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The Memory Weaver
Eliza Spalding Warren was just a child when she was taken hostage by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre in 1847. Now the young mother of two children, Eliza faces a different kind of dislocation; her impulsive husband wants them to make a new start in another territory, which will mean leaving her beloved home and her departed mother's grave--and returning to the land of her captivity. Eliza longs to know how her mother, an early missionary to the Nez Perce Indians, dealt with the challenges of life with a sometimes difficult husband and with her daughter's captivity.
When Eliza is finally given her mother's diary, she is stunned to find that her own memories are not necessarily the whole story of what happened. Can she lay the dark past to rest and move on? Or will her childhood memories always hold her hostage?
Based on true events, The Memory Weaver is New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick's latest literary journey into the past, where threads of western landscapes, family, and faith weave a tapestry of hope inside every pioneering woman's heart. Readers will find themselves swept up in this emotional story of the memories that entangle us and the healing that awaits us when we bravely unravel the threads of the past.
When Eliza is finally given her mother's diary, she is stunned to find that her own memories are not necessarily the whole story of what happened. Can she lay the dark past to rest and move on? Or will her childhood memories always hold her hostage?
Based on true events, The Memory Weaver is New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick's latest literary journey into the past, where threads of western landscapes, family, and faith weave a tapestry of hope inside every pioneering woman's heart. Readers will find themselves swept up in this emotional story of the memories that entangle us and the healing that awaits us when we bravely unravel the threads of the past.
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2015
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About the author
Jane Kirkpatrick
75 books1,048 followersKirkpatrick brings us a story of one woman's restoration from personal grief to the meaning of community."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews
December 15, 2015
Despite the fact that Jane Kirkpatrick is a prolific inspirational historical fiction author, The Memory Weaver is my first read by her. After finishing this novel, I can easily see why she is a favorite in the genre, and I’m glad to have finally read one of her books. The first person narration, realistic historical detail and thought-provoking plot kept me engaged throughout the story. There are a lot of interesting details about daily pioneer life – I do not envy those homesteading in the 1850’s. I don’t often read many stories set during pioneer days, but the historical detail here was fascinating.
Eliza Warren is an intriguing character. Although at times I didn’t agree with her choices, I could always empathize and understand why she made certain choices. Many of them also fit with the time period of the story. Women had few options at times, and though I am no historian, I have read stories both fiction and non-fiction where women are bound by the whims and wishes of their father and then later their husband. Eliza did have a certain amount of autonomy that many woman of the time most likely didn’t have, and that certainly adds an intriguing aspect to her character. There isn’t a lot of fast-paced action, but rather it focuses on Eliza life as a wife and mother, trying to come to terms with her past and let go of her worries of the future.
Throughout Eliza’s narrative, there are also section of the journal of her mother, also named Eliza. The journal fills in some of the gaps of events that took place when Eliza the daughter was young and even before she was born, that help the reader understand the life she lived as a young child with her missionary parents. She still suffers from the traumatic flashbacks of a massacre that occurred at the settlement where her family lived and ministered to the Nez Perce. As Eliza begins reading her mother’s own account and feelings after the tragedy, she realizes the faulty nature of her own memory.
This story brings up thought-provoking questions about how well a person can trust their memory, especially memories from childhood, and how each person has a different memory of the same event. My favorite part of this story is without a doubt the strides that Eliza makes as she comes to terms with new memories that have surfaced, along with confronting people from her past, who fill in gaps and bring revelation to the things that she had misinterpreted as a child. As shaped as she was by these traumatic events, she comes to realize that she can undo the harm that the false memories have done and create a new story, a true story.
Reader should not expect a romance here, but rather a realistic look at a marriage that might not have been the best match to begin with. At the time they meet, Eliza sees Henry as more of an escape – and though he might be charming, it’s a hard lesson that charm doesn’t mean much when things are tough. Though there were many times these characters frustrated me, I do feel that their interactions are genuine and realistic of how such a marriage might have been.
The Memory Weaver is a more layered tale about an often-times hard life, as well as the complex inner-life of Eliza. In the Author’s Notes, Jane touches on how she hopes this story allows those shaped by tragic events to understand they are not alone, and no words can better sum up what she did in the telling of Eliza’s story: “I’d like to add the power of story and grace are also avenues to peace.” A traumatic event shaped the story of Eliza’s life, but she finds peace when she allows herself to accept the grace that the true, weaved-together memories provide. With a character-driven plot, thorough historical details, and a strong faith message, I can easily recommend The Memory Weaver to readers who enjoy historical, inspirational fiction.
Eliza Warren is an intriguing character. Although at times I didn’t agree with her choices, I could always empathize and understand why she made certain choices. Many of them also fit with the time period of the story. Women had few options at times, and though I am no historian, I have read stories both fiction and non-fiction where women are bound by the whims and wishes of their father and then later their husband. Eliza did have a certain amount of autonomy that many woman of the time most likely didn’t have, and that certainly adds an intriguing aspect to her character. There isn’t a lot of fast-paced action, but rather it focuses on Eliza life as a wife and mother, trying to come to terms with her past and let go of her worries of the future.
Throughout Eliza’s narrative, there are also section of the journal of her mother, also named Eliza. The journal fills in some of the gaps of events that took place when Eliza the daughter was young and even before she was born, that help the reader understand the life she lived as a young child with her missionary parents. She still suffers from the traumatic flashbacks of a massacre that occurred at the settlement where her family lived and ministered to the Nez Perce. As Eliza begins reading her mother’s own account and feelings after the tragedy, she realizes the faulty nature of her own memory.
This story brings up thought-provoking questions about how well a person can trust their memory, especially memories from childhood, and how each person has a different memory of the same event. My favorite part of this story is without a doubt the strides that Eliza makes as she comes to terms with new memories that have surfaced, along with confronting people from her past, who fill in gaps and bring revelation to the things that she had misinterpreted as a child. As shaped as she was by these traumatic events, she comes to realize that she can undo the harm that the false memories have done and create a new story, a true story.
Reader should not expect a romance here, but rather a realistic look at a marriage that might not have been the best match to begin with. At the time they meet, Eliza sees Henry as more of an escape – and though he might be charming, it’s a hard lesson that charm doesn’t mean much when things are tough. Though there were many times these characters frustrated me, I do feel that their interactions are genuine and realistic of how such a marriage might have been.
The Memory Weaver is a more layered tale about an often-times hard life, as well as the complex inner-life of Eliza. In the Author’s Notes, Jane touches on how she hopes this story allows those shaped by tragic events to understand they are not alone, and no words can better sum up what she did in the telling of Eliza’s story: “I’d like to add the power of story and grace are also avenues to peace.” A traumatic event shaped the story of Eliza’s life, but she finds peace when she allows herself to accept the grace that the true, weaved-together memories provide. With a character-driven plot, thorough historical details, and a strong faith message, I can easily recommend The Memory Weaver to readers who enjoy historical, inspirational fiction.
September 12, 2015
Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
I owe my interest in Jane Kirkpatrick's The Memory Weaver to the artist who created the jacket. The contrasting colors caught my eye and while I wasn't overly enthusiastic over the premise, the imagery that graced the cover sparked something nostalgic in my imagination and prompted me to disregard any and all hesitation I felt regarding the material. Unfortunately for me, the narrative it concealed proved an uphill battle. I struggled with Kirkpatrick's style and tone from the first page to the last, I threw the book aside several times out of frustration, and more than once considered abandoning it altogether.
I understand the novel is inspired fiction, but I found Kirkpatrick's approach unabashedly preachy. I've said the same thing about a lot of Christian writers and I have been judged and openly harassed by many of their fans. I'm well aware that my opinions ruffle feathers, but I personally appreciate subtly and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I appreciate characters who live by their faith above those who shove it down everyone else's throats or play the ever-suffering martyr. It works for some, it just isn't a good fit for me.
I felt Kirkpatrick's interpretation of Eliza Spalding Warren almost identical to that of her mother, Eliza Hart Spalding and the lack of definition was incredibly annoying. The two share significantly similar names which caused confusion in and of itself, but the fact that the author failed to gift them individual voices amplified the issue tenfold.
I think the story would have been stronger if the author had abandoned the journal approach and told it from dual perspective of the Eliza and her mother before, during and after the massacre at Waiilatpu. I realize the author wanted to address family legacies and the dynamic between mother and daughter, but I didn't feel that angle had enough material to carry all three hundred and thirty six pages of this novel. It got lost in translation and didn't strike me as particularly compelling even when it shown through the events of Eliza and Andrew's marriage.
I don't know much about the Nez Perce, my knowledge base begins and ends with Chief Joseph, but I'm very familiar with Indian Country and sites such as Sand Creek, Washita, Wounded Knee and Little Bighorn and feel Kirkpatrick's effort shallowly representative of the complex history and culture of the native people. What little there is comes to the reader through Eliza who, in my opinion, possesses jarringly compassionate and modern ideas for someone who witnessed the 1847 Whitman massacre firsthand. Maybe it's just me, but I think the experience would have left her somewhat conflicted and felt Kirkpatrick's handling of the subject both superficial and unauthentic.
