You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'
The True Story of Pocahontas: The Other Side of History by Dr. Linwood “Little Bear” Custalow, Angela L. Daniel "Silver Star"
1 review
emotional
informative
fast-paced
This is a very quick read that details not only the life of Matoaka, otherwise known as Pocahontas, but the history surrounding her people, the Powhatan. This is the written down version of oral Mattaponi history. For so long another version has been told about her, and this gives the other side, which I choose to believe is the more accurate version.
What this novel does is not only tell the history, but give reasons to debunk claims made from others through “historical records.” Such as with how Native children were raised in Powhatan society and how their world was structured. One point that stood out to me was how Pocahontas (which I will call her since she chose the name for herself after her mother) probably had little interaction with John Smith until she was a bit older, and even then under watchful eye because of her place as the daughter of the most affluent person in all of their tribes. This was because of how children are raised, and helps show that claims made by John Smith of her saving his life were likely false.
There is also so much I learned from this. I thought I had a good understanding of her history, but this showed how much I didn’t know. Like her mother passing and choosing her name, or being her father’s favorite daughter and his role among the Powhatan. Or how the kidnapping actually took place, and the life she was living before then. I also did not know she was murdered, having believed she did sucumb to tuberculosis. Which we know to be untrue because her sister who essentially raised her was there to relay what happened back to their people.
My one complaint would be extreme repetition. So much was repeated, but I felt it was important at times to really set the scene and remind everyone why certain decisions were made or how everything worked. It leaves very little doubt for anyone to go back and pick apart claims because it is laid out precisely and distinctly.
Overall, it was an interesting read and I am going to be recommending highly.
What this novel does is not only tell the history, but give reasons to debunk claims made from others through “historical records.” Such as with how Native children were raised in Powhatan society and how their world was structured. One point that stood out to me was how Pocahontas (which I will call her since she chose the name for herself after her mother) probably had little interaction with John Smith until she was a bit older, and even then under watchful eye because of her place as the daughter of the most affluent person in all of their tribes. This was because of how children are raised, and helps show that claims made by John Smith of her saving his life were likely false.
There is also so much I learned from this. I thought I had a good understanding of her history, but this showed how much I didn’t know. Like her mother passing and choosing her name, or being her father’s favorite daughter and his role among the Powhatan. Or how the kidnapping actually took place, and the life she was living before then. I also did not know she was murdered, having believed she did sucumb to tuberculosis. Which we know to be untrue because her sister who essentially raised her was there to relay what happened back to their people.
My one complaint would be extreme repetition. So much was repeated, but I felt it was important at times to really set the scene and remind everyone why certain decisions were made or how everything worked. It leaves very little doubt for anyone to go back and pick apart claims because it is laid out precisely and distinctly.
Overall, it was an interesting read and I am going to be recommending highly.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, War
Minor: Slavery, Death of parent
Poisoning, depression.