Customer Reviews

She Who Remembers

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is quite possibly the best book I've ever read. "Let the Drum Speak" and "Voice of the Eagle" (which were written by the same author) were very good also. But "She Who Remembers" is my favorite in this series. As a matter of fact, I liked it so well that I've read it numerous times while waiting for something new to come out by Linda Lay Shuler. The reader is transported to another time and place and we hear a wonderful, intricate, and compelling story about the people living in that time and place. The book has many elements including adventure, romance, deceit and female rivalry. Reviews of many other books state "this book was hard to put down" but that statement is an especially fitting description of "She Who Remembers". I liked it even better than Jean Auel's books which is really saying something!

This is one of those books you just can't put down because you just gotta see what's going to happen next. By looking at her references in the back, I can tell Shuler did a lot of research for this book. Although many will say, that this book is not historically accurate. So who cares? We all need a little fantasy and imagination in our lives. What is the definition of fiction anyway? I would descibe this book as a mix of a historical novel that reads as a romance novel, a suspense novel, and even an erotic novel at times. This book is a must read. Actually, I just bought the second book today and plan on reading all three in the series.

This book is mesmerising. I could not put it down. This first book in a trilogy will grab you and keep you begging for more. You'll want to get a hold of the next 2 in this series. "Voice of an Eagle" and "Let the Drum Speak".

She Who Remembers, by Linda Lay Shuler, was a fabulous book on the lifestyles of Native Americans. Her use of imagery to portray the endless landscape of the plains adds a mystical allure to the story. The extensive research that went into the story was clear in Shuler's discription of the people and their lifestyles. The story of Kwani is moving, adventurous, and on the edge of your seat exciting. The story is romantic in parts and sad in others. If you do not believe in ancient magic and multiple Gods, you will by the end. Shuler's choice of diction to continually refer to the sun as sunfather and the moon as moonwoman etc., allows the reader to feel like they are actually inside of the story with the other characters. She portrays human instinct with conflict and lust. She proves that the pilgrims were not the first to create witches to solve why death and drought come upon a community. She Who Remembers is the number one novel on Americas prehistory.

Our neighborhood bar offers a free book exchange. We took it because of the comment by Jane Auel.(My husband loved her books.) I think "She Who Remembers" is a better story than the Clan books. The action takes place in 13th century America and creates a tale about the elusive Anasazi's. The story blends archeological data and Ameriand legend. It is action packed and a quick read. It hardly stops for a breath. I would reccommend it to any reader who enjoyed "Mists of Avalon.

I've always enjoyed learning about Native American life, but I hesitated at the start of this book, not thinking I would enjoy this long of a book on Native American historical fiction. I quickly learned how wrong I was. This book is fantasic. There is always something going on, not a boring telling of Native American life, but a constant adventure through the lives of various tribes and a brilliant development of special women and men of early American life. It gives an excellent telling of the hierarchy of the clans. I could not put this book down and so look forward to reading the two sequels.

i loved this book! linda lay shuler happens to be one of my favorite authors. after you read *she who remembers* which i might also add, you will not be able to put down. you will HAVE to go on to read the next 2 in the series, which are,
*voice of the eagle*, and then onto, *let the drum speak*
these are 3 of the best historical novels i have ever had the pleasure of reading. i guarantee you will not be able to put any of them down, once you begin to read them. you will fall in love with them!
pinkyvi

The story is slow in the beginning (stick with it), but towards the middle, expect all kinds of twists and turns. It kind of reminds me of Clan of the Cave Bear book. The story is similar with a woman that is adopted by a tribe that never accepts her differences. If you like the idea of learning what it might have been like to be a Native American in New Mexico, this has lots of details! She is a strong headed character that always seems to get herself into trouble. The main focus is not her romance with her male counter parts, but more a story of her trying to find her place in the world.

The story of Kwani and her voyage to find her heratage made an interesting story line that made me want the book to never end. I read it three years ago and to this day I still consider it my favorite book in the whole entire world. Linda Lay Shuler had a way of making Kwani's trouble fitting into her world so familiar but then again different in the since of time and the ways of life. I could not explain my love for this book enough all I know is that it made a person who didn't like to read take another look at books

Well, I've read the whole series 3 times now. I was only 13 the first time I read it, so it was much more interesting that time. But as I get older, I look at it as an interesting diversian. It was the first book of this genre I ever read, and I should say, that I am now addicted. I then went on to Clan of the Cave Bear, etc...

I agree somewhat with a previous reviewer, as I am also Wiccan, I found the witchcraft issue offensive. But I also realize that, although it seems offensive, it is a very accurate description of the beliefs of that time. Also, they had a different opinion of what made a "witch." As a Wiccan, we are more closely in tune with their Holy men and woman, not the "witches" witches to them, were evil spirits, and people, who seeked only to harm people, and gain for themselves, whereas Wiccans today, and the Holy men and woman of yesterday, seek to help people. Do what thou will but harm None.

This aside, let's get to the book itself.

Although I find the story very entertaining, Kwani's love life does indeed get very boring. It's just one man after another. And the issue about a Viking of that time is a little far fetched. But we call this genre Fiction for a reason.

I do find Shuler's theory on Kokepelli very interesting though. For the reason that the Anazasi, and similar tribes, did worship a Fertillity God... he was painted as a man with a flute, sometimes his penis was the flute. And so, she incorperated this into the story. I find the religion a little odd though, because the Anazasi seem to have worshipped this Kokepelli, and then it looks as though they converted to the Katchina's. Shuler mentions neither as a God/s. So what are they worshipping?

Actually, if someone is looking for a very good depiction of the Anazasi, I suggest Kathleen and Michael O'Neal Gear's books People of the Silence... very good indeed, and The Anazasi Mystery Series, also by them. They are historians and archaeologists, I find their books much more accurate, also they add a certain degree of speculation to get you thinking.

But in the end, She Who Remembers is an interesting story, losely based on a real artifact, the necklace, and it is an entertaining light read... especially for those with no interest in complete accuracy, only a fun book. Although, the last of the series Let the drum Speak, is not very good at all. A very weak ending to an otherwise, good story. I believe any good plot ended when a main male character dies... it's all down hill from there. So She Who Remembers, and the sequel Voice of the Eagle are interesting and fun, but the last is really very boring. I wonder why so many authors of this genre end their series with a story about the original characters children? It seems like a very weak way to wrap it up to me.