Atmospherically I've little to comment on. I've driven this part of the country more times than I can count and was disappointed that so little of it came to life under Kirkpatrick's pen. The characters also failed to impress and their emotional journeys didn't capture or captivate my imagination. Other reviewers have been mightily impressed with The Memory Weaver, and while I can appreciate varied opinions and tastes, I can't say I share in their admiration or delight.
I owe my interest in Jane Kirkpatrick's The Memory Weaver to the artist who created the jacket. The contrasting colors caught my eye and while I wasn't overly enthusiastic over the premise, the imagery that graced the cover sparked something nostalgic in my imagination and prompted me to disregard any and all hesitation I felt regarding the material. Unfortunately for me, the narrative it concealed proved an uphill battle. I struggled with Kirkpatrick's style and tone from the first page to the last, I threw the book aside several times out of frustration, and more than once considered abandoning it altogether.
I understand the novel is inspired fiction, but I found Kirkpatrick's approach unabashedly preachy. I've said the same thing about a lot of Christian writers and I have been judged and openly harassed by many of their fans. I'm well aware that my opinions ruffle feathers, but I personally appreciate subtly and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I appreciate characters who live by their faith above those who shove it down everyone else's throats or play the ever-suffering martyr. It works for some, it just isn't a good fit for me.
I felt Kirkpatrick's interpretation of Eliza Spalding Warren almost identical to that of her mother, Eliza Hart Spalding and the lack of definition was incredibly annoying. The two share significantly similar names which caused confusion in and of itself, but the fact that the author failed to gift them individual voices amplified the issue tenfold.
I think the story would have been stronger if the author had abandoned the journal approach and told it from dual perspective of the Eliza and her mother before, during and after the massacre at Waiilatpu. I realize the author wanted to address family legacies and the dynamic between mother and daughter, but I didn't feel that angle had enough material to carry all three hundred and thirty six pages of this novel. It got lost in translation and didn't strike me as particularly compelling even when it shown through the events of Eliza and Andrew's marriage.
I don't know much about the Nez Perce, my knowledge base begins and ends with Chief Joseph, but I'm very familiar with Indian Country and sites such as Sand Creek, Washita, Wounded Knee and Little Bighorn and feel Kirkpatrick's effort shallowly representative of the complex history and culture of the native people. What little there is comes to the reader through Eliza who, in my opinion, possesses jarringly compassionate and modern ideas for someone who witnessed the 1847 Whitman massacre firsthand. Maybe it's just me, but I think the experience would have left her somewhat conflicted and felt Kirkpatrick's handling of the subject both superficial and unauthentic.
Atmospherically I've little to comment on. I've driven this part of the country more times than I can count and was disappointed that so little of it came to life under Kirkpatrick's pen. The characters also failed to impress and their emotional journeys didn't capture or captivate my imagination. Other reviewers have been mightily impressed with The Memory Weaver, and while I can appreciate varied opinions and tastes, I can't say I share in their admiration or delight.
May 6, 2021
Oregon Territory 1847-1913
This novel is full of historical details based upon the life of Eliza Spalding Warren who was taken captive in 1847 by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre. Readers also get the point of view of Eliza's mother, named Eliza as well, through letters she wrote in 1850 just prior to her death. PTSD wasn't a known prognosis in 1847, but clearly 12 year old Eliza was impacted the remainder of her life by survivor's guilt among other things.
This novel is full of historical details based upon the life of Eliza Spalding Warren who was taken captive in 1847 by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre. Readers also get the point of view of Eliza's mother, named Eliza as well, through letters she wrote in 1850 just prior to her death. PTSD wasn't a known prognosis in 1847, but clearly 12 year old Eliza was impacted the remainder of her life by survivor's guilt among other things.
March 18, 2017
While I'm still a fan of Jane Kirkpatrick The Memory Weaver was just difficult to read. The writing was as usual lovely but the story it-self evoked a most unlikeable group to care about. Young Eliza and her Andrew just made so many poor choices that I struggled to read through them. Henry the father wasn't much better. It was hard to read about the tunnel vision they all seemed to share about the Nez Perce Indians; it didn't come across as devotion but more of an obsession. Mother Eliza's diary added very little to the actual story; she read much like her husband and daughter. I think the vision was lost on me in this read. I was so aggravated by everyone besides the brother Henry Hart and Rachel and the sisters that I increasingly was ready for a close. On a side note I felt like the constant use of Young Eliza calling her husband Mr. Warren was distracting and did nothing to further my warmth of her character. I think Rachel the step-mother could have balanced this read with her point of view added to the Eliza's.
