I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

When Anne Cummins is 15, her small settlement in the American West is attacked by a Native American tribe. Her family is killed, and she is taken captive to live with the Cheyenne tribe. Libbie Custer lives a different life than she anticipated, too, following her husband General George Armstrong Custer to the frontier from the small town she lived in back east. This book follows both women as they learn self-reliance and face dangers in the 19th century American West.

This book was somewhat disjointed. I often enjoy books that have multiple main characters, but I disliked the way this book would sometimes jump in time when switching between women without noting the time change. As you can imagine from reading the book's blurb, this is at times difficult to read just how horribly humans will treat other human beings. Soli wrote these horrors well. She did a great job of portraying how life really was in the western plains in those days, not romanticizing what happened.

Centered around Gen George Custer, his wife and their relationships, this is an Intriguing look into the lives of many differing people & experiences during this time period after the Civil War. The plot is detailed and interesting, especially for those who love historical fiction.

This was a solid book. I like the dedication to keeping true to history as much as possible. I have never known much about the west in this time and this book opened my eyes to a piece of history that is very prevalent in our nation.

This novel is described as 'expansive' and I would definitely agree with this description. It spans geographically wide expanses, is culturally diverse and expansive and features such different characters in such different situations. This is a credit to the author who handles such widely differing subject matter so deftly.
I have never read anything by Tatjana Soli before but I would be interested in reading other things by her because her ideas and imagination seems fascinating.
I don't know much about US history, so I can't really comment on the accuracy of this novel, but I did enjoy being able to learn more about General Custer, a character I only really knew by name beforehand.
The novel is made up of 3 narrative point of views; Anne, Libby and Autie. The narratives are interesting, and they all add different things to the novel, but I sometimes found that the narratives all read quite similarly, and I struggled to tell the characters apart on occasion.
A quick warning that this novel does feature quite a lot of violence, and bloody graphic violence at that, so be aware of this when considering the novel. I didn't find the violence to be too much, but that is very much a personal choice. In addition to the bloody violence, the novel itself is also quite an intense read. It has a lot of hard hitting scenes and features plenty difficult topics, and I found the novel to be way too heavy on occasion.
The other reason I didn't rate the novel any more than 3 stars was that it became tedious and repetitive at times. We spent a lot of time reading about menial moments in the characters lives, which became repetitive and dull, and for this reason the novel fell a bit flat.
Overall I think this is an interesting idea for a novel, but unfortunately the narrative was a tedious and dull read which dampened my enjoyment overall.

5 impressive stars to The Removes!

This book. Wow. It took me a while to read The Removes because I had to tread slowly. Although it is smoothly written, it required me to take some breaks from it, which I will describe why in a bit.

Set on the American frontier, The Removes is told with three narrators, a fifteen-year-old named Anne, as well as George Armstrong Custer, and his wife, Libbie. In the opening scene, Anne’s family is attacked without warning by the Sioux, and she is held captive. As I read this scene, I knew The Removes would be a special read. The writing was crystal clear and three-dimensional, and the storytelling was emotional, raw, honest, and realistic.

Libbie Custer is thrust into an unknown, hostile life as she travels with her husband and the U.S. Army to the frontier. Once a well-to-do somewhat spoiled only child, Libbie faces daily the harsh realities of frontier life. It makes her stronger, though. She toughens, hardens, to survive her new reality.

Even though we hear from Custer himself, The Removes is really Anne and Libbie’s stories. How they come to terms with the arduous life on the plains, and more importantly, how it shapes their roles as women given society’s expectations at the time. While being mightily dangerous, the frontier is full of freedoms for Anne and Libbie that they would not know elsewhere.

Readers should know this book has graphic scenes of war. Those parts were painful to read at times, but I had to remind myself over and over that you cannot “pretty up” war, and one of this book’s many strengths is in its honesty and authenticity.

