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3.37 AVERAGE
3.37 AVERAGE
What a neat book about a subject you don't often find in fiction! It reminded me of Jim Ferguson's 'One Thousand White Women'.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
I found the first chapter to be racist so I'll stop here.. Soli argues this is an extensively researched narrative that subverts the harmful "wild west" stereotype, but I totally disagree. It's clear from the first chapter that her research was done only in white libraries.
"On the heels of centuries of overwrought racist captivity narratives, why center a large part of a novel on a white woman taken captive and raped repeatedly? What does a writer like Soli owe, if anything, to the general balance of history?" -Sophie Haigney, SFGATE
"On the heels of centuries of overwrought racist captivity narratives, why center a large part of a novel on a white woman taken captive and raped repeatedly? What does a writer like Soli owe, if anything, to the general balance of history?" -Sophie Haigney, SFGATE
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Violence
Moderate: Racism, Sexual violence
More like 2.5.
This book initially started out with the POVs of the two female characters, Anne and Libbie. After about a third of the book, Custer began to take over the lion's share of the POVs (not what I signed up for), and then his brother Tom randomly started getting first-person POVs, which, like, why?
Unfortunately, Anne, whose POV I was most interested in, had the shortest chapters, and these were spaced far apart, until I was just pushing through Libbie and Custer's POVs to get to hers. I really wanted to know what happened to her, and
Although Anne and Libbie's paths do cross on a couple of occasions, there was only one scene of real interaction between them, and since it didn't have any impact on their journeys the reader is left to wonder why their stories needed to occupy the same book. Like, okay, I get it, the woman imprisoned in captivity versus the woman imprisoned in domesticity, but apart from that there was really nothing connecting the two, and I would have much rather read a book about Anne.
I also realized partway into The Removes that I had read another book by its author, The Lotus Eaters. The author is a talented writer, but her stories and characters (apart from Anne) just aren't as compelling to me.
This book initially started out with the POVs of the two female characters, Anne and Libbie. After about a third of the book, Custer began to take over the lion's share of the POVs (not what I signed up for), and then his brother Tom randomly started getting first-person POVs, which, like, why?
Unfortunately, Anne, whose POV I was most interested in, had the shortest chapters, and these were spaced far apart, until I was just pushing through Libbie and Custer's POVs to get to hers. I really wanted to know what happened to her, and
Spoiler
I can't believe the book actually ended with her being held captive in a barn (wow, full circle, so literary) after an escape attempt and we have no fucking idea what will happen to her next. Her story felt unfinished and lazy.Although Anne and Libbie's paths do cross on a couple of occasions, there was only one scene of real interaction between them, and since it didn't have any impact on their journeys the reader is left to wonder why their stories needed to occupy the same book. Like, okay, I get it, the woman imprisoned in captivity versus the woman imprisoned in domesticity, but apart from that there was really nothing connecting the two, and I would have much rather read a book about Anne.
I also realized partway into The Removes that I had read another book by its author, The Lotus Eaters. The author is a talented writer, but her stories and characters (apart from Anne) just aren't as compelling to me.
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
I found its perspective disappointing. Its main characters vilify Indigenous people, and there's nothing to balance this hackneyed caricature, even if modern readers should know better. In all cases, the few Indigenous characters who had names were stereotypes and were allowed few lines of dialogue--if any! I find this surprisingly out of touch in a book published in 2018. We've had racist captivity/frontier stories before--centuries of them, in fact--and yet the Removes focuses on the white tragedy of the period at the expense of the Cheyenne. That said, the writing was compelling enough that I finished it which is why I gave it a "2".
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Rape
All and all this was a beautifully written book that navigated the complexity and violence of the West during Custer’s life. A layer severely lacking in this narrative was the consultation of Native American primary sources and stories. Those are the narratives that need to be amplified widely.
Historical fiction that separately tells the stories of two women: George Armstrong Custer’s wife, Libbie, a real person, and Anne Cummins, a fictional character taken captive by the Cheyenne at age 15. Libbie’s story is based around her husband’s military career, as he rises through ranks, finds the limelight, and tackles various assignments. Anne’s story follows her assimilation into a new culture, as she migrates with and is traded to different tribes. As the story unfolds, we come to understand that Anne and Libbie have more in common than outward appearances would indicate.
The power in this novel is bringing to life a past time and place through the characters. I felt the characters were well-drawn, giving the reader insight into their motivations and feelings. The historical people are brought to life and felt nuanced and authentic. I enjoyed the author’s writing style. She vividly depicts the scenery, deprivations, and challenges of life in the 1860’s – 1870’s on the frontier, at military outposts, and in the tribal camps. By employing two related storylines, the author provides insight into almost all facets of life during the period. It was a brutal time in history and is depicted as such. Content warnings include graphic violence to people and animals, rape, starvation, mutilation, racism, and sexism. Recommended to readers that enjoy historical fiction of the period, or stories of life on the American frontier.
I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for a candid review. Publication date: June 12, 2018
The power in this novel is bringing to life a past time and place through the characters. I felt the characters were well-drawn, giving the reader insight into their motivations and feelings. The historical people are brought to life and felt nuanced and authentic. I enjoyed the author’s writing style. She vividly depicts the scenery, deprivations, and challenges of life in the 1860’s – 1870’s on the frontier, at military outposts, and in the tribal camps. By employing two related storylines, the author provides insight into almost all facets of life during the period. It was a brutal time in history and is depicted as such. Content warnings include graphic violence to people and animals, rape, starvation, mutilation, racism, and sexism. Recommended to readers that enjoy historical fiction of the period, or stories of life on the American frontier.
I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for a candid review. Publication date: June 12, 2018
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I admit this was a cover buy. The jacket and end paper designs are beautiful. The book not so much. This is a violent and difficult book about Custer in the American West. It includes atrocities of all kinds committed by the Calvary against the Native Americans, and violence committed by the Native Americans towards the whites taking over the Western plains. None of the main characters in this book are sympathetic, especially Custer himself. His wife, brother and a white woman who is captured at 15 by a tribe that slaughters her family are slightly more interesting. I agree with other comments that the book would be better if the author included a significant Native American Character with their own POV. Not my favorite.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Racism, Violence, Blood, War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape
adventurous
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Story of George Custer, his wife, and a white settler woman captured by Native Americans in the 1860s-70s. Normally really like fictional retellings of history, but this one seemed surface-level and pointless