February 8, 2016
I’ve got four words for you: Go read this book! I highly enjoyed The Memory Weaver, and I personally think that Jane Kirkpatrick is greatly talented. She is wonderful at weaving words in such a way that history comes alive in her characters.
The history behind the Spalding family has always fascinated me so I was very excited to dive into this particular book. However, I found it to be a slow-burner. Please don’t get me wrong because even though it’s slower, it’s highly enjoyable. I think part of the reason it took me so long is the fact that I was slipping into a reading slump at the time.
The characters were great, and I loved the switch between Eliza and her mother’s point of view–it fit very well.
The only thing I was disappointed about was the lack of Natives in this book. What I mean by that is: I wish we had a look at Eliza’s captivity and the massacre. It was what I was expecting when I picked it up, but it doesn’t really matter because I still enjoyed it nonetheless.
With all of that said, I’m going to give The Memory Weaver 5/5 stars!
If you would like to read more of my reviews, check out: http://www.kelvreadsbooks.blog.com
I was sent this book by the publisher for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own. I was in no other way compensated for this review.
The history behind the Spalding family has always fascinated me so I was very excited to dive into this particular book. However, I found it to be a slow-burner. Please don’t get me wrong because even though it’s slower, it’s highly enjoyable. I think part of the reason it took me so long is the fact that I was slipping into a reading slump at the time.
The characters were great, and I loved the switch between Eliza and her mother’s point of view–it fit very well.
The only thing I was disappointed about was the lack of Natives in this book. What I mean by that is: I wish we had a look at Eliza’s captivity and the massacre. It was what I was expecting when I picked it up, but it doesn’t really matter because I still enjoyed it nonetheless.
With all of that said, I’m going to give The Memory Weaver 5/5 stars!
If you would like to read more of my reviews, check out: http://www.kelvreadsbooks.blog.com
I was sent this book by the publisher for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own. I was in no other way compensated for this review.
October 19, 2015
The girl would remember that last solo ride with her mother: the sweep of the landscape, the scent of the flower and the horses, the sound of the Clearwater River chattering on its way to the faraway sea, and her mother’s approving smile. She would weave those memories into what happened later, trying to make sense of those threads, praying they would support rather than threaten her own life as a woman, mother, and wife.
A true historical fiction on the life Eliza Spalding Warren during the 1800’s as families were moving west. Her families were missionaries to the Indians and her mother was the first woman to make the trek across the North West Mountains. Eliza’s account is told in her voice and her mother’s diary. Each account woven with each other during different times of both mother and daughter, reflecting the special relationship that they shared and that was tragically cut off with the death of her mother while. When Eliza was quite young, she was taken hostage by the Indians and was a witness to a fear and evil. In reading historical accounts such as this, I always google and read the account for myself and was able to put a face with the word.
Eliza having lost control as a young girl with the Indians whom her family loved and served, feeling the betrayal of such a loss, her life reflected a life trying to control and fix things. Her relationship with her husband Andrew was sweet and endearing for they were such opposites but fit each other so well. Eliza comes to realize that controlling the people she loved and her circumstances was not working brought her a freedom to see the truth that she was seeking.
Some of the quotes I found inspiring.
We don’t recall the detail in our stories, we remember the experience.
Blaming was a second language with him, one I hoped I wasn’t learning. Finding fault was everything is tiring and breathes no hope of change.
They say we’ve lost our way, not brought sufficient heathens to the Lord, It was how they counted success, by numbers rather than how people changed their lives.
We saw the Nez Perce as people, not just heathens needing our Savior.
I loved the Christian theme as well without the preaching. It was Christian living lived out. That can be all the preaching anyone can hope for. You experience the pains of our young nation and the hard work of those before us. It is a book that is worth experiencing.
A Special Thank You to Goodreads Win, Revell, and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
A true historical fiction on the life Eliza Spalding Warren during the 1800’s as families were moving west. Her families were missionaries to the Indians and her mother was the first woman to make the trek across the North West Mountains. Eliza’s account is told in her voice and her mother’s diary. Each account woven with each other during different times of both mother and daughter, reflecting the special relationship that they shared and that was tragically cut off with the death of her mother while. When Eliza was quite young, she was taken hostage by the Indians and was a witness to a fear and evil. In reading historical accounts such as this, I always google and read the account for myself and was able to put a face with the word.
