4.5, this was such a simple, yet beautiful story surrounded with loveably characters. The Loon Feather I’ve wanted to read this book for awhile as it was in the top 5 of my mom’s favorite books. I think this book is out of print. The book I read was a used copy I bought off Amazon and gave to my mom for Christmas one year - which made her cry.
I went into this book knowing nothing about it and was pleasantly surprised to find a story about Indians and the White Men who take over their territories in the 1800’s. The story takes place on an island called Mackinac by Lake Heron. I really loved the character development especially in Oneta, the main character and how she finds peace and happiness through finally being herself. And I gotta admire Pierre, who takes her in, even though his character kind of made me mad and has a lot of pride. It gave a small insight on what it might have been like for Indians during that time. Not particularly exciting or fast moving book - but I would still classify itself as a Good Read. I only give five stars to the best of the best. Thank you, Patty, for encouraging me to read this. I felt such a resonance with the tribe, their customs, the island, and the time period. Absolutely mesmerizing with its poetic beauty and compelling story. English I read this for work and really didn't have enough time to finish it properly, so I skimmed quite a bit. It's a slow, quiet read with a clear love for Michigan and Mackinac Island. The writing is really lovely, so maybe one day I'll come back to it when small tyrants don't rule my schedule. English I really enjoyed this story of Oneta, a young Ojibway girl growing up on Mackinac Island during the early 1800s. As the daughter of Tecumseh, raised by a French step-father, she must straddle the worlds of her heritage and the white settlers. The novel is Oneta's reflection on her past and how she became what and who she is. There is a wonderful collection of supporting characters that are also well developed. The language is beautiful and I enjoyed seeing history from a different viewpoint. Growing up in Michigan I have visited the Island many times over the years and those experiences made this book even more enjoyable. I could easily picture the places Fuller describes and I know first hand the magic of the Turtle. This was almost a 5 star book for me but I found I could put it down and wasn't drawn back to it until the very end.
The story of an Indian girl destined to grow up with the incompatible traditions of her own people and of the white traders on Mackinac Island. One of the most popular books ever written about the conflict of alien peoples. The Loon Feather
I was captivated from the first page by the voice and character of Tecumseh's daughter, Oneta. Nomadic life for the Ojibway in the forests of northern Michigan, and on Mackinac Island with the French traders, is unrolled in luscious, captivating detail. This is a story of heroism in a quiet and dignified girl who inherits the moral strength of her father Tecumseh, and displays his spirit at a historical moment, earning her respect and love.
Love this book. Reread it periodically, and am absorbed into the world and characters fresh every time, as if I've just discovered it. A keeper for any shelf with a reader who loves history and endurance and heroic spirit.
015653200X “Our book group here at Alto used this title earlier this year. For different reasons, this book appealed to everyone. It’s a very interesting look at the conflict between European and Native American cultures in the early 1800’s, and the fact that most of it takes place on Mackinac Island, referring to things many of us here are familiar with, makes it even more of a draw.†â€" Sandy at Alto
“This story of a young Native American girl growing up on Mackinaw Island during the time of the fur trade is one of the best and most popular portrayals of the cultural conflicts faced by Native Americans and their conquerors ever published. Oneta’s story of personal growth and search for identity is beautifully told, and will appeal to anyone of any age. An overlooked classic.â€
â€"Mark at KDL’s Krause Memorial Branch 015653200X Considered one of the best stories about native and Euro cultural interactions in the NE. The daughter of Tecumseh must find a way to reconcile her upbringing on the straits of the great lake and Mackinac Island. Fuller, a librarian living in Ohio, brings to life the early culture of French fur trappers and traders and the tribes on whose land they harvested the golden fleeces.
Also read her Shining Trail about the tribes living on the Sauk River on the Mississippi watershed. It chronicles the Black Hawk wars.
Both are rare records of tribal life right at the moment when their cultures were still whole around the mid-1800's. 015653200X I am so glad to have had the chance to find out about this author, Iola Fuller. And maybe because I live in the area where the Indian Tribes lived (Michigan) and the fact that the story takes place on Mackinac Island, where I have stayed several times, I felt close to beautiful discription sod the land and the water. I learned the history and the conditions that changed the future of the Red man and the White man. Fuller digs deep into the lives of her characters to bring up the inevitable changes that they have to face and the path that they choose.
I was reminded that history repeats itself and that is the advantage of knowing history. Telling the story in the first person, Oneta, the daughter of Tecumseh, shares this observation; As I make the long journey over the years, I realize that the priest and the trader disturbed us little, and we were glad to see them come, not knowing they were signs of the coming end, that where they went the farmer followed, and where he settled the red man and the wild creatures could never return.
In the end, Oneta, finds this piece of wisdom. They must be led, not driven. They must have leaders to help them over the bridge between the old and the new. Unless they can cross it, they will soon be gone, like last year's leaves, into the soil from which they came.....
A refreshing look at history, romance and character. This should be a bucket list read. It will be a good book for discussion. The Loon Feather I read this while I was on Mackinac Island leading a writers retreat, because I love reading books about the place I'm in when I am there. It helps me to better understand the legacy of the land and the culture and the people. It was a perfect book to read during that week and I now keep it beside my bed to remind me about the journey of a young Native American woman several centuries ago in Michigan's north, when being a woman and being Native were two strikes against you. This is a classic, and it is beautiful. I will return to it! 9780156532006
0 Comments