Historical Fiction Review: The Spirit Keeper by K.B. Laugheed

The Spirit Keeper by K.B. Laugheed 


Egalley thanks to Plume

Synopsis from Goodreads
A fiery frontier woman falls deeply in love with her Native American captor on an epic journey

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.

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9/10

* *  *
The Spirit Keeper is such a lovely, exquisite, unexpectedly touching book, that it almost left me in tears.



Katie is a poor Irish uneducated eighteen-year-old girl whose only dream in an early colonist America is to escape the drudgery of her life. Be careful what you wish for because when she is captured by a pair of Indian savages she is given the opportunity to change her life completely.

Syawa is a Seer of his tribe and he's been travelling for two years looking for the Creature of Fire and Ice who will bring the gift of Immortality to his People. When he sees Katie with her fiery red hair and clear blue eyes on a raid to the colonist farm, he knows that he at last found her and it's up the the young woman to make her choice and go on an epic journey with him and his silent and grumpy bodyguard "Hector".

Katie is completely taken with a gentle, smiling Syawa and decides to escape the misery of her living with the family which totally hates her without understanding the complexity of her decision, thinking only that Syawa wants to take her as his wife.

They go on their epic journey where every village on their way greets Syawa as a Prophet and celebrates his story of finding the Creature of Fire and Ice, and by the time Katie starts to  understand the complexity of her role and her decision there is no turning back.

This is a book about a pure cultural clash, wonderful nuances of two very different languages, self-search and love. It's profound, it's tender and it's beautiful. If you are in the mood for a bit of Last of The Mohicans slash Pocahontas, go for it. It's lovely, touching and unhurried; the characterisation is gorgeous.

* * *
Красивая, милая, сентиментальная книга, что чуть ли не оставила меня в слезах.

Кейти, дочка ирландских иммигрантов, ранних колонистов Америки, и единственное о чём она мечтает, это сбежать и начать новую жизнь вдали от своей семьи. Пути Господни неисповедимы, и её мечта сбывается очень странным образом.

Сиава - пророк своего племени, который вот уже два года ищет Существо Пламени и Льда, которое по его видениям подарит его народу Бессмертие. Когда он принимает участие в набеге на поселение, где живёт Кейти, вместе с племенем, где его приняли с почётом в его странствиях, то один взгляд на Кейти с её пламенными волосами и голубыми глазами и он знает, что она - Существо из его видений.

 Кейти не понимает чего хочет от неё улыбающийся индеец с добрыми глазами и вечно хмурым телохранителем "Гектором" и думая, что он хочет взять её в жёны соглашается на совершенно эпичное двухгодичное путешествие вместе с ним и его другом.

И только когда она потихоньку начинает учить язык Сиавы и его обычаи, она с ужасом осознаёт на что она на самом деле согласилась.

Носитель Духа - книга необычная, очень добрая и пронзительная. Она о столкновении таких непохожих культур, самопоиске, вере и любви. Герои превосходно выписаны, сюжет продвигается неторопливо, и книга меня эта как-то совершенно неожиданно очаровала, поэтому рекомендую от всей души. Читайте!

Comments

  1. Ah. I love this! I'm definitely checking it out, K. I haven't had any good historical experience in a long time but this one just might break the slump.

    Great review, luv.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great review, but I don't think it is for me. Glad you loved it.

    ReplyDelete

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