Eliza having lost control as a young girl with the Indians whom her family loved and served, feeling the betrayal of such a loss, her life reflected a life trying to control and fix things. Her relationship with her husband Andrew was sweet and endearing for they were such opposites but fit each other so well. Eliza comes to realize that controlling the people she loved and her circumstances was not working brought her a freedom to see the truth that she was seeking.
Some of the quotes I found inspiring.
We don’t recall the detail in our stories, we remember the experience.
Blaming was a second language with him, one I hoped I wasn’t learning. Finding fault was everything is tiring and breathes no hope of change.
They say we’ve lost our way, not brought sufficient heathens to the Lord, It was how they counted success, by numbers rather than how people changed their lives.
We saw the Nez Perce as people, not just heathens needing our Savior.
I loved the Christian theme as well without the preaching. It was Christian living lived out. That can be all the preaching anyone can hope for. You experience the pains of our young nation and the hard work of those before us. It is a book that is worth experiencing.
A Special Thank You to Goodreads Win, Revell, and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
September 26, 2015
Reviewed at The Power of Words: http://bit.ly/1JvKqPH
For historical fiction that focuses on America’s pioneer years, Jane Kirkpatrick is outstanding. The Memory Weaver is based on the true account of Eliza Spaulding, daughter of pioneer missionaries Henry and Eliza Spaulding, who ministered to the Nez Perce Indians. In Jane’s capable hands, rich historical detail provides the backdrop for a narrative that beautifully conveys the hardships, emotions, commitment and sheer determination of these early missionaries and settlers to the Oregon Territory.
Jane has a way with words, evidenced in Eliza’s opening line: "My earliest memory is of laughter inside a waterfall of words." I enjoy reading about historical figures, can’t even begin to imagine all that they endured, and the young Eliza’s character is developed with a depth that I found fascinating. As the title suggests, memory is key in this story, as Eliza, haunted by flashbacks, begins reading her mother’s diaries and gradually pieces together memories of a massacre that she not only witnessed, but in which she was taken hostage. Eliza touched my heart when she said, “My shame is living when so many didn’t.”
I love these thought-provoking quotes that give not only a taste of Jane’s writing style, but the overall feel of story as well:
Reflecting at her mother’s graveside, Eliza says, "I didn't know then that the healing of old wounds comes not from pushing tragic memories away but from remembering them, filtering them through love, to transform their distinctive brand of pain."
Regarding her marriage to Warren: "I'd treat my marriage like Rachel's woodstove, working hard to keep the fire going, not too hot and not too cold, making sure the damper was closed so no outside winds could buffet or send a flame across the floor to burn things up."
And this is especially true: “Every day is a day that starts a new life, that requires knitting and going back to pick up lost stitches.”
The Memory Weaver is not a fast-paced narrative, but rather an in-depth look at Eliza Spaulding’s memorable life and the wonderful ministry of her family. Recommended to all who enjoy historical fiction.
Thank you to Revell for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
For historical fiction that focuses on America’s pioneer years, Jane Kirkpatrick is outstanding. The Memory Weaver is based on the true account of Eliza Spaulding, daughter of pioneer missionaries Henry and Eliza Spaulding, who ministered to the Nez Perce Indians. In Jane’s capable hands, rich historical detail provides the backdrop for a narrative that beautifully conveys the hardships, emotions, commitment and sheer determination of these early missionaries and settlers to the Oregon Territory.
Jane has a way with words, evidenced in Eliza’s opening line: "My earliest memory is of laughter inside a waterfall of words." I enjoy reading about historical figures, can’t even begin to imagine all that they endured, and the young Eliza’s character is developed with a depth that I found fascinating. As the title suggests, memory is key in this story, as Eliza, haunted by flashbacks, begins reading her mother’s diaries and gradually pieces together memories of a massacre that she not only witnessed, but in which she was taken hostage. Eliza touched my heart when she said, “My shame is living when so many didn’t.”
I love these thought-provoking quotes that give not only a taste of Jane’s writing style, but the overall feel of story as well:
Reflecting at her mother’s graveside, Eliza says, "I didn't know then that the healing of old wounds comes not from pushing tragic memories away but from remembering them, filtering them through love, to transform their distinctive brand of pain."
Regarding her marriage to Warren: "I'd treat my marriage like Rachel's woodstove, working hard to keep the fire going, not too hot and not too cold, making sure the damper was closed so no outside winds could buffet or send a flame across the floor to burn things up."
And this is especially true: “Every day is a day that starts a new life, that requires knitting and going back to pick up lost stitches.”
The Memory Weaver is not a fast-paced narrative, but rather an in-depth look at Eliza Spaulding’s memorable life and the wonderful ministry of her family. Recommended to all who enjoy historical fiction.
