“Blevins’ prose is razor sharp, his characters are clearly defined, and his heart, like so many, is at Wounded Knee. An outstanding novel.” —Booklist. From a three-time Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers Writer of the Year, this tale of lost faith and crowning redemption follows one American Indian’s spirit journey to heal his past and claim his future.“RavenShadow has the … future.“RavenShadow has the impact of a hurled war lance.” —Dee Brown, author of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
Joseph Blue Crow discovers why he has spent his life in the shadow of the raven. And now, for the first time, he feels able to walk the good red road. He will dedicate his life to recording the personal stories of the descendants of the Lakota people who died at Wounded Knee. In the light of truth, he says, may all heal.
……………….
Blue was born to carry the sacred ways of the Sioux. But instead he has walked the road of booze, women, and the blues. Now he finds himself on railroad tracks with a train roaring toward his car. Only his best friend’s words can save him: “You got to go on the mountain.”
Blue starts going into the sweat lodge, and then onto the mountain to cry for a vision in the old way. There he sees that he has always lived in the shadow of a raven’s wing, a dark past he has tried ignore.
The student is ready, and the teacher appears. Blue joins a group called the Big Foot Memorial Riders in a challenging journey, riding along the route of Chief Big Foot and his people to Wounded Knee, where the band met a terrible end exactly one hundred years ago.
At the site of the massacre the Riders perform a ceremony to honor the dead and release the spirits of the Lakota people from what happened there. And Blue receives an astonishing gift: A medicine man helps him travel back a century so that he can actually see and feel his ancestors fall under fire of the guns.
After this extraordinary experience, Blue is able to move forward in his life with peace and purpose.
“No one can come away from this magnificent work without feeling humble and meditative. . . . Blevins beautifully and skillfully merges the past and the present.” —El Paso Times
Reviews
“Win Blevins has long since won his place among the West’s very best. RavenShadow adds a new dimension to reputation.” —Tony Hillerman
“An outstanding novel that people from age eight to eighty should read. . . . [Blevins] is a true storyteller in the tradition of Native people.” —Lee Francis, chair of the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers
“Blevins’ prose is razor sharp, his characters are clearly defined, and his heart, like so many, is at Wounded Knee. An outstanding novel.” —Booklist
“A strong, thoughtful story.” —Kirkus Reviews
“[RavenShadow] is destined to become an American classic. . . . [Blevins] raises the genre to a new level.” —Roundup Magazine
“Powerful and poetic.” —Tulsa World
“RavenShadow has the impact of a hurled war lance.” —Dee Brown, author of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
more
Rambling, bubbling, the tune and style are making head spinning, not knowing what direction and what point that the author tries to make
pulls you into the pages
This is an unusual read. The combination of Indian spirituality and Christian beliefs are alittle hard to mesh. A tough journey for our hero to wade through addiction and spiritual seeking
I loved this book. I wasn’t sure I was going to like it but ended up not being able to put it down. It was very moving. While the main characters were fictional the events were real.
I really appreciated this book. It’s main character was hugely beliveable and his journey back to his roots was eye opening.
This was astonishing for those of us not familiar with this particular era in history. As always, this author does not disappoint! Great. Keep up the good work.
Good read
Too graphic with the sex scenes
book was not what I expected. Only read first chapter, then deleted it.
This was an amazing book that restores your faith in the concept of another plane of existence. Time is a continuum.
Grapples effectively with the human dilemma of living in two contrasting cultures. Alcohol, religion, culture and race are all delicate subjects affecting the writers life. He finally resolves at least some of them by choosing the “old” world into which he was born. Sometimes a difficult read, but overall rewarding.
Very well written and well researched
Boring
Original and of an era I hadn’t read much about before. Likable and believable characters. Did drag on a bit in a few places. Could have been tightened up a bit.
This is not the type of book I frequently read, but the further I got in the book, the harder it was to put down. It has stayed with me. I find myself thinking about it at odd times. It made me want to learn more about the Lakota people.
Character development is outstanding
Did not care for the book
A very powerful story.