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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was Montana. What an impressive novel. It feels like quite the feat tell such a comprehensive story of the Blackfeet tribe in the Montana territory - and from so many different POVs! I really appreciated peppering in the day to day drama in the tribe while also tracking the arc of the wall closing in on the Pikunis - between the Napikwans, small pox, and the drastic thinning of the herds that keep these folks fed. I'd recommend to anyone looking to read an own voices story about indigenous people in America, particularly in the time right after the Civil War, when white colonizers (called seizers or Napikwans here) shifted their focus to stealing land from as many tribes as possible, as quickly as they could.
So much of what I experienced reading this novel is caught up in my experience as a progressive or "evolved" man of the 21st century, ultra-aware of the abuses of every minority in the American experience of progress, including unfortunately natives and women. So, when I read the world of Fools Crow through the lens of a 1986 Welch, some of me guiltily gulps at the abuses of the systems of power that dictate Pikuni society. Women are placed at the bottom of this power ladder, and Welch does not spare the harsh realities of the feminine sphere in western aboriginal societies, showing how rape, slavery, and polygamy rip apart the psyches of the female characters. Though there isn't a condemnation of these realities, Welch also doesn't condone them; even more impressive is that the female characters have such depth and agency despite the fact that they have very little power outside of the family or a few select roles at religious festivals. I could see Welch or this book being heavily criticized in the era of the #metoo movement, but Welch leaves room for subtlety instead of reactionism in abuses of these areas, which seems more in line with actual life than a political movement.
There are some who would say that this is just another story highlighting the standard theme of the "noble savage" that is being swept aside by the evils of Western Civilization, and it is true that Fools Crow lives a blessed life that is almost always on the upswing. Still, I don't think it is just another thinly veiled attempt to celebrate the life of native ways too soon taken away. Fools Crow is a complex character living in a complex time, and Welch does much to show that not all that occurs with his protagonist is good or even acceptable to himself or his tribe. Fools Crow is simply a man who is lucky and strong, so if that makes him a "noble savage," so be it.
Lastly, this book is firmly a "book of the West." It describes the landscape of Montana in a richly poetic tone that is consistent with the beauty of the landscape. The prairies are more than grasslands and even the war lodge locations, buttes, and river valleys/crossings all have their own emotional and spiritual significance. What is even more impressive about these descriptions are that they don't just come from the mountain meadows of the Rockies or Backbone but in the common places or wintry drabness of the real-life dwelling places of the Pikuni. This is a major win for Welch and his narrative of describing the plainness of the lives of the Pikuni tribe amidst the struggles of the changing socio-political landscape.
A masterful novel that deserves a place in the trophy case of western literature.
There are some who would say that this is just another story highlighting the standard theme of the "noble savage" that is being swept aside by the evils of Western Civilization, and it is true that Fools Crow lives a blessed life that is almost always on the upswing. Still, I don't think it is just another thinly veiled attempt to celebrate the life of native ways too soon taken away. Fools Crow is a complex character living in a complex time, and Welch does much to show that not all that occurs with his protagonist is good or even acceptable to himself or his tribe. Fools Crow is simply a man who is lucky and strong, so if that makes him a "noble savage," so be it.
Lastly, this book is firmly a "book of the West." It describes the landscape of Montana in a richly poetic tone that is consistent with the beauty of the landscape. The prairies are more than grasslands and even the war lodge locations, buttes, and river valleys/crossings all have their own emotional and spiritual significance. What is even more impressive about these descriptions are that they don't just come from the mountain meadows of the Rockies or Backbone but in the common places or wintry drabness of the real-life dwelling places of the Pikuni. This is a major win for Welch and his narrative of describing the plainness of the lives of the Pikuni tribe amidst the struggles of the changing socio-political landscape.
A masterful novel that deserves a place in the trophy case of western literature.
medium-paced
Fools Crow is a fascinating depiction of Native American life at the end of the 19th century. It tells the story of Fools Crow, a young man who is initially a bit of a bumbling outcast, but gains confidence and the trust of his tribe as he succeeds in horse raids, hunting, and medicine. Fools Crow and his tribe are dealing with the incursions of white people into their territory: the book portrays the culture clash between the Native Americans and the whites, and the utter hopelessness and bafflement of the Natives in dealing with whites.
The depiction of Native American culture is very vivid and in-depth: marriage practices, dream visions, hunting, raiding, discipline, relations between tribes. It is a very complete view of Native American life. Unfortunately, there is less coherence in the story line. The story meanders, and the ending feels very sudden and unsatisfactory.
Overall, this was a very interesting book, and I'm glad I read it, but it was more interesting as a study of Native American life than as a story.
Honestly, I wanted to enjoy this book but immediately after starting it I was put-off by a few things. It's written in a way that includes way too much detail - I don't need to know the particulars of how strongly the wind blew and in which direction, or the perfect way to carve something! I wanted to read fiction, not a guide book. Fool's Crow is also incredibly male-centric which didn't surprise me as it was written in the 80s by a man, but it still disappointed me. The only time it was written from a girl's perspective was to describe the ways her body had changed and how young men perceived her differently. What about the girl, though? And then, the final straw: one of the men in the book rapes a teenage girl for no reason other than the fact that she was there and he felt like it - keep in mind that this book is written by a man. The scene was disgusting and clearly not written in a sensitive way. It wasn't to make a point; it was just normal. If you're interested in fiction about Native American culture, read There There by Tommy Orange. Not this!
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot