As I was perusing the library for a new book last week I came upon this one. I read the first 2 pages and thought it would suffice until any of my books on hold would come in. Willa's NEW WORLD was a quick and interesting read. I believe I got it on Thursday and read the first couple chapters and found myself dreading the possible terror and sadness that I thought would be in the next few chapters, so I put it down with the thoughts of not finishing it. I am glad, however, that i did pick it up again on Monday and found that the writer Barbara Demers, thankfully wrote this book with nearly all danger and violence either off stage or allusive. It was some what a fast paced journey of a 15 year old orphan girl, Willa, who is shipped off to York Factory on the Hudson Bay in 1795. This young girl comes to stand up for her self and provide for herself as she gains more confidence and respect from those she comes into contact with. Because of her desire to take care of herself, by herself, she willingly learns from Amelia, the Native cook at the Factory, inside and out of the Factory/Fort. Her re-education continues under Amelia's mother, Moon, an itinerant healer.
As much as I enjoyed this book, I did however find the ending cut short, and I have yet to find a sequel. Oh well.
3/4 of the way through the book I realized they were in Canada, Hudson Bay Tina, duh, which I loved and that the author was from Edmonton, AB.
Here is my favorite excerpt from this book, leading up to this part is a conversation of why Moon and the First Nations people travel "light", with out maps, books etc. to help them travel or to use to record and remember certain plants or animals.
"Then what would happen if they got wet? or stained? Or lost? Then what would we have to rely on? If you begin to think knowledge is only outside you and you do not look and think and learn for yourself, then you will forget what you know. You will not look around you at what is; you will look at what someone else has said should be. Do you understand?"......... "It is in here," Moon said, tapping her head. "You must learn to carry what you must know inside. There it will not get wet or lost. It will be with you at all times and it will be easy to carry."
Now on to my next book, the 2nd in a 3 book series, Mystic Visions. Happy reading everyone!
2 comments:
That's a really great quote, Tina!
I hate books that are cut short because their author realizes they can make more money with a sequel.
I love sequels! I am never satisfied with just one novel. Once I get to know a character I want to know more and read more about them.
Post a Comment