Customer Reviews

Woman of a Thousand Secrets

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Tonina hails from an island where she doesn't belong. Found in a basket plucked from the sea, she is raised by an elderly couple who recognize her many differences and send her on a concocted mission to find a healing flower. The real purpose for this mission is for Tonina to find her true people and homeland. As she travels across the sea and through the jungles of Central America, she encounters a strange speechless boy, a one-eyed dwarf, and a local hero named Kaan. When circumstances beyond their control force Kaan and Tonina to undertake a long arduous journey together, Tonina begins to learn that the question of her origins may be more complex than she has imagined. As the dangerous mission through the wilds continues, her group attracts a myriad of followers and she and her party encounter ancient tribes, abandoned religious ruins, and deadly enemies bent on destruction. Along with a set of breathtaking discoveries, Tonina discovers that one of her number will be an unlikely ally and friend, and this unexpected partnership may shape the course of her life, forever altering her destiny.

The story of Tonina and her journey was an extremely interesting take on early Mayan and Aztec civilizations. From cultural adversities between tribes, to the religious aspects of the region, the book was an all-encompassing look at a part of world that doesn't get much notice. I found the level of detail of all aspects of the society very engrossing. The book had a directness in tone that made the information particularly entertaining, and although most of the people in the book were fictional, the society and some of the characters portrayed were not. I was amazed to learn of the advancement of the Mayan people in regards to everything from time calculation to cosmetic body enhancements. The religious beliefs of the Mayans and Aztecs were very similar to some of the fundamental truths of Western religion. Most of my enchantment with this book came from depth of the cultural detail and the ability of the author to convey this forgotten culture.

This book was dense with characters, but never became confusing or crowded despite their colorful, in-depth portrayals. I particularly enjoyed the saucy character of One-Eye, the dwarf, and Ha'meen, the aging wizened child who oversaw the palace gardens. Although Tonina's character could be too naive and trusting at times, her intelligence and resourcefulness canceled out her other flaws. Throughout the story she was genuine and kind hearted, even when circumstances were against her. Only the character Brave Eagle (the speechless boy) seemed out of place. He, in my opinion, was underutilized in the story, and it was a bit confusing to finally see the worthiness of his character apart from being used as a plot contrivance.

The first section of this book, which deals with Tonina's exodus from the island where she was raised, was the only shaky part of the story. It seemed rushed, and the circumstances of Tonina's alienation from the other island dwellers was never fully explained, except that she was different from them physically. I didn't really understand the hostility of some of the others on the island when they reacted to an ordinary occurrence and made it a source for anger and revenge. It was clear that Tonina needed to leave the island, but the catalyst for that conclusion seemed forced and unnatural. This, in my opinion, was the low spot in the book, and because of it, I found it harder to immerse myself in the story. The later sections were more engaging and believable and I found my interest in the story picked up after the first few chapters.

Despite some minor setbacks with plot and character, this was ultimately an enjoyable book. I found it had an odd, irresistible pull to it, and I read along with fervor to find out what would happen next. There were many twists and turns to the tale that were both unexpected and fascinating, and this made up for the previous missteps. This book was an interesting departure from those that I normally read, and I would recommend it for those who would enjoy a peek into primitive Mayan and Aztec culture.

Barbara Wood disappoints me for the first time. I was excited about this novel as it takes place among the Tainos and the Mayans in the days before Columbus. Tonina is abandoned on an island as a baby and raised by the natives despite her obvious differences. At 21, they send her off on a "quest" for a special flower, hoping she will find her real tribe. She ends up in Mayapan and meets a ball player and a one eyed midget and this crazy fantasy like adventure starts. It strikes me as the kind of story that you would read to your kids before bed, rather than an adult novel. She even rescues a boy that becomes an eagle. Little too "fantasy land" for my taste. I also noticed a drastic difference in writing style. Normally in Wood's novels, the reader really gets intimate and in depth with her heroines. However, in this one, I failed to get a real feel for Tonina as the story was told in such an offhand, impersonal way.

This was an enjoyable enough read, but ultimately I found it slightly disappointing. The best part was the evocative setting: the characters journey through lush jungles and ruined cities in the time of the Maya. Unfortunately, though, the author wasn't content to let us experience this world through the eyes of the characters. We were constantly jerked back to a modern, European-based worldview by phrases like "Guama could not begin to guess that on this important day... the country of the goblet's origin was referring to this seasonal cycle as the Year of Our Lord 1323" or "the mountain town of Cuauhnahuac... which a future race of men would alter to Cuernevaca, deeming it more pronounceable". One of the worst interruptions came when a character saw a vast number of orange and black butterflies and interpreted it as an omen from the gods, "not knowing that she was witnessing the annual migration of a butterfly that would one day be called 'monarch,' and that these millions of butterflies had just ended a flight of three thousand miles, begun in the far north at a place someday to be called the Great Lakes." What bothered me most was how unnecessary this was; the reader is perfectly capable of recognizing a black and orange butterfly as a monarch, and the monarch's migrations are likewise fairly common knowledge. It was like the author had done her research and wanted to make sure everyone knew it, rather than letting her knowledge remain subtly in the background.

The characters suffered from a certain lack of subtlety, too; the good guys are unfailingly honourable and the bad guy is completely delusional. The issues they faced were also fairly standard: people had to accept their true selves so that love could triumph in the face of adversity. The best way to describe my objection to this might be to say that it felt too much like a typical women's book.

