My Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Inspired by true events, Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom tells us the story of Goes First, an indigenous woman from the Crow Tribe who at the age of sixteen married Abe Farwell, a white fur trader who gave her the name “Mary”. The narrative follows Goes First from 1863 and her early years as the daughter of a Chief of her tribe, the events that led to her marriage to a White man and through the next three decades. In 1872, she married Farwell with the blessings of her family who are happy with the alliance. With her husband, she eventually lands in Saskatchewan, Canada, where they build and operate a trading post “Fort Farwell”. Abe proves to be a good man and treats his wife well. Though she makes every effort to embrace her new life, Mary often finds herself conflicted between her own culture and beliefs and the ways of her husband’s world. She makes a few good friends along the way but is not blind to the intolerance and exploitation of the indigenous tribes at the hands of white men.
The Cypress Hills Massacre of 1873 is a pivotal point in her life. Her heroic act results in her saving the lives of four indigenous women taken by white men after a violent confrontation but the episode also triggers the gradual disintegration of her marriage and though Abe and Mary eventually relocate to her native land and build a ranch on the property sanctioned for their tribe by the government, Mary is unable to forget the atrocities against she witnessed on that fateful night and with Abe wants to see justice served but in a white man’s world, that would be more difficult than May could have imagined and the aftermath of their efforts takes a toll on her marriage and the life she has strived to build wither husband and their children. She will face loss, tragedy and oppression and discrimination both as a woman and as a Native American but she makes it a point to learn from what she observes, trusting her instincts, never backing down from a challenge and protecting those she holds dear in the face of any threat.
Impeccably researched and sensitively written with great attention to detail, Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom is a captivating read that I could not put down. The story is presented to us from Mary's first-person PoV. In the course of telling the story of this courageous and resilient woman, the author not only gives us an insightful look into the rituals and beliefs and way of life of the Crow Tribe but also sheds light on the dynamics between the different tribes. As we follow Goes First through the decades, we also get to see how restrictive and oppressive government policies the indigenous people and their ways of life – from confiscation of their lands, forced relocations, government oversight of the Reservations, the role of Indian Agents and the forcible removal of children to government-run institutions designed to strip them of their Native identity. Do read the Foreword written by Mary’s great-granddaughter Nedra Farwell Brown wherein talks about her collaboration with the author. In her Note, author Kathleen Grissom discusses the historical context of the novel detailing the real events and facts that found their place in the narrative and where she has exercised creative license. Incredibly moving, informative and insightful, this is an exceptional work of historical fiction that I would not hesitate to recommend.
Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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