Another 5 star read from Kathleen Grissom!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for this advanced readers copy. Crow Mary published June 2023.

This is one of the best books I ever expect to read in my lifetime, and I don't know if anything I write can do it justice. Over the course of the book, you see how life changes for the indigenous peoples of the northwest and never for the better. Goes First was the real name of the woman later known as Crow Mary.

The first part of the book is about Goes First's life with her family and tribe, and their customs. Reading raptly, I fell into the rhythm of the nomadic life of the Crow - following the buffalo and game, visiting spots where they knew that food or medicinal plants grew, back in the days with the buffalo herds were vast and the earth shook under the thunder of their hooves. I had not realized that the herds changed the very ecology of the land.

When Goes First and Abe Farwell married, the preacher refused to put her 'heathen' name on the marriage license and suggested 'Mary'. Since there was more than one Mary in their group, she became known as Crow Mary. She and Abe were mostly happy, despite his intermitent drinking problem, until he broke her trust completely. He never broke her spirit.

I received an e-arc of this book from Atria Books via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

I was so excited to read this book and it did not disappoint! I had a major hangover after reading it. The characters and setting just leap off the page. This book is well research and the writing is top notch with amazing detail. I could not put it down.

This is an auto read author for me. Her take on historical events coupled with excellent writing make for a great reading experience. Like her other books, this one includes some very hard to read history. The treatment of the native people was horrific. Crow Mary was incredibly brave woman to face down murderers. I loved learning about native traditions but it was hard to read about the brutality they faced.

It’s 1872 and 16-year-old Goes First, a Crow girl, finds herself marrying a White fur trader. His name is Abe Farwell and after she becomes his wife, she comes to be known as Crow Mary. Based on a true story, Mary leaves her family behind and tries to bridge the gap between the Indian and White ways. She wants her children to fit in and know how to speak English, but she also wants them to speak her language and learn her Native ways.

Grissom tackles many issues such as alcohol abuse, Native children being sent to boarding schools to learn White ways, cruelty toward Indigenous people and constant animosity and bigotry. Mary takes a stand to save members of another tribe when an atrocity takes place. While others turn their backs, she takes action. She is strong willed and a good shot – someone who should not be trifled with.

The real Mary’s life is a springboard to uncover the hardships and cruelty inflicted by the settlers who deem the land to be their rightful property. Their condescension toward the Indians and their culture becomes outrageous as children are stolen from their families and sent away for re-education. Tribal lands are also stolen and there are no consequences for raping and murdering indigenous people.

Mary refuses to be cowed and stands up for her beliefs. Though forced to submit to many of the harsh realities of the treatment of people like her, she continues to uphold her traditions. Her relationship with Farwell undergoes a great transformation and yet she stands strong. A compelling tale of the struggle against inequality and abuses by usurpers who hold the reins of power.

Why is this book not on all the great lists of 2023?
I DEVOURED this book. Definitely one of my best reads of 2024. Based on a true story.
Goes First lives her strong Crow tribe - deep in traditions, lore and pride. After a tragedy, Goes First agrees to marry Abe Farwell. The truth of an Ingenious woman's experience in Montana in the 1870's - harsh weather, harsh stereotypes, harsh treatment, total lack of justice and law, sexism.
Crow Mary rose up to each challenge, felt her fear, and did it all.
This book will stay with me for a long time.

I had really high expectations of this book b/c I adored Grissom's first 2 books. While I don't know as though this one quite lived up to my expectations it was still a very intriguing book. I think Grissom was trying to stay as close to the true story as possible and b/c of that wasn't able to spin a tale like in her previous books. Not a new favorite, but still a solid read.

US pub date: 6/6/23
Genre: historical fiction
Quick summary: Goes First leaves her Crow community to marry Abe Farwell, who names her Mary, and move to Saskatchewan. Despite their early love, he resents her desire to remain connected to her Crow heritage, forcing her to make difficult decisions for herself and her children.

I heard about this book from some trusted bookstagrammers, and I can't believe it took me so long to read it! The story is sweeping in setting given the travel through Canada and the many years of Mary and Abe's lives, but it's also intimate in its exploration of her feelings. I enjoyed learning about the customs of the Crow and seeing how Mary kept her culture in her life. There is a lot of darkness in the narrative as the Crow were pushed onto reservations, but it's important to understand these atrocities, and I'm glad I learned about the real-life woman the story is based on. 4+ stars.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Crow Mary is a fascinating look into the life of a woman forced to leave her life and culture to make a life with her new husband. Her bravery and tenacity were unlimited. Crow Mary is for lovers of historical fiction, memoirs, and champions of strong women.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

This historical fiction take on a real-life Native American woman in post-Civil War Montana shocked me. I didn't know any of this history and am glad I got to learn about the indigenous experience at that time. This is a touching and beautiful story written with sensitivity and grace.