Still, despite focusing on the negatives here, I certainly don't regret the time spent on this book, and would consider reading another by the same author. It was worth it for the setting alone, and the storyline did hold my attention. So although it wasn't exceptional, it definitely wasn't a bad book either.

I won't give you a synopsis of the book, but what I will tell you is that not only is my mind opened to the amazing Aztec and Mayan cultures, I was delighted by how easily the story came to me. Even as detailed and voluminous as the book is, I never once was confused or over-whelmed. I found myself unable to put it down, wanting to know what would happen next to Tonina and Kaan. The narrative kept me on the edge of my seat, and I felt very satisfied at the end, which a lot of storytellers struggle with.

I am not a history buff by any means, but I found the historical significance here fascinating and easy to follow. It made me excited to connect the story with real history.

I would definitely recommend this to any book-lover!

The other reviews already featured here have covered the storyline, so I won't (besides, I'm always afraid of giving away the ending!). But I've read nearly everything that Barbara Wood has written (including her books as Kathryn Harvey), and she just gets better as she goes. I was enthralled with this story. The only thing missing from it were illustrations; based on Barbara's descriptions of people and landscape, they'd have made gorgeous artwork. This book definitely had a pull to it that made me not want to put it down.

The year is 1323 and this historical novel begins on a small island off of the coast of Cuba called Pearl Island. Tonina is twenty-one years old and lives with her Grandparents, but she is not related to them. When she was a baby she was found floating in a watertight basket by the islanders and has been raised among them. Unfortunately, as much as her foster Grandparents love her they cannot protect her from being ostracised from the rest of the group because of her differences. They are short and dark-skinned, she is tall with golden skin and light hair. She will never find a mate on the island where she is considered ugly. So, in order to encourage her to leave the island, her Grandmother makes up a quest and sends her in search of a mythical healing red flower.

Her journey will take her to mainland Central America and plunge her into the Mayan culture. She meets other travellers and forms friendships and bonds but always remembers her quest. Along with new friends and making some enemies, she travels in the ancient jungles and high mountains of Guatemala and Mexico. She survives many trials but along the way learns about her family and her heritage.

I found the descriptions of Mayan cities and people fascinating. The myths of the cultures of the time, as described in the book, bear a striking resemblance to Christianity. It was interesting to read that an early group of people, before the time of Columbus, had myths including a legendary bearded white man whom they belived would return at the time of their greatest need.

I really enjoyed this book, the first I have read by Barbara Wood. I look forward to reading more of her novels.

I have read and loved many of Barbara Wood's novels. This one not so much. The surprises were outlandish and the end predictable. I did enjoy the setting and history, which has always been one of her strong points.

It's clear early on in this novel that Tonina and Kaan are destined to be the power couple of the early Aztec culture. Alas, fate keeps intervening in their love affair. Tonina has arrived on the shores of the Yucatan peninsula from an island near Cuba, where she'd washed ashore in a basket as an infant. She is considered ugly by the islanders. We know she is ugly because she is described as being tall and slender with long slim legs, honey-colored skin, great hair, and high cheekbones. Kaan, who is another displaced soul - in the Mayan culture - is considered a bit odd-looking himself. He resembles Fabio, only with darker hair. Once they've met, of course they can't stand each other's company. That, as you may have guessed, changes. All seriousness aside, this would be little more than a standard paperback historical romance were it not for a truly epic story (involving lots of quests), interesting supporting characters, and fine descriptions of life in an exotic time and place. As always, Ms. Wood has an engaging narrative style and knows how to make the reader care about the people and events in her tale. Overall, an enjoyable read.

This book is definitely an epic adventure filled with excitement from start to finish. It is set in AD 1300's which were pre-columbian times. This is a rich story filled with beautiful descriptions and details as well as strong characters. Tonina leaves the safety of her island to a new land, the land of Maya. This is where we learn much based on the Mayan and Aztec cultures with details on culture , customs and religious beliefs of the times. The book details the people and relationships she is involved with and which is very engrossing. The cast of characters are diverse and there are many favorites such as One eye the dwarf whose character is ever changing and H'men the wise aged child who oversees the palace garden. She has great knowledge and wisdom of plants and their healing properties. There are many myths and legends that are disclosed and presented in an interesting way and I often found many parallels to Christianity. The book held my interest throughout with the exception of a short period 3/4 of the way through the book that dragged out a bit too long but then picked up again and held my interest through the end.

Not having much knowledge about Central American geography, or history, or the mythology of the peoples native to that region, I can only assume that Barbara Wood has done her research. And if you want an easy-to-read primer on any of those subjects, this would be a great book to read.

If you're looking for really great characters, though, this is probably not the book for you. For the first two-thirds of the book the two main characters go back and forth every few pages between "I can't wait to get away from" and "How can I possibly live without" the other. While the two of them are filled with angst, the third main character is constantly plotting their individual downfalls in the background. I couldn't help but think of him as a Mayan Wile E. Coyote, but I don't think Wood meant him to be so ridiculous.

Still, the story's pretty good. I did want to find out what happened at the end. And I was pleased that Wood opted against wrapping everything with a pretty bow. It's a mostly happy ending, although not entirely, and I was particularly impressed with how she didn't answer every single question, but also didn't leave me with the feeling that there were a lot of loose ends.