The Removes is an ambitious undertaking of a novel, and it delivers on every level. The characters are smashingly developed. I adored them all. The sense of time and place is completely transportive. The pacing builds suspense, and I am pleased I took longer to read this one. It required my time and energy, and I gave it. I learned about “frontier life,” but even more so, I learned about “life.”

Thank you to Sarah Crichton Books/Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

This was a piece of historic fiction, spanning from the ending years of the civil war to the first great settlement of the West. The main characters are: George Armstrong Custer, who had been a civil war hero, his wife Libbie and Anne Cummins, a pioneer girl who lost her family in an Indian raid and who was taken by them afterwards.
Certain dates and facts about Custer and his wife were true, but a lot was fabricated make the story more personal.
It was so interesting to read about all of these people and to see the harsh lives that they lived out in the US West, as the fighting begins between, soldiers and Native American tribes. It really opens your eyes to what we did, restricting the Native American territories.
The author weaves a fascinating story, with a lot of research of the area and of some of the better known altercations and the people involved in them.
Wonderful story, a must read.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the ARC of this book

4.5 stars

"Danger knows full well that Custer is more dangerous then he."

I love books which not only educate me but also evoke feeling and leave me thinking about them for long after I have finished reading. This was one of those books.

Yes, this book is about General George Armstrong Custer, a.k.a. Autie, and ultimately his last stand, but it is also about his wife, Elizabeth "Libbie" Custer and a fifteen- year-old girl named Anne who was taken captive during an attack on her homestead.

"The land, forgiving and without limit, will be the last true freedom."

Exploration of the American frontier, the wild west, Indian wars, battle, love, loss, captivity, lust, self-reliance and inner strength are all highlighted in this book. I learned a lot about Custer and his career while reading this book. Not only did I learn about Custer, but I learned more about American History, the brutality of war, and the harshness of life on the plains. Reading books such as this always make me appreciate what I have and the times I live in.

The strength of this book is in its female characters. Fifteen-year-old Anne watches as her family is slaughtered. She is taken prisoner, raped, abused, traded, and subjected to the harsh realities of being held captive. She must rely on her inner strength and courage to survive. She becomes adept at reading situations and doing what she must to keep alive. She even cares for another young captive and befriends a female member of the tribe while in captivity. She also gives birth to two children while captive. She is subject to a life of constant change, starvation, heat and cold, constant movement and hard work.

Libbie is the daughter of a judge who does not want his daughter to marry the young, cocky Custer. He is a known womanizer and civil war hero! Custer is dashing and brave and Libbie can't say no. She leaves behind her life of luxury to follow Custer to the plains. She is thrown into a life she does not know and must adapt to her surroundings. A life of hardships, constant moving, long periods of separation from her husband, loneliness, jealousy and unease become a way of life for her. Custer and Libbie wrote long letters to each other full of euphemism and double-entendre. One article I read described their letters as Victorian aged sexting. Custer even faced court Marshall and arrest for coming home to see his Libbie! They had a great love but that did not stop Custer from being a womanizer which caused Libbie great heartache and jealousy.

This book feels very sweeping in scope. It covers a lot of information and while reading I found myself doing my own research on the internet about Custer and his wife and the battle of little big horn. There are some violent scenes in this book. Battle is graphic and bloody. There are scalping’s, mutilations of bodies, suffering, horrible treatment and causalities on both side of the battles. Don't let this scare you away. While reading this book, I thought of a quote from the movie, Blood Diamond: "Sometimes I wonder....Will God ever forgive us for what we have done to each other?"

This book was simply wonderful. I loved how both women became stronger in the face of danger and fear. Both had their lives changed forever and yet grew as individuals and found inner strength and confidence. Like Custer, they both had great courage and bravery. All the characters in this book are in a fight for survival. For some it is their job, for others it is a way of life. Custer sought his whole life to be a hero, but for me the women were the heroes in this book!

