The Arrow Over the Door
Joseph Bruchac, illustrated by James Watling
ISBN: 0803720785
Read Oct 20, 2014
A pacifist Quaker boy outside of Saratoga in 1777 is stung by accusations of cowardice in the face of the American Revolution, while an Abenaki boy (from what is now Canada) travels south to decide if his people will fight on the side of the distant King to punish his unruly colonists.
This is an interesting novelization of an actual historical event between Quakers and Native Americans. The author has done extensive research to puzzle out the actual records of the event, to reach past stereotypes and assumptions of the past to present a (hopefully) historically-accurate narrative of what may have happened.
What we KNOW: there was a Quaker (Friends) meeting where a notable friend of the Native Americans was visiting. A party of Native Americans with a prisoner arrived at the meeting house, discovered it full of friendly pacifists, and declared friendship with the people within, recognizing them as people of peace who would not be involved with the impending conflict. A Friend invited the guests to dine, and after dinner, they left, leaving the Friends and their belongings in peace.
On this historical framework, we get a nice (very slender) dual-narrative from two author-invented characters; the teen Friend and the teen Native, as they navigate their own consciousnesses and the responsibilities and expectations of their cultures and religions.
Very short, and raises lots of questions about intentions and cultural responsibility and personal growth, and doesn't really answer them in any depth; the ending is perfunctory and abrupt for the amount of buildup. That ending is actually a bit of a let-down, considering the time and care taken in establishing moods and personality and cultural perspectives for each boy.
Still, in addition to being a good look at both Friends and Abenaki culture, this is an interesting short vignette about the founding of America, from not one, but two marginalized and often-overlooked perspectives.
Showing posts with label Society of Friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Society of Friends. Show all posts
Monday, October 20, 2014
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Short Reviews: June 2013. Unnatural Creatures, Movement of Stars, Dragonswood, Written in Red
Written
in Red, Anne Bishop. ISBN: 978-0451464965
June 25, 2013
Author is very lucky for Charles de Lint's blurb on the back, otherwise the cover and inital "Brief History of the World" would NOT have interested me enough to pick it up. Oddly light in tone for the subject matter, only a few described scenes of torture/gore - everything else is insinuated. Very little background on the main character and her past. Interesting world, plot is standard "bunch of strong characters (mostly men) feel obligated to protect a persecuted innocent (usually a woman) to the death, despite cultural/historical/prejudical indications otherwise." Characters engaging despite the plot. Loved Winter, loved Grandfather, loved the ponies.
Dragonswood, Janet Lee Carey. ISBN: 0803735049 (no ISBN13)
June 24, 2013
"Sequel" to Dragon's Keep, with very few characters in common. (I have NOT read Dragon's Keep) Tess regularly flees her abusive homelife into the forbidden forests; home to dragons, feykin, and witches. She's eventually condemned as a witch, tortured, and flees with her friends into a fairly cliched story of huntsmen-cum-princes living in the woods, wise elder dragons, scheming fae, conniving "Prince John" councilors, and of course the requisite misunderstood prophecy. Enjoyed the fleeing and huntsmen-hiding more than the climax, sadly.
The Movement of Stars, Amy Brill. ISBN: 978-1594487446
June 16-22, 2013
Interesting fictionalized version of Maria Mitchell. I was very interested in the Quaker trappings and the adherance to "Discipline" but wasn't able to find more information on that subject easily. The love story was sweet, but very much out of place for those characters in that time-period, and that was jarring. Very feminist, almost strident. Good, but not exceedingly engaging.
Unnatural Creatures, (collected by) Neil Gaiman. ISBN: 978-0062236296
June 16-22, 2013
Short stories (very old and very new) collected and introduced individually by Gaiman. Exceedingly nice little collection, and very happy to see some older and lesser-known gems in the mix. Can't pick a favorite, but Sunbird has stuck in my mind for over a week now.
June 25, 2013
Author is very lucky for Charles de Lint's blurb on the back, otherwise the cover and inital "Brief History of the World" would NOT have interested me enough to pick it up. Oddly light in tone for the subject matter, only a few described scenes of torture/gore - everything else is insinuated. Very little background on the main character and her past. Interesting world, plot is standard "bunch of strong characters (mostly men) feel obligated to protect a persecuted innocent (usually a woman) to the death, despite cultural/historical/prejudical indications otherwise." Characters engaging despite the plot. Loved Winter, loved Grandfather, loved the ponies.
Dragonswood, Janet Lee Carey. ISBN: 0803735049 (no ISBN13)
June 24, 2013
"Sequel" to Dragon's Keep, with very few characters in common. (I have NOT read Dragon's Keep) Tess regularly flees her abusive homelife into the forbidden forests; home to dragons, feykin, and witches. She's eventually condemned as a witch, tortured, and flees with her friends into a fairly cliched story of huntsmen-cum-princes living in the woods, wise elder dragons, scheming fae, conniving "Prince John" councilors, and of course the requisite misunderstood prophecy. Enjoyed the fleeing and huntsmen-hiding more than the climax, sadly.
The Movement of Stars, Amy Brill. ISBN: 978-1594487446
June 16-22, 2013
Interesting fictionalized version of Maria Mitchell. I was very interested in the Quaker trappings and the adherance to "Discipline" but wasn't able to find more information on that subject easily. The love story was sweet, but very much out of place for those characters in that time-period, and that was jarring. Very feminist, almost strident. Good, but not exceedingly engaging.
Unnatural Creatures, (collected by) Neil Gaiman. ISBN: 978-0062236296
June 16-22, 2013
Short stories (very old and very new) collected and introduced individually by Gaiman. Exceedingly nice little collection, and very happy to see some older and lesser-known gems in the mix. Can't pick a favorite, but Sunbird has stuck in my mind for over a week now.
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