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bookrunner's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
andiemags53's review
5.0
I really love this book. But it is hard to finish. I cry ever time I read it, but it is so compelling, and beautiful. The love story that is intertwined in the last days of the Comanche, it breathtaking and heart breaking at the same time. I have stopped at page 392 and I'm not sure if I can continue. I've already cried enough today.
jmcrockett78's review
5.0
I read this for the first time three years ago, when I was 16. Reading it now, it makes no less of an impact on me than it did then. Many people talk about this book and are so disgusted reading the descriptions of Indian cruelty on the white settlers and other tribes. By no means do I give that a lesser significance than the rest of the story surrounding Cynthia’s life. This is not a simple novel. This isn’t something to decide to read casually. Ride the Wind is a complex piece of literature—it balances telling the story from the perspective of both the whites and the Indians. That’s what makes it such a moving book.
We can’t ignore that the Indians were murderers that raped and pillaged the settlements that they attacked. But neither can we simply judge them harshly as horrible people. In every war in all of human history, soldiers from opposing sides have murdered, tortured, and yes, RAPED the women and even children of their enemies. To judge the characters in this book for doing these things is to blindly ignore the rest of our history.
If you can’t handle reading about people being tortured and murdered without throwing a hissy fit about the book itself, this isn’t the right choice for you. Lucia wrote a piece about history, and she didn’t ignore what was done on either side of the war for land. Suck it up and acknowledge the faults of all involved, and don’t trash a work of art for its honesty.
Cynthia Ann Parker was taken as a captive during a raid on her families fort and was brought to live with the Penetaka. There, she found a family, she found the love of her life, and she found her home. Cynthia was no more; she became Naduah, one of the people. She left a legacy that will be remembered as long as there are people to listen.
Lucia St. Clair Robson has a talent for using words to weave a story that will last a lifetime. There’s no other way to describe it than to say that she has a gift.
I hope that everyone is able to read this at least once and appreciate the beauty of the masterpiece that is Ride the Wind. There is no life without some sorrow, and there is no sorrow without the gleam of hope. Mourn the past, but don’t forget to work towards a better future. Take the history within these pages and use it to work towards a better world instead of painting the past with whitewash.
We can’t ignore that the Indians were murderers that raped and pillaged the settlements that they attacked. But neither can we simply judge them harshly as horrible people. In every war in all of human history, soldiers from opposing sides have murdered, tortured, and yes, RAPED the women and even children of their enemies. To judge the characters in this book for doing these things is to blindly ignore the rest of our history.
If you can’t handle reading about people being tortured and murdered without throwing a hissy fit about the book itself, this isn’t the right choice for you. Lucia wrote a piece about history, and she didn’t ignore what was done on either side of the war for land. Suck it up and acknowledge the faults of all involved, and don’t trash a work of art for its honesty.
Cynthia Ann Parker was taken as a captive during a raid on her families fort and was brought to live with the Penetaka. There, she found a family, she found the love of her life, and she found her home. Cynthia was no more; she became Naduah, one of the people. She left a legacy that will be remembered as long as there are people to listen.
Lucia St. Clair Robson has a talent for using words to weave a story that will last a lifetime. There’s no other way to describe it than to say that she has a gift.
I hope that everyone is able to read this at least once and appreciate the beauty of the masterpiece that is Ride the Wind. There is no life without some sorrow, and there is no sorrow without the gleam of hope. Mourn the past, but don’t forget to work towards a better future. Take the history within these pages and use it to work towards a better world instead of painting the past with whitewash.
allisonjpmiller's review
4.0
This is the kind of novel you can't read with any distance. Like life, it is equal parts brutal and beautiful. There's no sugar-coating of Western history here. Robson maintains a strangely objective tone in her fictional account of the life of Cynthia Ann Parker – a woman who was captured at the age of nine by Comanche raiders, and spent the next 24 years of her life as part of the tribe, eventually marrying a chieftain and identifying so completely as one of the People that she was never able to re-integrate back into white society. She never wanted to.
Historically, all we know about Cynthia Ann are the bookends of her life: the circumstances of her capture, and what she was like when she was "rescued" decades later by her white family. Ride the Wind speculates on the story between those bookends, taking you through every season of Cynthia's years with the People (her Comanche name was Naduah: Keeps Warm With Us). With meticulous research informing her prose, Robson paints such a complete picture of life on the Staked Plains that it really is impossible to put this book down without the characters and details chasing your thoughts around afterward. It is vivid. I learned so much about Comanche culture, religion, and way of life... now it's a foregone conclusion that I need to pick up a biography on Quanah Parker: the son of Cynthia Ann and Nocona (Wanderer), who ended up being one of the last free Comanche chiefs.
A few sections seem superfluous. The interludes with the Rangers and U.S. Cavalry were nice for context, I suppose, but they overstayed their welcome at times, especially considering the dynamic characterization of the main cast. And I thought the last 200 pages or so were a bit drawn out, though I appreciate Robson's ambition to tell as complete a story as possible to honor the real history at stake here.
Recommended, but with a warning: this book really will put you through hell. I'm still recovering.
Historically, all we know about Cynthia Ann are the bookends of her life: the circumstances of her capture, and what she was like when she was "rescued" decades later by her white family. Ride the Wind speculates on the story between those bookends, taking you through every season of Cynthia's years with the People (her Comanche name was Naduah: Keeps Warm With Us). With meticulous research informing her prose, Robson paints such a complete picture of life on the Staked Plains that it really is impossible to put this book down without the characters and details chasing your thoughts around afterward. It is vivid. I learned so much about Comanche culture, religion, and way of life... now it's a foregone conclusion that I need to pick up a biography on Quanah Parker: the son of Cynthia Ann and Nocona (Wanderer), who ended up being one of the last free Comanche chiefs.