Talk about a book which evokes feeling! I thought about this book even when I wasn't reading it. It truly is masterful, and I learned a great deal. Custer is an American Icon and I was captivated learning about him. Can you even imagine going into a battle where the odds are stacked against you?

"A mood, unspeakable, hovered over the expedition, and a sense of gloom that nothing would lift to pervadeded the men. They mumbled of bad dreams and made out wills. Unholy alliances were struck to avoid torture by the enemy. None smelled victory, they stank of fear, yet Custer refused to bow to it. How could he?"

I can't say enough about this book, so I will simply say READ IT. Even if you are not a fan of westerns - READ THIS BOOK. I don't consider myself a fan of westerns, but this is more than just a western. It is a story of strength, survival, and resiliency. It is wonderfully written and captivating. This is not a book which should be read fast - read it slowly- savor it, learn from it.

Also- read the Author's Note at the end of the book. She describes her fascination of the wild west of America from the viewpoint of someone who came to the United States when she was five years old. She describes how she took some liberties and that this book is a work of imagination blended with fact and history.

Historical fiction buffs, history buffs, war buffs, army buffs, wild west buffs, strong women buffs, well-written book buffs - this book is for you!

Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received this from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Fifteen year old Anne survives a surprise attack on her family’s homestead, captured and forced to live with the Cheyenne. Libbie, too, is thrown into a brutal, unexpected life when she marries George Armstrong Custer.

I didn't realize Custer was a Civil War veteran. I liked the fictional story of Anne better than Libbie. It just seemed to flow and read easier than the actual historical happenings of Libbie and Custer.

3.25☆

I really enjoyed this book, a mix of fact and fiction on the life of General Custer during The Civil War and Indian wars. The story is told through the eyes of Custer, his wife Libbie, and a fifteen-year-old girl who is abducted by the Cheyenne in Kansas. Despite the violence of these times, I was engrossed mostly in the stories of the women and their difficulties and hardships in these times of western expansion, and also the life of the Indians.

Thank you to Netgalley and FSG for the opportunity to read this book!

"He loved war and thirsted for victory."

THE REMOVES is a historical work of fiction that tracks the life of General George Armstrong "Autie" Custer through the American Civil War and American Indian War ending with the massacre of "Custer's Last Stand" at Little Big Horn in Montana.

The novel also follows wife Libbie Bacon Custer who endures hardships, some scary times (OMGOSH the Dakota blizzard), disease....and humiliation....from her womanizing husband, but she stands by HER man even after his death....despite his indiscretions. She knew Autie loved her too.

And Wow! meet the tough, young 15 year old Anne Cummins who after an Indian attack on her family's homestead is ultimately captured by the Cheyenne, starved, repeatedly raped throughout her young life and worked to near death as she fights for survival in the wild....but FINALLY help is one the way....or is it?

As you would expect reading a novel about the Civil and Indian wars, these were dangerous times with much brutality, mutilation and catastrophic loss of human and animal life. General Custer, however, survived MANY major battles....he loved being in the heat of it....his BIG ego feared being left out....his goal to retain his standing as the golden boy war hero, one of the "finest specimens of soldier" never faulted...to the very end.

General George Armstrong Custer - December 5, 1839 - June 25, 1876

Many thanks to NetGalley and Farrar Straus and Giroux for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars
"The Removes" takes in the experiences of two women living on what was the frontier in the 1860s and 70s. Anne Cummins is fifteen and living with her family in Kansas when the Cheyenne attack and she is taken captive. Forget about being absorbed into the tribe: She is abused, beaten, starved, and raped. Her one desire is to escape, even though she knows her entire family is dead.

We know now about the sad fates of so many white women who escaped or were returned to their families after being tribal captives. Anne knows nothing of that. All she knows that she needs to get away in order to survive. Her plan is to return for her children once she is free.

