From School Library Journal
YAAThe early history of the encounter between the Real People, or Cherokee, and Western Europeans is vividly imagined in this latest saga by a prolific Cherokee writer. Using a few isolated but historically supported discoveriesAthe use of guns by Cherokees during the early European-American invasion, the ruins of an old Spanish gold mine in Cherokee country, the building of a Cherokee town on the site of an abandoned village near Jamestown, VAAthe author creates a fast-moving novel of how these things might have happened. It is told from the view point of War Woman, a name Whirlwind achieves through her extraordinary skills and abilities during each of the various events. This history parallels Whirlwind/War Woman's development from girlhood to maturity and eventually death. Cherokee beliefs, traditions, and way of life are interwoven throughout the story as the Real People come face to face with the beliefs, traditions, and customs of the invading peoples. This is an excellent novel that features strong female protagonists; there are also love interests and fierce battle scenes. It presents a Native American viewpoint of early American history and offers alternative explanations for some of the archaeological discoveries still not explained completely.ADottie Kraft, formerly at Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Kirkus Reviews
Conley (Mountain Windsong, 1992, etc.) continues to recreate and celebrate the history of the Cherokee people in fiction with this episodic, speculative story of War Woman and her adventures in the colonial period. Young Whirlwind becomes a witch in order to compensate for the ridicule she receives because her father was a Spaniard. She demonstrates her supernatural prowess by taming rattlesnakes and tornadoes. On a self-motivated expedition to open trade between her village of New Town and the Spanish colonists in Florida, she establishes relations with a benevolent commandant; but then her people are attacked by a wicked Spanish captain and his henchmen. Whirlwind proves her war-like abilities and is soon renamed War Woman. Twenty quiet years pass, and then the Spanish, in search of gold, arrive in New Town. The peaceful Cherokee cooperate reluctantly in the quest. Their fear of prolonged contact with the Europeans seem borne out when some of their young men, including Little Spaniard, War Woman's twin brother, fall helplessly into alcoholism. In the meantime, however, War Woman marries one of the Spanish traders, and the two peoples maintain a wary peace. The plot jumps forward again, to the moment when War Woman, now very old, uses her powers and wisdom to help her people struggle against the encroachment of English colonists from Jamestown. Though their victories are satisfying, they are not permanent, and the fate of the Cherokees seems sealed. Throughout the book, characterization lags behind a plodding plot, wooden dialogue, and little convincing historical detail. The Cherokee are universally brave, strong, handsome, noble, moral, and honest; the Europeans are avaricious, lecherous, crude, insensitive, cowardly, and criminal. There's much idealization here, but very little compelling description. --
Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
