She Who Remembers

Overall it was enjoyable. We know so little of thee social mores of the people of the Pueblos. So it is hard to break out of the standard historic fiction book outline. Given that the author had so little guidance of our heroine I'm willing to give the author a bit more leeway than authors writing about the Civil War period for example. If you are a fan of historical romances that are heavier on the history but still containing the Cinderella-story-romance remnants then you will find this a pleasant read. As for me, I am thankful that I live in a society that depends little on the protection off my mate because I'd have yanked my hook and released both of the candidates long before I trudged to the end with She Who Remembers. I will show more probably try the next in the series because I hate just knowing half the story but... I'm so tired of every lame idea being drug out into a three-part saga. Ugh! So try it but if you don't finish it don't be too disappointed. You could probably guess the rest. show less

This book was okay. It was not stellar... but just okay. The story was good - just slow. The characters were... not real enough - I did not feel like they were ever living breathing people - with personal histories and likes and dislikes... They were insubstantial - but the book overall was okay. It was a story.. I kept reminding myself that it was just a story - fiction... The men in this story are men.. the women are childish. The injuries were a little unrealistic - you cannot get hurt so badly and then get up and walk 20 miles... and time was a little weird every now and then... and there were definitely bits of soft but enthusiastic porn... ... but I'm glad I read it.. it was entertainment.

Very much like Clan of the Cave Bear except the first few chapters would've been dragged out to one whole book for Jean M. Auel!

Really enjoyed this, didn't want to put it down.

Didn't always agree with Kwani's behaviour and she seemed to get through men (Wopio, Ute, Kokopelli, Okalake and Tolonqua) but she was a compelling character.

Will have to read the sequels. Book versions are hard to get hold of but can get cheap ebook copies.

This was one of the first Native American related books I've read. I loved it to bits and found it thoroughly enjoyable, however in my personal opinion (and to my personal taste) I found the reading to be slow as it was a little hard to get into initially, despite the interest I had in it. It sat on my shelf for months to be picked again and then sit again for months until I finally finished it.

In all, though, it was worth the read.

Kwani is a Navaho or Anasazi Indian of the Southwest Pueblo people who is banished from her home when sickness strikes her tribe. Because she has blue eyes, she is accused of being a witch and is blamed for the people's illness. The real reason for her blue eyes, however, is because she is descended from Vikings who had arrived in the area in the eleventh century. When Kwani is injured, she is rescued by Kokopelli, a famous Toltec trader, who leaves her with another tribe while she recovers. He says he will return in the spring, but when he does not, she has a relationship with Okalake, the man who's family took her in, which is taboo. Okalake must leave and is killed by an Apache. When Kokopelli returns, he brings a Viking explorer show more with him and has plans to take Kwani back with him to Mexico, even though she is pregnant with Okalake's child. On their travels they meet Tolonqua, a Pueblo Indian from another tribe, who falls in love with Kwani. He feels that they were destined to meet and promises to protect her and be the father of her child. Kokopelli realizes that Kwani would not fit into his culture in Mexico, and has no desire to raise Okalake's son, so he leaves Kwani and her son in the protection of Tolonqua.

This book was introduced to me by a customer at the book store where I work. She said that when she read this story, she knew it was the story of her ancestor. Her grandmother had told the story about an ancestor who had blue eyes, and the names of the characters were similar to the names of her ancestors. She says that to this day, blue eyes occur in her family every other generation. Ms. Shuler has done a wonderful job with the historical aspects of this story. She interlaces the history of the Pueblo people, their customs, homes, artifacts, environment, traditions, and stories into this story to make it a great piece of historical fiction. show less

I put this book down after less than 100 pages. It did not seem realistic to me at all. The vikings never progressed west of Minnesota and while the Mandan indians pose an interesting discussion as to whether they interbred with vikings, it is quite in dispute. The Anasazi Indians were in the American South West...It is difficult to imagine vikings having such an effect so far from waterways such as large rivers that they would have traveled.

Kwani was cast out of her tribe being called a witch because of her blue eyes...she has virtually no food and is starving when she stumbles on another man cast out of the Ute tribe because of the deformity of his foot. All of a sudden they are eating corn bread...really...corn does not grow show more wild...it must be cultivated where did they get the seed. I also did not buy into a viking crossbow...this was a very rare weapon used by vikings and I doubt anyone lucky enough to acquire such a weapon would trade it for a panier of dried meat and a robe.

This book has had some comparison the Jean Auel's "The Clan of the Cave Bear"...this book is not even close in detail and flow of the story. I may have issues with Ms. Auel's following books because of too frequent flashbacks but the first book was excellent.

This is just a story...it is not historical fiction in my opinion. show less

I didn't get past the first 60 pages. Just wasn't my thing. The symbolism was stretching a bit too much. I thought it odd to not only tell the reader what the main character was thinking and feeling, but also the mountain lion... struck me as offputting and assumed the rest would dissapoiny as well.
Thanks to the person who did take the time to give me a recommendation