In young womanhood, Libbie Custer dreamed of never marrying so she could be left alone to read as much as she wanted. That all fell away when she met George Armstrong Custer, a local boy known as "Autie," and their spiritual and physical connection lasted until Autie's death at the Little Bighorn in 1876. Libbie joined him in barren outposts across Kansas, Texas, and the Dakota Territory, bringing her humor, high spirits, and intelligence to dusty places that were days or weeks from anywhere.

In a way she would probably never predicted or wanted, Libbie gets to spend the rest of her life reading and writing, mostly about her dead husband and frontier life. Anne fate remains a mystery.

Besides the fact they both Anne and Libbie are somewhere on the Great Plains at the same time, there's no connection between them, which I found to be a fault in the storytelling. Are we supposed to look at each woman's separate experience as completing a portrait of that time and place? If so, didn't work.

There's a lot of brutality in "The Removes" but it was a brutal time. Tatjana Soli's writing is very good, but the book didn't hang together for me. If you're on a frontier reading jag, I recommend it as a different approach to the Indian Wars. If you're not, you may enjoy it anyway.

Rating: 4 stars

This work of historical fiction features George and Libbie Custer, and Anne Cummins. Annie was captured by the Sioux in a raid on her home when she was fifteen. The timeframe the main story occurs is from the early Civil War years until Custer’s death at The Battle of Little Bighorn in Montana Territory. (1861 – 1876) The storylines alternate between Libbie Custer, George Custer, and Annie Cummins. The book really speaks to the hardships and horrors endured and inflicted during the Civil War, and the US expansion of the American West.

George and Libbie grew up in the same small town. George was a member of a large, ragtag farming family; and Libbie was the coddled daughter of a local judge. Improbably the couple married. Let it be noted that they married AFTER George made a name for himself as the youngest Brigadier General appointed during the Civil War. Soon after marrying George, Libbie decided that if she was ever going to see her husband she would have to go on campaigns with him. Therefore she joined him during the Civil War, and out went out West after the Civil War ended. Custer for his part was trying to retain his name in the public eye after becoming a general, and war hero during the Civil War. He kept accepting postings to forts that were deeper and deeper into Indian Territory, and where hostilities became more acute and violent.

Libbie for the most part seemed to relish her time at the forts, mainly I think, because it afforded her time with her husband. She coped fairly well with the uncivilized conditions of the forts, and did try to support George as best she could. She was an interesting amalgam of a historical figure. I assumed that she would have been a shrinking violet given her sheltered upbringing, but as depicted by this author, she actually stepped up to the challenges posed by her expeditionary years with the Army fairly well.

The person who did not fare well was Annie Cummins. She was the only survivor of an attack on her settlement, and was dragged away by the Sioux at the age of 15. Apparently, the Sioux didn’t treat their white captives any different than they did Native Americans stolen from other tribes, but oh that treatment was horrendous. Captives were beaten or killed for small transgressions, starved, and pushed past the point of exhaustion with never ending work tasks and long treks on foot. While in captivity Annie gave birth to two children. After about 10 years in captivity, Annie was unexpectedly scooped up by the Army during a massacre on her Indian village. Her return to the ‘white’ world unfortunately did not go well. All she wanted to do was to retrieve her children, but no-one had any sympathy or understanding as to why she would want to do that. They blocked her every attempt to return to the Sioux.

There is a lot of time spent in Georg Custer’s head, which I found to be plausible, but a bit disconcerting for a work of historical fiction. The author depicted Custer as carrying around all the ghosts (but he didn’t see them as ghosts) of the men who died in his battles. I think the author was trying to portray a form of what today we could deem, PTSD. I don’t deny that he could have had those feelings, I’m just not sure that there is a historical reference for that line of thought, especially as they became bigger and bigger factors in the Custer’s decision making process.

I thought that this was a really good book. This was tough time in American history. It was a time of broken promises to the Native Americans, and a war of brother against brother in the Civil War. This story captures all that in an engaging way. I wish the years hadn’t unfolded in that way, but they did. I’m glad that I now know more about George and Libbie Custer, and the mindset (on both sides) of the settling of the American West.