Thank you to Revell for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 4, 2020
I don't read a lot of inspirational/christian fiction. Frequently I find myself being hit over my figurative head with the author's personal dogma. I did not know that this was particular author's chosen genre.
I found myself engaged with the story and characters within a few pages. While it became clear early on that this was inspirational fiction, I remained engaged. Eliza and her family were certainly flawed as are we all. Their struggles in the early years of the Oregon/Washington territories came vividly to life. And the struggles they brought upon themselves through force of their personalities were just as vivid. I watched them all grow up, grow apart, knit new lives, never truly despairing but finding a different way through their problems.
While the underlying theme was of course spiritual growth(they were missionaries after all), I never felt bludgeoned but rather introspective at times. Any spiritual path would find something to identify with here. And the the historical aspects were fascinating to me, which drew me to the book in the first place.
I found myself engaged with the story and characters within a few pages. While it became clear early on that this was inspirational fiction, I remained engaged. Eliza and her family were certainly flawed as are we all. Their struggles in the early years of the Oregon/Washington territories came vividly to life. And the struggles they brought upon themselves through force of their personalities were just as vivid. I watched them all grow up, grow apart, knit new lives, never truly despairing but finding a different way through their problems.
While the underlying theme was of course spiritual growth(they were missionaries after all), I never felt bludgeoned but rather introspective at times. Any spiritual path would find something to identify with here. And the the historical aspects were fascinating to me, which drew me to the book in the first place.
September 1, 2015
Living in the Pacific Northwest, I took a special interest in Jane Kirkpatrick's new novel, The Memory Weaver, based on the true story of Eliza Spaulding, daughter of real-life missionaries Henry and Eliza Spaulding.
Background: The elder Spauldings, along with Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, made the arduous journey from New York to Oregon Territory in the 1830s with the goal of spreading Christianity among the Nez Perce Indians. (Eliza and Narcissa are said to have been the first white women to make that journey.) Upon arrival, the Spauldings settled in Lapwai, near present-day Lewiston, Idaho, while the Whitmans went on to what is now Walla Walla, Washington.
In 1847, a measles epidemic broke out where the Whitmans were serving. Lacking natural resistance to the disease, many Nez Perce died, and they resented Marcus Whitman for, as they saw it, giving preferential medical treatment to whites. That, combined with other simmering resentments toward the missionaries, boiled over into a massacre which killed the Whitmans and 12 other men. Eliza Spaulding witnessed the carnage, as she'd been attending a boarding school run by the Whitmans. She was taken hostage, but her life was spared, presumably because she spoke Nez Perce and could act as a translator.
The Memory Weaver opens a few years after these events have taken place. The Spauldings now live in Brownsville, Oregon Territory, where the widowed Henry Spaulding is a traveling preacher, his missionary work having been shut down by the missions board in the wake of the massacre. Eliza, now thirteen, keeps house for the family and helps her father (a tough old bird with a significant mean streak) in his work. When she meets Andrew Warren, romance enters her young life, over her father's vehement objections.
The novel alternates between Eliza-the-daughter's first-person story, and the diary left by Eliza-the-mother. (These switches in point of view are not at all confusing. I had no trouble distinguishing one Eliza from the other.) As the younger Eliza grows to womanhood, experiences romance with Andrew, and faces life-changing decisions of her own, reading her mother's diaries gives her eye-opening insights into the truth about earlier events.
I found myself deeply engaged with both the characters and the story. Eliza has much to cope with, between her traumatic memories, her cold, demanding father, and the normal trials of adolescence and first love. The story is generously laced with Scripture and biblical themes, which are woven in quite naturally (but if Bible quotations offend you, you've been forewarned). And as a lover of history, I was fascinated by the details of missionary activity and daily life in the Oregon Territory. Highly recommended.
Disclosure: I’ve been given a review copy of this book by the publisher. This generosity, while appreciated, has not biased my review.
Background: The elder Spauldings, along with Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, made the arduous journey from New York to Oregon Territory in the 1830s with the goal of spreading Christianity among the Nez Perce Indians. (Eliza and Narcissa are said to have been the first white women to make that journey.) Upon arrival, the Spauldings settled in Lapwai, near present-day Lewiston, Idaho, while the Whitmans went on to what is now Walla Walla, Washington.