Thanks to Atria for the copy to review.

I really enjoyed this book and am so thankful to have an early copy! I was worried this one wouldn't live up to the hype, but it definitely did! ! Thank you so much to netgalley for this advanced readers copy!

Crow Mary broke my heart in so many ways but at the same time brought such a vivid description of the way of life for Indigenous back then. The hardships that Crow Mary had to endure. The demons her husband Abe struggled with made me at times want to reach out and wring his neck. Mary deserved more but her whole life she fought for what was right and just. I have been in the world of Thrillers for a long time so reading a historical fiction (which also was woven from facts) was a nice palate changer for me. I very much enjoyed this novel and wished I would have picked it up sooner!

I would like to thank @netgalley for the opportunity to read this advanced readers copy.

My reviews can be found:
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A fictionalized version of the life of a real Crow woman who lived in the late 1800s, early 1900s. A time when women had no say over their lives and a Crow woman even less. Mary is traded in marriage to a white fur trader in exchange for weapons to protect her tribe, a fair trade in her father's eyes. Mary is lucky in the fact that her husband values her and treats her well most of the time. The story follows Mary and her husband and children as they move Canada and Montana. Their lives will intersect with many travellers along the way, some become friends, some become enemies. Her family would settle in Crow territory and face the wide spread prejudice of the times. Her story is just one example of the many injustices suffered by the native peoples during this era.
Crow Mary's story includes her rescue of Nakota women who were taken captive after the slaughter of their tribe. She would go against her husband and the prevailing laws to save these women from slavery and worst. Her bravery tells it's own story of this woman's character.

I absolutely loved this book! The story of Crow Mary was not one I was familiar with at all and I so appreciated the way Grissom wrote the story. It was so well researched and she made sure to get help from members of the Crow tribe. I felt like I stepped into their world while reading this book and I give it 5 stars. Crow Mary was an incredible woman who bravely rescued 5 Crow women from harm. However, she was also a wife and mother and I loved the parts of the book that reveal how she responded to her husband and children. I highly recommend this book!

Review will be posted on 9/13/23
Crow Mary was inspired by the real-life Crow Mary, a brave woman who lived during the 1800s in Montana. As a member of the Crow tribe, she lived a quiet life until her betrothed was killed and she was to marry a white man, Abe Farwell, instead. Abe is a fur trader and is much older than her; however, in exchange for their marriage, he will supply her people with guns to use for protection against their many enemies. During the wedding ceremony, he changes her name to Mary, and now she must assimilate into his culture, while never forgetting her customs or her family. Crow Mary is only sixteen, so this is a big change. She leaves her family behind for Fort Benton so Abe can partake in some trading. While there, she makes friends, but also encounters many people who make her skin crawl, not to mention don't respect her. As time passes, she does have feelings for her husband and their marriage seems to be a solid one, except for Abe's tendency to drink too much. While on another trading mission to Canada, something horrible happens to the Nakota people. 40 are slaughtered and some women are taken against their will. No one will help the women but Crow Mary is determined and decides to take it upon herself as she has a ton of bravery and is a good shot. Kathleen Grissom's story of Crow Mary will stay with readers long after they finish the novel. It's a story of survival, of two cultures, and of bravery.

I really enjoyed Crow Mary from the start. How could I not? Could you imagine being sixteen years old, getting married to a much older man, assimilating into a different culture, and moving away from your family? It must have been extremely hard, but she did it with a lot of grace. Crow Mary has a ton of grit and I really enjoyed her story. Abe on the other hand was a real bore. At times I thought he was somewhat nice, but overall, I found him to be a gigantic disappointment. I realize he is an alcoholic and that obviously is a major problem; however, I wanted him to get cleaned up and take care of his family. So, my patience with Abe was really running thin.

Grissom, just like in The Kitchen House, truly highlights how Crow Mary is stuck between two cultures. Grissom covers this with a lot of sensitivity and respect while also highlighting how horribly settlers treated Indigenous people. There were some tough scenes to read in Crow Mary, but it's important to remember what truly happened.

If you enjoy historical fiction, Crow Mary shouldn't be missed. I look forward to what Grissom writes next! So, let me know in the comments if you are a fan of Grissom and if this book is on your TBR list.

Crow Mary's story will stay with the reader for a long, long time. Kathleen Grissom has done a thorough job of researching Goes First's story and honoring the Crow people.

Goes First, the daughter of a Crow chief, sits at her grandfather's knee and hears his stories. He tells her no one lives without fear and she does not think this possible.

