Ridgeline by Michael Punke

I have failed miserably at Book a Day January.  This is book 21.  It took me 2.5 days to get through, and I forgot to take my two weekend books home, leaving them on the Circ Desk. It looks like it'll be 23 books in 31 days. Eh.

You may know Punke's famous first novel by its movie adaptation: The Revenant starring Leo.  As we look to improve our holdings by and about the Indigenous peoples of the United States, this was recommended by our book vendor Follett.  Punke grew up in Wyoming near Fort Laramie and currently lives in Montana.   

This is a fictionalized account of the 1866 conflict in Powder Valley, Wyoming between westward expanding Americans and the tribes who have always called these lands home.  Red Cloud, revered leader of the Lakota, seeks a resolution while Crazy Horse, a fierce warrior, wants to drive the settlers back by any means necessary.  The white soldiers deal with internal strife, as the Civil War has left the army fractured.  There are many desertions as men fight the temptation to search for gold instead.  

This was not an easy read.  Besides the bloodshed, there are a LOT of characters.  Punke does his readers a favor with a brief chart at the beginning and more in-depth explanations at the end.  He also explains where and when he took creative license and gives more history to some.  The style is a cross between Conductor on the Underground Railroad, Petry's narrative biography of Harriet Tubman, and Dances With Wolves.  

I'll be adding this to our Indigenous subcollection momentarily.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.