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j_nell's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Well written. Great plot and character development. Audio reader does a great job with inflection and voice variation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Gun violence, Self harm, and Racism
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Miscarriage
kelly_e's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Title: Crow Mary
Author: Kathleen Grissom
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: June 6, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Powerful • Feisty • Reflective
📖 S Y N O P S I S
In 1872, sixteen-year-old Goes First, a Crow Native woman, marries Abe Farwell, a white fur trader. He gives her the name Mary, and they set off on the long trip to his trading post in Saskatchewan, Canada. Along the way, she finds a fast friend in a Métis named Jeannie; makes a lifelong enemy in a wolfer named Stiller; and despite learning a dark secret of Farwell’s past, falls in love with her husband.
The winter trading season passes peacefully. Then, on the eve of their return to Montana, a group of drunken whiskey traders slaughters forty Nakota—despite Farwell’s efforts to stop them. Mary, hiding from the hail of bullets, sees the murderers, including Stiller, take five Nakota women back to their fort. She begs Farwell to save them, and when he refuses, Mary takes two guns, creeps into the fort, and saves the women from certain death. Thus, she sets off a whirlwind of colliding cultures that brings out the worst and best in the cast of unforgettable characters and pushes the love between Farwell and Crow Mary to the breaking point.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I had only recently been made aware of Kathleen Grissom's highly praised novel The Kitchen House, so when I saw this was the buddy read for Historathon 4.0 I immediately added it to my November TBR with little knowledge of what it was even about. I am always up for historical fiction exploring something different than what I am used to.
Spanning decades, Grissom details the rich history of the Crow people, interweaving the intricacies of the natural world with very real characters. Goes First (aka Mary) is a wise, strong, and feisty woman. Throughout the story she grapples with ways to honour her heritage while living in among the 'Yellow Eyes'. I found it interesting how tribe dynamics were written into the narrative. This captivating story holds so much pain and heartbreak, yet it also has moments of hope and love.
In a genre so saturated with WWI and WWII stories, Crow Mary was a breath of fresh air. An underlying theme running throughout the narrative, and done fantastically, was friendship. The relationships Mary develops with some of the women were so powerful, and showcased the importance of community. I found myself rooting for these women. Additionally, I am not sure I have ever read a fiction novel where the alcoholism on the page is depicted so realistically.
Crow Mary is historical fiction at its finest! Kathleen Grissom is an incredibly gifted storyteller. She bases this story on a real person and details her research and collaboration with the MCs ancestors. The character development is handled with sensitivity and grace. There are a lot of really tough scenes, yet they accurately depict the tragedies of the times. It's equal parts emotional and informative. It's a story that will stay with me and that I would consider re-reading in the future. And this novel instantly made me want to read everything she has written. Highly, highly recommend!
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• historical fiction lovers
• readers who enjoy stories based on real people
• anyone with an interest in Indigenous stories
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"You don't have to be a warrior to be brace. Women are as brave as any warriors."
"'Will I ever be that brave?'
'You already are,' he said. 'It is the brave who tell the truth.'"
"There I sobbed, mourning the loss of what might have been."
"Out east they're starting to say that alcoholism is a sickness - a disease - and I'm wondering if maybe it is. I saw how hard he tried not to drink, but I didn't know how to help him any more than I knew how to help my own son."
Author: Kathleen Grissom
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: June 6, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Powerful • Feisty • Reflective
📖 S Y N O P S I S
In 1872, sixteen-year-old Goes First, a Crow Native woman, marries Abe Farwell, a white fur trader. He gives her the name Mary, and they set off on the long trip to his trading post in Saskatchewan, Canada. Along the way, she finds a fast friend in a Métis named Jeannie; makes a lifelong enemy in a wolfer named Stiller; and despite learning a dark secret of Farwell’s past, falls in love with her husband.
The winter trading season passes peacefully. Then, on the eve of their return to Montana, a group of drunken whiskey traders slaughters forty Nakota—despite Farwell’s efforts to stop them. Mary, hiding from the hail of bullets, sees the murderers, including Stiller, take five Nakota women back to their fort. She begs Farwell to save them, and when he refuses, Mary takes two guns, creeps into the fort, and saves the women from certain death. Thus, she sets off a whirlwind of colliding cultures that brings out the worst and best in the cast of unforgettable characters and pushes the love between Farwell and Crow Mary to the breaking point.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I had only recently been made aware of Kathleen Grissom's highly praised novel The Kitchen House, so when I saw this was the buddy read for Historathon 4.0 I immediately added it to my November TBR with little knowledge of what it was even about. I am always up for historical fiction exploring something different than what I am used to.