In 1847, a measles epidemic broke out where the Whitmans were serving. Lacking natural resistance to the disease, many Nez Perce died, and they resented Marcus Whitman for, as they saw it, giving preferential medical treatment to whites. That, combined with other simmering resentments toward the missionaries, boiled over into a massacre which killed the Whitmans and 12 other men. Eliza Spaulding witnessed the carnage, as she'd been attending a boarding school run by the Whitmans. She was taken hostage, but her life was spared, presumably because she spoke Nez Perce and could act as a translator.
The Memory Weaver opens a few years after these events have taken place. The Spauldings now live in Brownsville, Oregon Territory, where the widowed Henry Spaulding is a traveling preacher, his missionary work having been shut down by the missions board in the wake of the massacre. Eliza, now thirteen, keeps house for the family and helps her father (a tough old bird with a significant mean streak) in his work. When she meets Andrew Warren, romance enters her young life, over her father's vehement objections.
The novel alternates between Eliza-the-daughter's first-person story, and the diary left by Eliza-the-mother. (These switches in point of view are not at all confusing. I had no trouble distinguishing one Eliza from the other.) As the younger Eliza grows to womanhood, experiences romance with Andrew, and faces life-changing decisions of her own, reading her mother's diaries gives her eye-opening insights into the truth about earlier events.
I found myself deeply engaged with both the characters and the story. Eliza has much to cope with, between her traumatic memories, her cold, demanding father, and the normal trials of adolescence and first love. The story is generously laced with Scripture and biblical themes, which are woven in quite naturally (but if Bible quotations offend you, you've been forewarned). And as a lover of history, I was fascinated by the details of missionary activity and daily life in the Oregon Territory. Highly recommended.
Disclosure: I’ve been given a review copy of this book by the publisher. This generosity, while appreciated, has not biased my review.
November 14, 2015
Based on a true story, The Memory Weaver focuses on the life of Eliza Spalding Warren whose parents were missionaries in the Oregon Territory in the mid 1800’s. At the age of 10, Eliza was held hostage by the Cayuse Indians who had attacked and massacred many of the white people living at one of the missions. The horrific experience burned itself into Eliza’s memory causing post traumatic stress disorder, and as she grew older, the consequences and memories affected her life.
This novel evokes a real sense of time and place as Eliza struggles to deal with her feelings of being a survivor.
Thank you to Goodreads first reads and Revell Publishing Group for the opportunity to read the advanced copy of this book.
This novel evokes a real sense of time and place as Eliza struggles to deal with her feelings of being a survivor.
Thank you to Goodreads first reads and Revell Publishing Group for the opportunity to read the advanced copy of this book.
September 21, 2015
About the Book:
Eliza Spalding Warren was just a child when she was taken hostage by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre in 1847. Now the young mother of two children, Eliza faces a different kind of dislocation; her impulsive husband wants them to make a new start in another territory, which will mean leaving her beloved home and her departed mother's grave--and returning to the land of her captivity. Eliza longs to know how her mother, an early missionary to the Nez Perce Indians, dealt with the challenges of life with a sometimes difficult husband and with her daughter's captivity.
When Eliza is finally given her mother's diary, she is stunned to find that her own memories are not necessarily the whole story of what happened. Can she lay the dark past to rest and move on? Or will her childhood memories always hold her hostage?
Based on true events, The Memory Weaver is New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick's latest literary journey into the past, where threads of western landscapes, family, and faith weave a tapestry of hope inside every pioneering woman's heart. Readers will find themselves swept up in this emotional story of the memories that entangle us and the healing that awaits us when we bravely unravel the threads of the past.
My Review:
As a young girl, Eliza Spalding Warren was held hostage, during a massacre, by the Cayuse Indians. Her memories if those days haunt her day in and day out. The only person to console her was her mother, but now she too is gone. At thirteen, Eliza must take care of her three younger siblings and her grieving father. Her life seems to drone on and on, that is until she meets Mr. Andrew Warren. Being only nineteen, Mr. Warren has a deep understanding about life in general. Not only that he makes Eliza feel special, like she is the smartest girl in the world.
Now a wife to Mr. Warren and a mother of two, Eliza finds herself at a cross roads of sorts. Her dear husband, can be quite impulsive, but this time he is beyond crazy. He wishes to leave their home and head out to the place of Eliza's past captivity. Memories of those days hit her harder and stronger unlike ever before, as she prepares to make a journey to the land that haunts her, with two children in toe.
The Memory Weaver is an amazing novel, based on the 1800s. This book will have you captivated all the way from the first page on. Jane Kirkpatrick is an epic author, I just love every book she has written. She is one of my all time favorite authors. So when I had a chance to read this book, I knew it was going to be a crazy good one.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Revell.
