Thunderwoman - Hardcover

Nancy Wood is the editor of the award-winning anthology The Serpent's Tongue: Prose, Poetry, and Art of the New Mexico Pueblos (Dutton). Nearly half a million copies of her Spirit Walker trilogy of poems are in print. American Book Award-winner Richard Erdoes is an artist, photographer, and the author of more than thirty books.

Grade 9 Up-Thunderwoman, cocreator of the universe according to the Pueblos, returns to earth in human form at the time of the conquistadors. Reborn as Sayah, daughter of a chieftain, she is raised by her former husband, now Kobili the wise man. The invasion by conquistadors and the Catholic religion threaten to shatter her world, and she must work within human limitations to save her people. For almost 400 years, Sayah's human and animal compatriots travel the land to bring news, stories, and the strength of legends to their loved ones. Finally, Sayah cannot excise the interlopers from the land, but she can give her people the courage and will to continue. Wood, known for her poetry and short story collections, has undertaken a challenging mix of history and mythology. This work is populated with interesting and amusing, albeit unlikable, white characters. Thunderwoman's return in human form, including her development into a female warrior who retains her feminine compassion, is a fascinating if offbeat premise. Some inconsistencies in Thunderwoman's abilities are distracting to readers, who may be confused by her varying powers through time. Dark illustrations, imitative but not truly Native designs, are inserted skillfully throughout the text. At times confusing, this is still an engrossing read for mature readers with a special interest in Native cultures and Southwestern history.
Mary B. McCarthy, ACLIN/Colorado State Library
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.