Spanning decades, Grissom details the rich history of the Crow people, interweaving the intricacies of the natural world with very real characters. Goes First (aka Mary) is a wise, strong, and feisty woman. Throughout the story she grapples with ways to honour her heritage while living in among the 'Yellow Eyes'. I found it interesting how tribe dynamics were written into the narrative. This captivating story holds so much pain and heartbreak, yet it also has moments of hope and love.
In a genre so saturated with WWI and WWII stories, Crow Mary was a breath of fresh air. An underlying theme running throughout the narrative, and done fantastically, was friendship. The relationships Mary develops with some of the women were so powerful, and showcased the importance of community. I found myself rooting for these women. Additionally, I am not sure I have ever read a fiction novel where the alcoholism on the page is depicted so realistically.
Crow Mary is historical fiction at its finest! Kathleen Grissom is an incredibly gifted storyteller. She bases this story on a real person and details her research and collaboration with the MCs ancestors. The character development is handled with sensitivity and grace. There are a lot of really tough scenes, yet they accurately depict the tragedies of the times. It's equal parts emotional and informative. It's a story that will stay with me and that I would consider re-reading in the future. And this novel instantly made me want to read everything she has written. Highly, highly recommend!
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• historical fiction lovers
• readers who enjoy stories based on real people
• anyone with an interest in Indigenous stories
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"You don't have to be a warrior to be brace. Women are as brave as any warriors."
"'Will I ever be that brave?'
'You already are,' he said. 'It is the brave who tell the truth.'"
"There I sobbed, mourning the loss of what might have been."
"Out east they're starting to say that alcoholism is a sickness - a disease - and I'm wondering if maybe it is. I saw how hard he tried not to drink, but I didn't know how to help him any more than I knew how to help my own son."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Death, Violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Alcohol, and Gun violence
Moderate: Kidnapping, Self harm, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Vomit and Animal death
sarah2's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A compelling story that kept my attention throughout. It is clear that research was done by the author to render this story thoughtfully and respectfully. The writing was clear and the voice of the protagonist well established from the first page. I thoroughly enjoyed this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, Xenophobia, Racism, and Rape
rachelkreadsbookz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit
serendipitysbooks's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Crow Mary was a satisfying historical fiction read. It’s based on the life of an indigenous woman Goes First who became known as Crow Mary after she married a white fur trader, and features real historical events including the little-known Cypress Hills Massacre. Crow Mary, as portrayed here, is a wonderful character - adventurous, intelligent, passionate, resourceful, loyal, determined, fierce and brave, qualities clearly demonstrated during the Cypress Hills Massacre when she single-handedly rescued a group of Nakoda women who had been kidnapped and raped by white traders. I always enjoy reading about a strong female protagonist, especially those overlooked by traditional history.
Crow Mary’s story unfolds against a background of rapid change forced on the Crow and other Native American people by the expanding white population and their insatiable demand for land and power. Among the most egregious to impact Mary and her family were traders, alcohol, reservations and residential schools. The portrayal of the increasing impact white society had on the traditional Crow way of life, not to mention the vulnerability of the Crow people to white injustice was one of the strong points of the novel.
This book was written by a white author. She had done a lot of research and consulted widely with Crow people including some of Mary’s descendants. An author’s note separates fact from fiction and outlines the care she took to tell Mary’s story in a culturally respectful way which I appreciated. However, the story is inevitably told through a white lens for a predominantly non-indigenous readership. I hope that readers who enjoy it will take the time and effort to seek out own voices indigenous stories. I know I’ve got several lined up.
Crow Mary’s story unfolds against a background of rapid change forced on the Crow and other Native American people by the expanding white population and their insatiable demand for land and power. Among the most egregious to impact Mary and her family were traders, alcohol, reservations and residential schools. The portrayal of the increasing impact white society had on the traditional Crow way of life, not to mention the vulnerability of the Crow people to white injustice was one of the strong points of the novel.
This book was written by a white author. She had done a lot of research and consulted widely with Crow people including some of Mary’s descendants. An author’s note separates fact from fiction and outlines the care she took to tell Mary’s story in a culturally respectful way which I appreciated. However, the story is inevitably told through a white lens for a predominantly non-indigenous readership. I hope that readers who enjoy it will take the time and effort to seek out own voices indigenous stories. I know I’ve got several lined up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Rape, Alcoholism, Gun violence, and Racism
transcending_chels's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, and Alcoholism
cflems's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
This reads as somewhere between a slow and medium paced book. Definitely not gripping or one I’ll tell my friends they HAVE to read, but it gives some insight into indigenous Crow life and fur trading. Crow Mary is an interesting and reliable narrator, and it is natural to love her and her story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War and Rape
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