Thank-you to NetGalley; Sarah Chrichton Books; and the author, Tatjana Soli; for providing a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Sarah Crichton Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There were aspects of this book I really appreciated. Those include the unvarnished views we got of life in the Wild West for Custer the army general, for his wife Libby and for the Indian captive (Anne). It was fascinating to watch the trajectory of Custer's life from Civil War prodigy to his struggles against the Indians. He truly was larger than life and his flame was extinguished too soon. In the past these stories have often been romantically portrayed. Soli gives us the straight scoop. We look at the events and interactions with a clear windowpane and can make our own conclusions. It is good for us to read books like this and learn from the past mistakes.

Since it was historical fiction, I was disappointed in the Anne narrative. The accounts of her captivity were heartbreaking, but it is not with that part of her story that I was unhappy. It was the way her path was described as crossing that of Custer and his wife. There were accounts of Anne meeting Custer from Anne's perspective and of Anne meeting Libby from Libby's perspective. I would have loved to see their storylines be integrated in a bit more organic way. It seemed like the timelines did not match up well.

Historical fiction that separately tells the stories of two women: George Armstrong Custer’s wife, Libbie, a real person, and Anne Cummins, a fictional character taken captive by the Cheyenne at age 15. Libbie’s story is based around her husband’s military career, as he rises through ranks, finds the limelight, and tackles various assignments. Anne’s story follows her assimilation into a new culture, as she migrates with and is traded to different tribes. As the story unfolds, we come to understand that Anne and Libbie have more in common than outward appearances would indicate.

The power in this novel is bringing to life a past time and place through the characters. I felt the characters were well-drawn, giving the reader insight into their motivations and feelings. The historical people are brought to life and felt nuanced and authentic. I enjoyed the author’s writing style. She vividly depicts the scenery, deprivations, and challenges of life in the 1860’s – 1870’s on the frontier, at military outposts, and in the tribal camps. By employing two related storylines, the author provides insight into almost all facets of life during the period. It was a brutal time in history and is depicted as such. Content warnings include graphic violence to people and animals, rape, starvation, mutilation, racism, and sexism. Recommended to readers that enjoy historical fiction of the period, or stories of life on the American frontier.

I'm a native of the Great Plains and a sucker for fresh takes on frontier stories. The Removes, by Tatjana Soli, weaves together the experiences of Libbie Bacon Custer, her husband, Gen. George Armstrong Custer, and Anne Cummins, a 15-year-old captured by the Cheyenne.

Soli's writing is fluid and evocative. Like Willa Cather, she captures the beautiful – and sometimes terrifying – expansiveness of the plains.

Because Libbie Custer spent her widowhood burnishing her husband's reputation, she's generally portrayed as a besotted wife, blind to her husband's faults. Soli creates a more nuanced version of the woman behind the general. Is this Libbie Custer 100 percent historically accurate? I don't know. She's certainly a more compelling character.

The most riveting sections of the novel involve Anne Cummins. Unlike the Custers, she's a fictional character, and her fate is unknown to us. If I had one complaint, it would be that Anne's narratives always ended too soon, and the author would whisk us back to the Custers.

The character of Gen. Custer has been picked over repeatedly – in fiction and biography – and I'm not sure Soli really adds anything new here. (Evan S. Connell's Son of the Morning Star remains my favorite.) That's just fine. The stories of Libbie Custer and Anne Cummins are enough to carry the novel.

The Removes is an excellent historical fiction based on fact novel concerning G. A. Custer and his life and times, a more sympathetic coverage of Custer than some, and often our view of him is through the eyes of his wife Libby Bacon Custer. Our story begins in Virginia in 1863 when Custer, the youngest General in the US Calvary, slips over the battle lines in Confederate uniform to honor his promise to be best man at the side of his West Point friend Forester. A big part of the appeal of Autie Custer during his lifetime was his ability to find humor in the everyday, and the fact that he basically held nothing as sacred except perhaps his wife Libby. Libby, as well, loved life and Autie, and knew him well enough to not look too closely at his cat's away activities. Both of the Custer's understood that together they were stronger and more brave, so they tried very hard to stay together despite the hardships of military life.

