Thursday, December 26, 2013

The Spirit Keeper

Title: The Spirit Keeper Author: K.B. Laugheed Publisher: Plume Pages:341

From Amazon:
This is the account of Katie O’Toole, late of Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, removed from her family by savages on March the 2nd in the year of our Lord 1747

The thirteenth child conceived of miserable Irish exiles, Katie O’Toole dreams of a different life. Little does she know that someone far away is dreaming of her.
In 1747, savages raid her family home, and seventeen-year-old Katie is taken captive. Syawa and Hector have been searching for her, guided by Syawa’s dreams. A young Holyman, Syawa believes Katie is the subject of his Vision: the Creature of Fire and Ice, destined to bring a great gift to his people. Despite her flaming hair and ice-blue eyes, Katie is certain he is mistaken, but faced with returning to her family, she agrees to join them. She soon discovers that in order to fulfill Syawa’s Vision, she must first become his Spirit Keeper, embarking on an epic journey that will change her life—and heart—forever.

I loved this book. I fell into the story immediately. Young Katie O'Toole is caring for children in the attic room of her crowded pioneer home when she hears the blood chilling battle cry. Her family is being attacked by Indians.. She can do nothing but wait upstairs as she hears the chaos outside. Slowly she hears the warriors making their way toward the stairs...
Katie, her mom and sister are taken captive along with a few children. But why do two of the Indians (who look so differently from the others) stay so close to her and treat her preferentially? She soon learns that one of these braves is a visionary who saw her in a vision as a creature of fire and ice (red hair and blue eyes) and treks across the country to take her to his home. Katie must make a decision. Should she continue with the braves or return to a french fort with her mother and sister? Having suffered brutality every day of her life at the hands of her family, Katie takes her chances with the warriors. The story of their journey will leave you unable to put this book down. I learned so much about early pioneer life as well as early Native Americans. The juxtaposition of the two cultures as they make their way across a young America is fascinating. I wasn't ready for this book to end! 

Read this book if...
*you love historical fiction
*you love adventure novels
*you love stories about Native Americans and pioneers

No comments:

Post a Comment