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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
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