And the story ends in the Dakota Badlands in June of 1876, when we observe the end of life as they knew it for both the US Military and the First Nations citizens. The end of the end. I really appreciated this view through the eyes of Tatjana Soli. The Custer story and the Battle of the Little Big Horn have been so much a part of our lives, viewed first from this prospective and then from that in school and book and movie that this feels like a fresh look and a more balanced view of the man who was George Custer. Neither angel nor devil, just a man. Thank you.

I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Netgalley, Tatjana Soli, and Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Sarah Crichton Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.

I think most of us, at least those close to my own age, learned of Custer's last stand, in history class. That is though, all I ever knew about him. There was so much I didn't know, for example I never knew he fought in our Civil War where he was made the youngest Brigadeer General at the age of twenty five. Nor did I know anything about his wife Libby, who seems to be a special person in her own right. This book starts with Custer fighting in the Civil War, and is told from three different viewpoints. Custer himself, his wife Libby and a young fifteen year old Annie, whose family is homesteading when they are attacked by Indians, her family slaughtered, she heself taken by the Indians.

So Custer's role as Indian fighter begins, as he is called on once again to help rid the west of marauding Indians. This is a graphic and violent book, the west was certainly a savage place to be. Promises and peace brokered were continually abused. The Indian way of life threatened, the settlers life one of fear, so much death of people, livestock, constant back and forth savagery.

Custer's death at little big Horn was probably the way he would have wanted to die, in many ways it seemed his destiny He came to respect the Indians and their way of life, he had no clue what to do with himself if he wasn't in the cavalry. Had he not died he probably would have ended up like Sitting Bull, a specimen to show off at freak shows. I came to appreciate what an emblematic character he was for the times. I loved Libby, her strength, her fortitude, she was quite a woman and I would like to read more about her. What happened to her after Custer's death. Annie, my heart broke for her, her treatment during and after captivity is certainly realistic. Such conflicted, harsh and judgemental times.

Soli's research is terrific, her writing vivid and certainly realistic. She does an amazingly thorough job at showing the many sides of this time period. A few photographs are included as is an author note. A harsh read, but an important one for those who have an interest in this time period.

This was mine, Angela's and Exile monthly read and while we all cringed at the violence, we all thought it was well done. So thanks again my reading buddies.
ARC from Netgalley.

The historical significance of this story and its relevance today is stark. It’s uncomfortable because we know the racism that existed in the 1950’s that led up to the Civil Rights Movement and even more appalling that so much of the racism in the 1950’s and 1960’s is too recognizable today. Sometimes acts of blatant racism are called teaching moments as did the graceful and articulate Valerie Jarrett, a top aid to former President Obama when this past week she was derided and denigrated in an ugly tweet by an ignorant tv star. There have been other teachable moments recently in the news at a Starbucks in Philadelphia, at an Airbnb in California, or a common room of dorm at Yale. Actually so many more when you think of the young black men shot at a traffic stop or in their grandmother’s backyard. This list is long and the question becomes what will it take to learn? This story provides teachable moments as well, but not in an in your face preachy way but by depicting characters whose beliefs and deeds rise above racism.

