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A review by norarosereadss
Daughters of the Deer by Danielle Daniel
4.0
This book is good. Set in the 1600s Daughters of the Deer is a heartfelt, raw story about an Algonquin woman, Marie, her settler husband, and their young daughter. The story begins when Marie’s village is raided, and she is encouraged by her chief to marry Pierre, a French settler, in order to help protect the village. Maries tells us about the early days of their marriage, and the welcoming of their first child Jeanne. Then, in the second half of the novel, we hear from Jeanne as an adolescent girl, and from Pierre, who’s Catholic beliefs are in conflict with his fatherly love for his daughter. The story is a beautiful tribute to Danielle Daniels ancestors, whose lives inspired the novel.
This is the author’s first novel, and I believe her storytelling can definitely improve. Within the story, there were a few moments when I would have preferred the author show us something, rather than tell it to us. The reader often knows something that the characters do not, and I think this takes away a bit from the magic of the story. For example, I would have been happy to have been left wondering what happened to Pierre in the woods, as Marie never finds out the truth. Personally, the story would have been a little more intriguing if Pierre's point of view was omitted. I think I would have preferred the author focused on the interweaving stories of mother and daughter. That said, this was an incredible read, and I look forward to seeing how the author grows and evolves in future works.
This is the author’s first novel, and I believe her storytelling can definitely improve. Within the story, there were a few moments when I would have preferred the author show us something, rather than tell it to us. The reader often knows something that the characters do not, and I think this takes away a bit from the magic of the story. For example, I would have been happy to have been left wondering what happened to Pierre in the woods, as Marie never finds out the truth. Personally, the story would have been a little more intriguing if Pierre's point of view was omitted. I think I would have preferred the author focused on the interweaving stories of mother and daughter. That said, this was an incredible read, and I look forward to seeing how the author grows and evolves in future works.