Set in Montana in the 1800s, Goes First, age 16,marries a white fur trader. The minister decides to do away with her Indian name and Crow Mary is what ends up written on the marriage license. Crow Mary moves with Farwell to Canada to a trading post beyond civilization. Farwell loves her and cares for her, but it is the clash of cultures they deal with each and every day. She deals with rough trappers who see her only as a squaw. She rescues four indigenous women, saving them from the trappers.

Eventually moving back to Montana and building a ranch on Crow land, the clash of cultures grows stronger and harder to deal with. Crow Mary deals with Farwell's alcoholism, her children's removal to Indian boarding schools and the dissolution of her Crow culture. Throughout her whole life she is able to maintain her sense of humanity and the value of each person in the world.

The Kitchen house is one of my absolute favorite novels so new I had to check out her newest novel!!

Goes first is Crow Mary’s original Crow name before she decides to marry Abe Farwell fur trader after losing her first love before they could marry. Crow Mary has many challenges in her life, based on true events. Difficult circumstances are written beautifully and you go through all the emotions with the characters. Loved the writing, wasn’t as good as the kitchen house but definitely would recommend!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

All you women out there who love fierce female protagonists… this book is for you! And if you enjoyed Grissom’s The Kitchen House or Glory Over Everything, this one is sure to hit the right spot, too.

I learned so much about indigenous culture and rituals, and I was gobsmacked, once more, by the fortitude and strength of yet another woman nearly lost to the historical record. This is yet another reason to love historical fiction!

As always, I have such a deep respect for Native American reverence for nature. Grissom does a fantastic job of showing us the respectful relationship between wildlife/Earth/the spiritual world and Native belief. I often wonder how much healthier our Earth might be today if not for colonial expansion, or if settlers had tried to respect/accept/embrace cultural differences (this is a theme within the book).

And, of course, this book had memorable, flawed characters at its heart – the fierce Crow Mary and her heroic acts; her friend Jeannie; her wonderful grandfather, Red Fox; her brave brother, Strong Bull; and her children. This novel does what good historical fiction is supposed to do: it introduces readers to pieces of history that meld seamlessly into the narrative. No blatant history lessons, no sanctimonious stances – just great storytelling allowing the reader to put it all together for herself.

There were many fabulous lines worthy of call-out, but these, in particular, spoke to me:

“No one is without fear. There will be times in your life when you will be very afraid, maybe as afraid as you were with your grandmother. But the brave take action in spite of that fear.”

“It is the brave who tell the truth.”

“Remember why you wear this. You have three mothers. You have me, you have your tipi, and you have Mother Earth."

Grissom, a white woman, did so much research in writing this book; she even had the blessing of Crow Mary’s great granddaughter and worked with countless Crow elders, sensitivity readers, and others to give this story the accuracy and voice it deserved. And it showed. Everyone in our book club loved it. That was absolutely a first for us.

I found one discussion question online from Reading Group Guides that still has me thinking. It reads:

Janet Skeslien Charles, the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library said that while reading Crow Mary, she couldn’t help thinking of “the debt we owe women who came before us.” Discuss this debt with your group. What can we, as readers, do today to repay this debt?

It’s a fantastic question!

Crow Mary is only 16 when she leaves her family and culture to marry an older white fur trader in the mid 1800's. The couple set off on a lengthy journey to Canada, where her husband, Abe Farewell, intends to build a successful Trading Post, or Fort. Along the way she grieves her Crow life and family but makes friends and learns to embrace the ways of the Yellow Eyes (aka white people). That is, until she witnesses the brutal massacre and assault of dozens of natives from another tribe and is devastated when her husband stands by and does nothing. This sweepingly beautiful and tragic novel underscores how horrifically native peoples were treated and how they fought for justice and the right to continue to respect our earth and their cultures.

WOW. I could not put this down and was enchanted by Crow Mary from page one. She was strong yet fragile, serious yet funny (the scene where she effortlessly kills the mountain lion in order to trade her husband for dried apple slices made me literally laugh out loud), absolutely one of my favorite protagonists I've read in a long time. Grissom is an incredible storyteller who places the reader right inside the lives of her robust characters. Without giving too much of the plot away, the tension and conflict were either a constant threat or a real danger and yet Mary continued to endure and build strength are a true testament to how resilient and vulnerable people had to be in that time period just to survive. My heart broke over and over knowing that while this was fiction, the mistreatment and brutality of this time was absolutely real. To know how far white men would go to wipe out natives was hard but important. Crow Mary, both the book and person, I will remember for a long time.

If you like The Kitchen House, Where the Lost Wander, or One Thousand White Woman, you surely will also love Crow Mary. What a masterpiece.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher, this was incredible.