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mandareads1690's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.25
book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
3.5****
1920s Tennessee is the setting for this novel. Two Feathers (her stage name) is a Native American horsewoman who, determined to make her own way in the world, left her family’s Oklahoma ranch to join a Wild West show. Now she’s at the Glendale Park and Zoo in Nashville, performing twice a day as a horse diver. Her best friend at Glendale is Hank Crawford, a black man who tends the horses. When unexplained events begin occurring, Clive, the chief zookeeper, becomes involved. He is a veteran of World War I warfare and is haunted (literally and figuratively) by his experiences in the trenches.
What interesting characters! Verble weaves through elements of history not often covered in school from ancient bison tracks, to the forced expulsion of the Cherokee (Trail of Tears), to Jim Crow, to the desecration of ancient burial grounds, and to the effects of PTSD. She deftly incorporates magical realism, especially by using the ghost of Little Elk, a long-deceased warrior who longs to communicate with Two Feathers.
I was captivated by this unique story. All these characters had interesting journeys of self discovery, which required they to use intelligence, courage and perseverance. I absolutely loved Little Elk and cheered at his increasingly successful efforts to make his presence known. Two Feathers is a remarkable young woman – fiercely determined, intelligent, observant, loyal, resilient. Her personal journey is every bit as fascinating as Little Elk’s.
1920s Tennessee is the setting for this novel. Two Feathers (her stage name) is a Native American horsewoman who, determined to make her own way in the world, left her family’s Oklahoma ranch to join a Wild West show. Now she’s at the Glendale Park and Zoo in Nashville, performing twice a day as a horse diver. Her best friend at Glendale is Hank Crawford, a black man who tends the horses. When unexplained events begin occurring, Clive, the chief zookeeper, becomes involved. He is a veteran of World War I warfare and is haunted (literally and figuratively) by his experiences in the trenches.
What interesting characters! Verble weaves through elements of history not often covered in school from ancient bison tracks, to the forced expulsion of the Cherokee (Trail of Tears), to Jim Crow, to the desecration of ancient burial grounds, and to the effects of PTSD. She deftly incorporates magical realism, especially by using the ghost of Little Elk, a long-deceased warrior who longs to communicate with Two Feathers.
I was captivated by this unique story. All these characters had interesting journeys of self discovery, which required they to use intelligence, courage and perseverance. I absolutely loved Little Elk and cheered at his increasingly successful efforts to make his presence known. Two Feathers is a remarkable young woman – fiercely determined, intelligent, observant, loyal, resilient. Her personal journey is every bit as fascinating as Little Elk’s.
delia's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
3.5
jessicamcculloch's review against another edition
2.0
The ending? I felt there was no point to the book...
candacesiegle_greedyreader's review against another edition
4.0
Two Feathers (not her real name) is a young Cherokee woman who rides a diving horse into a tank at a popular 1920s park in Nashville. Two is a star, raised in a family that has been part of the famous 101Ranch wild west show for years. She's a hit with audiences, although most of her work colleagues are unsure how to treat someone who's not white and not black either.
Then, Two and her horse Ocher take off on one of their dives and seem to vanish into the earth as the tank collapses into one of Tennessee's many underground caves. Ocher is killed, Two is injured, and then there are the other strange things that start happening.
Margaret Verble creates a world where a popular and modern summer amusement park and spirits in an ancient cave mingle during one hot summer. It's magical, mysterious, and sad as well. Verble touches on Cherokee culture, black landowning culture, WWI PTSD, and more. This novel is different from anything you've probably ever read, and will stay with you.
Then, Two and her horse Ocher take off on one of their dives and seem to vanish into the earth as the tank collapses into one of Tennessee's many underground caves. Ocher is killed, Two is injured, and then there are the other strange things that start happening.
Margaret Verble creates a world where a popular and modern summer amusement park and spirits in an ancient cave mingle during one hot summer. It's magical, mysterious, and sad as well. Verble touches on Cherokee culture, black landowning culture, WWI PTSD, and more. This novel is different from anything you've probably ever read, and will stay with you.
emmaevns's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Racism
craftygoat's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed, mostly. Some good characters, some that were hard to read. Nice plot, & interesting history as well, with snapshots of racism & the layers of society. Maybe tried to do too much (for example, did the inclusion of the Scopes trial add anything? did we need to know the content of Two's letters to her family? the details of everyone's courtships?) I felt like it was a longer novel than it needed to be. Still, I'll probably look for other works from this author.
readertate's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
missberlyreads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0