The Sea of Grass

This was an epic and gut-wrenching read.  The Sea of Grass is a novel based on real people and events over multiple generations from the perspective of the Pawnee Nation.  It's based on oral tradition, and admittedly, the narrative does take a little while to get used to, but it is very worthwhile and ultimately rewarding.

Despite the many disasters faced along the way, The Sea of Grass is a book about survival as well as the endurance of the human spirit. Although, I must confess by the end of the novel the message did feel a little hollow.  Based on historical events, the many cruelties and disasters visited upon the Pawnee Nation were a lot to absorb and process, however, perhaps others may feel differently.

The myths and legends scattered throughout were also fascinating to read about.  

Highly recommended. 

This was an ARC in exchange for an honest review.  With thanks to Netgalley and Fulcrum Publishing.

A rich and well written story. Touching and also heart wrenching at times, it kept my interest through. Really liked the way the story has the feel of oral tradition. Was not able to read on my kindle, but was able to read on my computer in a PDF file. From the beginning origins, to the wars with neighboring groups and finally the whites, it is a telling of the history of the Pawnee nation, including Crazy Horse. From the telling of how the Wolf was their protector, to how they got the Big Dog (horse), it was interesting throughout. Highly recommend this book and author.

Reading this was near-unlike anything else I’ve read.  I consider it to be non-fiction, a memoir–after all, The Sea of Grass tells the written tale (though once oral) of many generations ago and their stories, and offers a well-researched and cited list in the backmatter. Yet this book also falls certainly within the historical fiction category, as certainly events from so long ago and events that were certainly not recorded or documented in what is now deemed the “traditional” or “academic” way.  Not only is it unlike anything I’ve ever read due to its genre-crossing boundaries, but its plot and structure is totally unlike anything I’ve read either, likely due to its Native American influence.

Told in many parts, from various different perspectives, Echo-Hawk offers points of view from many generations ago to himself today.  Within each section, however, are additional stories and tales, as well as context that are woven in throughout the text.  After all, how could I, and perhaps plenty of other white readers, really understand the heart of this book without also trying to understand the culture and traditions that Echo-Hawk has understood his whole life?

It reads as though one were telling you this story themselves–there are many contexts, many dates, and plenty of facts that do not need to be expanded upon in order to make this book make sense.  Because of that, it did take me a while to really be able to dig in, being so different than what I’m used to, but it made for an incredible and relaxing reading experience.

Overall, this book is a strong, sturdy text, and though I read it specifically for Native American Heritage Month (November), I highly recommend reading this outside of that month, too.  It’s intriguing, historical, and offers many perspective that I’d little considered due to our current society’s constraints.