It’s 1958 in a segregated Winston-Salem, NC and we are introduced to three young people who are at a crossroads in their lives. Tacker, a budding architect is sent home from Nigeria where he was working with a firm to design a high school . He is sent home for mingling with Nigerians and interfering in customs. Eventually through flashbacks, we discover his genuine love of the country and how much his friendships meant to him. He takes over managing his fathers’s grocery store until he can get his bearings. Kate, a high school acquaintance is back home from college after her mother’s death is unsure if she wants to be there. While I wouldn’t consider this a coming of age story, it is about these young people trying to find themselves. Gaines, the young black man home from college to help a sick mother works for Tacker, is involved in the Civil Rights Movement. This is a well written story and I really liked these characters from the start and was vested in what would happen to them as their connections grew. The story moved a little too slowly but I have to admit that I was shocked in the end. Definitely a book I’d recommend. Elaine Neil Orr is the daughter of missionaries and lived in Nigeria as well as Winston-Salem, NC. The following is an interesting interview with her that shed some light on her experiences in both places. https://thenavireview.com/2018/04/25/a-heart-in-two-homelands-elaine-neil-orr-opens-up-about-how-being-white-in-the-1960s-american-south-and-nigeria-influenced-her-novel-swimming-between-worlds/

I received an advanced copy of this book from Berkeley Publishing Group through NetGalley.

3.75 stars

The Removes is a strong work of historical fiction, but it’s awfully hard to read — the kind of book that made me want to turn away more than a few times. The story is set in the 1860s and 1870s in the US during the American Indian Wars. The story focuses on two women living separately difficult lives. Anne is a fictional character who is taken captive at the beginning of the story during an attack on her homestead. Libbie is the wife of General Custer, who was a captain in the Calvary Furies during the American Indian Wars. Besides focusing on these two women, Custer and battle scenes feature prominently throughout the story.

At the end of the book, Soli says that her novel is based on real accounts she found of the Wars that do not romanticize either side. The result is a story that is well written and rings true, but that is often relentlessly brutal. I’m glad I read it, but I can’t say that I enjoyed the experience.

For those who have trouble with violent stories, I should mention that the violence is not just between humans but also at times directed at animals.

Thanks to my monthly readings buddies Angela and Diane for reading this one with me. It made the experience much more bearable. And thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

DNF @42 %
Indian Wars chick lit. This book has it all: Stock characters whose motivations make no sense, clumsy narration, cringeworthy pathos, and "wisdom" that even Ayn Rand would probably consider dubious.

One of our female narrators is Libbie, "the most eligible girl in town", with an "independent streak" who has already "turned down a number of proposals". But beware: She "was always realistic about herself - she was nothing particularly special except for Autie's love for her." You think that's a) reactionary writing and b) makes no sense? Well, I agree.

Autie is a ruthless war hero - "being a soldier was in his blood" - and a "swan if there ever was one" (like, a swan who partakes in massacres, you know), who writes Libbie sentences like: "I bury my nose in your scented handkerchief that you gave your Bo on leaving." Seriously?

And then there's Anne, the other protagonist (both stories are presented in a parallel montage). She is captured by Native Americans who are portrayed as raping, murderous savages (to be fair, I heard that this changes in the second half) and, over the course of several years, fights for her survival

I think I see what Soli aims to do here, but the book is a mess. George Armstrong Custer ("Autie") did really exist and fought in the Civil War and in the Indian Wars, and was of course really married to Elizabeth Bacon Custer ("Libbie"). While their story is certainly interesting, Soli's book does not feel like it processes historical material - it feels contrived. The character depictions are not believable and when there's a change of heart, it comes out of nowhere, or rather, the reader notices the function for the plot, but it feels artificial. Also, the subject of the frontier and the Native American genocide requires a far more critical standpoint and nuanced depiction, IMHO.

The following passage made me abandon the book:
"For silence the animals (dogs) were muzzled with rope, then stabbed or strangled. Two of his own hounds had followed, and he moved away to not see the violence done to these loyal pets. Herculean were the sacrifices victory demanded."

The herculean task of finishing this book proved to be too much for me. If you want to read about the Indian Wars, then pick up Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West, which is a masterpiece. If you want to read a new book by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, my favorite American publisher, read The Shepherd's Hut, Kudos, Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment, or The Dead: A Novel, all of which are fantastic books.

I really wanted to like this more.