Kathleen Grissom consistently exhibits her brilliant ability to meld historical facts with immersive fiction, and in "Crow Mary" she brings to life an actual historical figure whose bravery and strength inspire us as the beautiful narrative brings that era and its inhabitants to life. Grissom spent years researching Crow Mary's story, including talking to her descendants. This is one of those rare novels that not only has a gripping story line, a strong protagonist, and a fascinating setting, it also teaches us about history. We learn about "Indian reservations" and their ever-changing boundaries (not in favor of the Indians). We see the blatant racism (no surprises, there), and just one small example of the brutal massacres to which Native Americans were subject.
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