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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
This book tells the story of May Dodd and a group of brave young women who embark on a new life as the brides of Cheyenne warriors. It's loosely based on a little-known tidbit of history known as "Brides for Braves". The actual event never happened. However, it was suggested by the Cheyenne chief known as Little Wolf during a meeting with President Ulysses S. Grant.
adventurous
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus is a unique piece of historical fiction that imagines a fascinating “what if” scenario: what if, in the 1870s, the U.S. government actually agreed to a real-life proposal from a Cheyenne chief to exchange white women for horses in an attempt to promote peace and integration? Told through the fictional journals of May Dodd, a spirited and unconventional woman committed to an asylum for her free-spirited ways, the novel explores life among the Cheyenne Nation through her eyes. May Dodd is, without question, the novel’s greatest strength. She’s bold, observant, funny, and heartbreakingly human. Her voice carries the story with grit and grace, making her a character I truly rooted for. The dynamics among the women, their adaptation to Cheyenne life, and the cultural contrasts were some of the most compelling parts of the narrative. That said, the pacing was uneven. There were stretches where the plot lagged or got bogged down in overly detailed descriptions or side narratives that didn’t always feel necessary. While the overall premise is fascinating and the writing is often evocative, the story sometimes drifted into melodrama or romanticized portrayals that made it harder to stay immersed. Still, the book sparked reflection on identity, assimilation, and power. Mr. Fergus offers a lens into Native life that, while fictionalized, feels deeply researched and reverent in tone. If you’re a fan of historical fiction with strong female leads and a hint of the untold, this one may resonate. It wasn’t a fast-paced read, but May Dodd’s resilience and insight stayed with me long after the final page. I give this one 3 notebooks:📔📔📔
Loved the book, hated the audio book. Unfortunately the narrator isn’t believable. She’s too joyful I telling this story that begins with heartbreaking circumstances. She shows no emotion for having her two children taken from her and then being imprisoned in an asylum for simply going against her wealthy parents wishes. A listener would expect to hear heartbreak! I stopped listening after a few chapters as I just didn’t ‘believe’ the narrators journey.
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This is a great historical fiction read that plays out like it could have actually happened.
White Americans are beginning to move out west, expanding their territory, slaughtering buffalo and Native Americans and searching for gold. Conflict with Native Americans is growing. To bridge the gap between the two peoples, the US government agrees to “give” the Cheyenne’s 1,000 white women as brides. This is a piece of fiction, though in reality the idea was discussed (and denied) in the 19th century.
The story is told through journal entries, primarily those of a woman who agrees to marry a Cheyenne.
The voice wasn’t believable – it read like a modern woman wrote it, rather than someone who lived in the mid 1800s. There also wasn’t much in the way of story, just a lot of general information that the author threw in to describe the culture of the time. He did attempt a love story, which was cheap and sappy and made the story even harder to read. The idea was great, but the execution was poor.
I did finish it, though I can't remember why.
The story is told through journal entries, primarily those of a woman who agrees to marry a Cheyenne.
The voice wasn’t believable – it read like a modern woman wrote it, rather than someone who lived in the mid 1800s. There also wasn’t much in the way of story, just a lot of general information that the author threw in to describe the culture of the time. He did attempt a love story, which was cheap and sappy and made the story even harder to read. The idea was great, but the execution was poor.
I did finish it, though I can't remember why.
adventurous
challenging
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes