From Publishers Weekly
Interspersing the mythic tales that for centuries explained the world to her Zuni ancestors with the realities of modern Indian existence, folksinger Painted Turtle struggles for balance in her life. First seen in the author's My Amputations , Painted Turtle's story is told here by her lover Baldwin Saiyataca, a Navajo guitar player. Baldy's imagined interpretations of the events that shaped Painted Turtle and her songs retain the essential remoteness of her character and give the narrative a lyrical, rhythmic quality. Memories of growing up in her extended Zuni family, in which many traditions were preserved, are interwoven with grimmer threads: her rape and the birth of twin boys when she was 13, brief stints as a prostitute, the establishment of her career as a singer. Major brings his characters to life with the accretion of specific details. Even so, his novel is distinctly spiritual, emphasizing the significance of traditional beliefs in the lives of Painted Turtle and her family.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Georges Seurat painted with small splashes of color that at close range seem disjointed and random but at greater distance create a stylized view of reality. Major ( My Amputations , LJ 7/86) uses the same technique to tell the story of Turtle, an American Indian woman caught in a cultural time warp. Wanting only to be left alone to lead her life, Turtle is instead forced constantly to adapt to circumstances beyond her control. Major's experimental tale is told with poetic skill. The result can be difficult reading, but if one steps back (as with Seurat), the full effect is appreciated. Michael Boylan, Marymount Univ., Arlington, Va.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
