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5.0 out of 5 stars
Love, loss, self-discovery..., Oct 15 2003
Mother Earth Father Sky by Sue Harrison is a powerful book about a young woman who searches for a sense of belonging and ends up finding a whole new family, and, more importantly, she discovers more about her own character; through her journey, she lived through love, loss, and self-discovery. Chagak, of an Indian tribe, had just become a woman. While she was picking berries, her whole tribe was burned and killed; the only survivors were herself and her little brother Pup. After giving each one of the members of the tribe a proper ceremony of death, with her little brother, she decided to go to her grandfather's tribe to seek assistance. She ended up on an Island with a man named Shuganan. On this island, Pup died and Chagak grieved. Shuganan gave Chagak food, water, and shelter and they became friends. They shared their experiences and became very close. A man comes to the beach and claims that he is good, but in reality, he is a killer, which is explained in his name, Man-who-kills. He impregnates Chagak with force and is very brutal toward both her and to Shuganan. The two kill him and are free from his cruelty. She gives birth to the son and he is named Samiq. The story is then intelligently intertwined with the story of another tribe. These two tribes later meet and live amongst one another. The leader of that tribe is Kayugh and his son has not eaten healthy because his mother died and he couldn't be breastfed. Chagak agrees to feed him; she, in the end, saves his live. Chagak, traumatized over her experience with Man-who-kills, never wants another husband for fear of being treated so harshly. Kayugh wants her as his wife. You'll have to read the book to find out what happens next. Through Chagak's journey, she realizes that although she is a woman and is supposed to be inferior, she is still strong. She had the strength to bury her whole family, being raped and giving birth to the child as a result of that, and so much more. I really recommend this book because Sue Harrison really gives all her characters a unique personality. She brings her characters, including the whole book to life; it's like your watching a movie and not really reading. In addition to this, Harrison did a lot of research on the Native American culture, which brings out the richness and virtues of their lifestyle. The story shows how a woman can have strength within and use it to persevere and overcome any obstacles.
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