The Red Heart by JAMES ALEXANDER Thom
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Book Reviews of The Red Heart
Book Review: Humbling ...
Summary: 5 Stars
After reading only the first chapter, you suddenly have a greater sense of security in your life than ever before. We take so much for granted in our lives these days. This book brings back some of the reasons we have what we have.Book Review: Indian Insights
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is well written, suspenseful, and taught me so much about native American culture and practices. I recommend it for any reader who enjoys realism and appreciates history.Book Review: Well Written
Summary: 5 Stars
Once again, James Alexander Thom has written a wonderful story blended with our nation's history. It is hard to put this book down. I highly recommend it.Book Review: Somewhat sad story. Overall enjoyable.
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the story of Frances Slocum, as well as a sad tale of the Native American people's loss of homeland and life at the hands of the `new' Americans. Based on the life of the actual historic Frances Slocum, the novel's Frances is kidnapped in 1776 from her Quaker family at the age of 5. The history has been edited, but this is a novel and doesn't claim to be nonfiction. Frances is taken to replace the dead child of an Indian woman whose own daughter was killed by whites. Frances and her adoptive family, Tuck Horse and Flicker spend many years running from war in search of a peaceful place that the Americans will allow them to call home. The storytelling is simple and well done. The descriptions of Niagara Falls, the Great Lakes and American lands are wonderful. Thom manages to give Frances the voice of a child when she is young and her voice matures as she grows. As she grows, so does the population and expansion of whites into territory once occupied by Indians. More and more information about how the Indians are being killed and pushed out of their homeland is woven into the narrative in later chapters. The history of the politics sometimes overwhelms the story of Frances, but it does explain a lot. There are occasional updates on her Quaker family's constant search for their missing relative. These updates are brief and do not interrupt the flow of Frances' life story. They illustrate how the Slocum's always kept her in their heart and thoughts and prayers. Both Frances and her family are depicted as such kind and good people, which seems too simplistic for realism, but it made for very nice reading. Because of the accounts of Native American life and the heart-touching persistence of her family, I enjoyed this story in spite of the suffering inflicted on the Indians. Recommended.
Book Review: Excellent work
Summary: 4 Stars
I could not put this book down once I started reading.
I am a big fan of James Alexander Thom, I have read several of his books and have more to read.
The story of the Red Heart is captivating. From the time of the kidnapping of little Frances Slocum to her transition into
Mackinakwa "little bear women" she goes from completely terrified to loving her Indian people to the end.
Very interesting book.
The only thing I have to say of this author is that he is very explicit in his writings.
I caution you, may not be suitable for the young folk. I believe that he goes into way to much detail on very personal matters.
I know in this book that Frances goes from girl to women, but we all know what happens......I don't think we need to hear it in such
GRAPHIC details. For me, that was the only draw back, I just had to skip over some parts.
James Thom is such a wonderful author, his books can stand on their own without all the sexual explicitness. If I wanted to read a book like that I would pick up a harlequin novel.
Outside that, in my eyes, this book would have been the perfect early american history novel.