Sacred Wilderness

I have to say that this became my favorite fictional novel after reading it. I have never met the author, so you can trust this to be an authentic independent reader review. The book covers a great range of topics, but does so cohesively. It addresses spirituality, history, activism, historical trauma, internalized oppression, current issues facing indigenous people as a group an as iindividuals. However, it is not a book that lectures or puts down a people or a religion. The balance struck by the author is so fine that it is truly art manifested in words. The actual story that is the backdrop to this genius work is that of a mixed race Mohawk woman living a life disconnected from her heritage, ancestry and self. Her character is well written, in that there are a lot of reasons initially to dislike her or write her off, yet there is an element of relatableness and likeability to her that increases over time as you get further into the book. The character of Gladys, is also well thought out and provides a way of thinking about the world that stays with you. I believe this is the best fiction book I have read. Not just Native American fiction, but across all fictional works. It's rare to see any author accurately describe emotion, motive and experience in such an authentic way. There is no stereotyping of any of it and not placing it in a box. I love that about this book.

I don't have the opportunity to read many books written by Natve American women writers and saw a blurb about this book on Facebook, so I got it on my Kindle. I started to read it but I couldn't put it down because it was like having a banquet with words. I totally loved the characters in this novel, the many layers that each one wove with their stories and how they interconnected was amazing, surprising and beautiful. Both ancient and modern, this story will pull at your heart strings and create new sounds that you've never heard but knew existed somewhere in the universe. It not only validates the spirit of all that is ancient but that it still exists today and is there calling to us to open our eyes and our ears to hear its message. Thank you Susan Power for reminding me of who I am as a woman whose spirit is strong and can do anything I set my mind to do. Aho!

A very interesting book; tales, within tales, within tales. Well written, sometimes I thought, too involved. I liked that it made be concentrate on my spirituality. Not an ordinary book.

This book swept me away! Reading Sacred Wilderness was more than a pleasure, it was, for me, a sacred experience. I was so moved by it that it is hard to put into words. Susan Power is a craftswoman and storyteller of the highest caliber. Her use of language appears effortless, yet so many passages stopped me in my tracks and forced me to read them over again to savor their beauty and to gather all the subtle meaning packed into them. The novel follows the lives of two women and their families as they connect and become intertwined, learning from one another as they go. It is a story of culture clashes. It is a story of spiritual journey and understanding. It is a story of self discovery and transformation both expected and unexpected. Spanning generations, it is also a story of our humanness and the things that push us apart and draw us back together. Ultimately, it is a story of the deep and powerful love that lives inside each and every one of us. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.

This is one of the most well-written books I have ever read. Complex, compelling, and reflects the depth of the author's cultural knowledge. I am not Native American, but Kanaka Maoli, and even so, this book spoke to me on many levels.

The cover and first few pages were folded back but since it was rated only good it met my expectations.

Ms. Power took on the Herculean task of weaving different religions and fates into the greater whole. Her characters were funny and enjoyable. I wandered between truth, magical realism, history, fact and fiction and came out on the other side knowing that we are all one. The book is very dense and I found myself rereading whole sections. The symbolism is rampant and a literature teacher will have a field day.

Good read!