comanche Name), Eagle. Needless to say it's very confusing and considering the fact that she uses the English translation 97% of the time throughout the rest of the book, it's rather pointless.
Despite these complaints, the book was rather interesting. As I mentioned Cynthia Ann's adoption of the Comanche lifestyle is about the first third of the book. Because of this, there are a few spots that I feel were anti-climatic. The courtship between her and Wanderer for example. I thought it was going to be a major part of the book and instead it was rather meh. It was obvious however, that the author did a lot of research on the culture. There were details about lodging and lifestyle and culture and while some of it was a little too much for me, other parts of it were quite interesting. The other thing this book did well was show the timeline of the end of the Comanche lifestyle. Basically, within the space of a generation, the people went from free ranging the plains to living on reservations. Another interesting thing about this book, was that it showed the violence. The whites were violent, the natives were violent. Everyone was violent.
Ultimately, I came away from reading this book with a deep sense of sadness. Though it's not one of the best books I've read, it definitely has made me think and because of that, I gave it three stars.
annareads1452's review
5.0
Masterful storytelling that ripped me to shreds. I cried through most of the last 200 pages. This is an incredible story of both Naduah and her family but also of the Comanche people. It is heartbreaking, beautiful and has some humerous moments. This book doesn't hold back either when it's death caused by the Comanche or by the Texans everything is raw and brutal. Naduah and Wanderer's journey is so beautiful and their love developing over time was amazing to read. An incredibly bittersweet story that everyone should read. Lucia St. Clair Robson has written the tale of this family and tribes life and it is powerful.
angielisle's review
3.0
A lot of telling instead of showing, with multiple lecture-like breaks in the narrative filling in large gaps of the timeline. The topic is interesting but the bouncing between narrative styles bothered me.
charlottereadsbooks's review
5.0
This is another reread, and I love it. I'm not usually into Indian stories, but this book is different. The writing is pretty good, and the story is incredible. I learned so much about the Comanche way of life and seriously sympathized with the People as their entire world was destroyed. I loved reading about how Naduah becomes one of the People, and my heart broke as their entire life and civilization fell apart. I fell in love with Wanderer, and felt a part of the Noconi tribe. The end is tragically sad, but it was compelling in its sorrow. The last twenty pages or so dragged a bit, but apart from that I loved it. It's a beautiful story narrating and documenting the end of a people.
lesley's review
4.0
This historical fiction novel is brutal. This book spans the life of Cynthia Ann Parker, the infamous child captive of the Comanche, through her integration into Native American culture to her eventual capture and unwilling delivery back to her white family. Set during the final decades of the free Comanche and with a narrative delivered from the viewpoints of dozens of characters the pure epic span of this faithfully told story is impressive. It doesn't pull it's punches when depicting the brutality of the time though so it's not for the squeamish.
yooperdoc's review
5.0
A beautiful, heartbreaking book, based on the true story of Cynthia Parker, who was captured by the Comanches and became the wife of a prominent chief. She is the mother of Quanah Parker, the last Comanche chief. Although Cynthia was 9 years at the time of capture, she was not enslaved, but adopted by a loving, childless indian couple. She became Comanche in every sense of the word and actively avoided recapture by the Rangers and traders sent to ransom captives. The very nature of this story dictates a sorrowful ending for all of the main charactors, but don't let that disuade you from reading this book. This is a beautiful story and very accurate regarding details of Comanche daily life. Robson is a masterful storyteller who is able to bring her charactors alive.
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