A few sections seem superfluous. The interludes with the Rangers and U.S. Cavalry were nice for context, I suppose, but they overstayed their welcome at times, especially considering the dynamic characterization of the main cast. And I thought the last 200 pages or so were a bit drawn out, though I appreciate Robson's ambition to tell as complete a story as possible to honor the real history at stake here.
Recommended, but with a warning: this book really will put you through hell. I'm still recovering.
hiltzmoore's review
4.0
I think this is the best researched Historical Fiction book I have ever read. I would describe this book as "haunting" and I had to talk to my husband about it quite a bit before I had closure on the book. I think the fact that you know how it is going to end makes for a unique reading experience. I went with 4 stars because I felt the author could have brought some internal struggle to the table - I was a little disappointed that EVERYONE just loved Naduah even though she was very different and married a powerful man within the tribe. But kudos to the author for delving into this subject in such depth and with such heart. I thought I was going to be reading Cynthia Ann Parker's story, but it was really a story of the heartbreak that Native Americans suffered at the hands of our leaders and their need to expand West.
kandicez's review
5.0
This book is beautiful, uplifting, shocking, hopeful, desolate, almost any emotion possible to feel will be aroused. St. Clair Robson takes the kidnapping of a young plainsgirl, and tells the story that will live in your heart years after reading it. The white child who grows to marry a chief. Who bears the very last free Comanche chief in America. Is she still white?
She pulls no punches. She shows us the brutalities with which the Indians were treated, but on the other side of the coin, in the most fair portrayal I have seen, she shows us how brutal they could be. Not only to their enemies, but to each other.
She teaches you how harmoniously the Original Americans lived with the land. How they used every resource available to them and wasted nothing. They were so ahead of where we, as country, now want to be. They understood the value of the land, the animals, the human spirit. They valued their children as treasures instilled with their future.
The end of the book is brutal. Not physically, but it brings up the question: At what point is a kidnapping victim no longer a victim? At what point can we be left to our own decisions, regardless of race, creed, beliefs? Are some not good or intelligent enough to know what's best for themselves? Who gets to decide where someone belongs? Where they are most needed, wanted, regardless of their personal wishes?
I cry each time I come to the end. How could you not?
She pulls no punches. She shows us the brutalities with which the Indians were treated, but on the other side of the coin, in the most fair portrayal I have seen, she shows us how brutal they could be. Not only to their enemies, but to each other.
She teaches you how harmoniously the Original Americans lived with the land. How they used every resource available to them and wasted nothing. They were so ahead of where we, as country, now want to be. They understood the value of the land, the animals, the human spirit. They valued their children as treasures instilled with their future.
The end of the book is brutal. Not physically, but it brings up the question: At what point is a kidnapping victim no longer a victim? At what point can we be left to our own decisions, regardless of race, creed, beliefs? Are some not good or intelligent enough to know what's best for themselves? Who gets to decide where someone belongs? Where they are most needed, wanted, regardless of their personal wishes?
I cry each time I come to the end. How could you not?
jenndaniells's review
5.0
This book was amazing. Regardless of it's really terrible book cover. It goes to show you that the old saying is true: "don't judge a book by it's cover". I'm a major fan of historical fiction and I really wanted to try a native Indian novel; as I have always been extremely interested in their culture.
This book made my heart happy, sad, and stunned. I was so shocked at how native Indians were treated. We've all learned about it through school, but it's always been hard facts. I prefer reading novels like this (even though it is fiction) because it gives you a perspective of the harsh conditions that literally everyone went through (not just native Indians). It was interesting to read the white slaves points of view, as well as the captives like Cynthia Ann Parker who adapted well to the Comanche life style (I really hated what happened at the end). I knew what was going to happen at the end because it's all history - everything already happened. But I also didn't know what was going to happen to the characters.
This book gave me butterflies, made me cry, made me angry, and so many other feelings. I felt so ashamed by my heritage (I'm white - Canadian), and wish so badly that I could go back in time and change what happened. It makes me frustrated at the past.
I gave this book 5 stars because of all the emotions I experienced through this novel. It was written well. At times I didn't know how the author could write such descriptive / awful sections. It really shows how well-rounded the author is. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone; this book would go on a top 10 list for sure.
This book made my heart happy, sad, and stunned. I was so shocked at how native Indians were treated. We've all learned about it through school, but it's always been hard facts. I prefer reading novels like this (even though it is fiction) because it gives you a perspective of the harsh conditions that literally everyone went through (not just native Indians). It was interesting to read the white slaves points of view, as well as the captives like Cynthia Ann Parker who adapted well to the Comanche life style (I really hated what happened at the end). I knew what was going to happen at the end because it's all history - everything already happened. But I also didn't know what was going to happen to the characters.
This book gave me butterflies, made me cry, made me angry, and so many other feelings. I felt so ashamed by my heritage (I'm white - Canadian), and wish so badly that I could go back in time and change what happened. It makes me frustrated at the past.
I gave this book 5 stars because of all the emotions I experienced through this novel. It was written well. At times I didn't know how the author could write such descriptive / awful sections. It really shows how well-rounded the author is. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone; this book would go on a top 10 list for sure.