Thunderwoman Review.

So, where do I even begin with this book. Thunderwoman is by Nancy Wood, and I really wish it was something I had heard of much sooner. The book is pretty much a fictionalized telling of mostly the conquest of modern South and Central America by the Spanish. And how Thunderwoman, and Kobili tried to conserve their way of life, and their people.

This book is beautiful, but it is best to go into with an open mind. It begins with the birth of Sayah the daughter of the chieftain, who is Thunderwoman the Creator. And it goes to tell her growing up, and eventually falling in love again with Kobili the shaman of the village. However, dangers are beginning to appear. And of course, the Spanish begin taking over.

If you know a little history or just interested in the Spanish conquest of South America, this book is just amazing to read. This is from the point of view of the natives who lived before the Spanish, and how they tried to resist.

This book does not have a super happy ending, I am warning you now. The book as a whole is very sad. But it's still so incredible to read. It is a little tricky to get into at first, especially because the names are confusing, and there are no quotation marks through the entire book. It can get very hard to follow.

But I found once I got into it, the book was very face paced, and the prose is just beautiful. As well the book includes illustrations by Richard Erodes. These little illustrations are scattered throughout the book, and they are incredible. However, I can see how some people may find them a bit disturbing. I will leave that up to you to decide.

This book is not for everyone, I will say this now. It is a little gory, and disturbing in some places. As well as the book can be very difficult to understand. But at the same time, I feel like people should read it. I feel like the story it tells is very important for us especially those of us in North and South America. It is part of our past. And it's something that shouldn't be erased.

Between each part of the book, there is a poem, and the poem does help the reader understand what is going to happen. However, knowing a bit of history helps a lot too. I'm not saying you need to be an expert in the native civilizations of South America. I'm saying it helps to know about Cortes, and the horrors that the native tribes faced due to Spanish conquest.

This is not an easy book to stomach, but it is still harrowing, but beautiful. I don't know if I would be able to read it again, but certainly I would try. This book is not so much about the characters, but the messages it tells. But the characters are very full too. Sayah's changes through the book are very profound, but we do not get a lot of her husband or much of the other characters in the book.

So if you are looking for a book to make you reflect on the life you've been lucky enough to have, or are interested in reading about long gone native tribes. Then I would totally suggest Thunderwoman, but I suggest it with a warning that if you are sensitive like myself, you'll cry. But all in all, a good read.

I hope you all have a wonderful day. :)