Eliza Spalding Warren was just a child when she was taken hostage by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre in 1847. Now the young mother of two children, Eliza faces a different kind of dislocation; her impulsive husband wants them to make a new start in another territory, which will mean leaving her beloved home and her departed mother's grave--and returning to the land of her captivity. Eliza longs to know how her mother, an early missionary to the Nez Perce Indians, dealt with the challenges of life with a sometimes difficult husband and with her daughter's captivity.
When Eliza is finally given her mother's diary, she is stunned to find that her own memories are not necessarily the whole story of what happened. Can she lay the dark past to rest and move on? Or will her childhood memories always hold her hostage?
Based on true events, The Memory Weaver is New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick's latest literary journey into the past, where threads of western landscapes, family, and faith weave a tapestry of hope inside every pioneering woman's heart. Readers will find themselves swept up in this emotional story of the memories that entangle us and the healing that awaits us when we bravely unravel the threads of the past.
My Review:
As a young girl, Eliza Spalding Warren was held hostage, during a massacre, by the Cayuse Indians. Her memories if those days haunt her day in and day out. The only person to console her was her mother, but now she too is gone. At thirteen, Eliza must take care of her three younger siblings and her grieving father. Her life seems to drone on and on, that is until she meets Mr. Andrew Warren. Being only nineteen, Mr. Warren has a deep understanding about life in general. Not only that he makes Eliza feel special, like she is the smartest girl in the world.
Now a wife to Mr. Warren and a mother of two, Eliza finds herself at a cross roads of sorts. Her dear husband, can be quite impulsive, but this time he is beyond crazy. He wishes to leave their home and head out to the place of Eliza's past captivity. Memories of those days hit her harder and stronger unlike ever before, as she prepares to make a journey to the land that haunts her, with two children in toe.
The Memory Weaver is an amazing novel, based on the 1800s. This book will have you captivated all the way from the first page on. Jane Kirkpatrick is an epic author, I just love every book she has written. She is one of my all time favorite authors. So when I had a chance to read this book, I knew it was going to be a crazy good one.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Revell.
October 2, 2015
I read from the back of the book in author notes first. I also found the author interview with Jane Kirkpatrick informative. They helped to bring a depth and clarity to this true story I wouldn’t have otherwise. The author gives a glimpse into this tragedy from a different angle than other writers.
This author wanted to explore the daughter’s life and make it the focal point of this novel. Jane says, “There had never been an exploration of Elisa the child as an interpreter during the Whitman tragedy.” …”Novels are meant to move people, to bring emotion to the surface and enable us to see our lives in new ways. To paraphrase French writer Marcel Proust, “The real journey of discovery is not in seeking new landscape but in seeing with new eyes. I wanted to show Eliza’s journey toward seeing with new eyes.”…”A novel allows one to speculate about the why and how one felt regarding an incident…”
I had never heard of the Whitman tragedy. I learned about this event up-close and personal. The author is brilliant at weaving the mother’s diary entries and the daughter’s first person POV to create a heart-felt, compelling and fascinating way to learn about this historical event. This is a journey filled with challenges, survivors and a sense of hope. I liked how the author explores our memories in this tragic event. She says, “…What we remember isn’t always the way it actually, factually was and that new stories can transform our wounds and old shames, weave new memories that nourish.”
I found this statement and subject illuminating. I hadn’t thought of this before. This author does a great job of revealing a dark past and give renewed hope for a bright future in this novel. I love the deep faith that is portrayed through her characters, who in spite of the unbearable circumstances they are in, find peace. If you like historicals you’ll love this story.
Disclosure of Material Connection: #AD Sponsor
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! www.bookfun.org
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
This author wanted to explore the daughter’s life and make it the focal point of this novel. Jane says, “There had never been an exploration of Elisa the child as an interpreter during the Whitman tragedy.” …”Novels are meant to move people, to bring emotion to the surface and enable us to see our lives in new ways. To paraphrase French writer Marcel Proust, “The real journey of discovery is not in seeking new landscape but in seeing with new eyes. I wanted to show Eliza’s journey toward seeing with new eyes.”…”A novel allows one to speculate about the why and how one felt regarding an incident…”
I had never heard of the Whitman tragedy. I learned about this event up-close and personal. The author is brilliant at weaving the mother’s diary entries and the daughter’s first person POV to create a heart-felt, compelling and fascinating way to learn about this historical event. This is a journey filled with challenges, survivors and a sense of hope. I liked how the author explores our memories in this tragic event. She says, “…What we remember isn’t always the way it actually, factually was and that new stories can transform our wounds and old shames, weave new memories that nourish.”
I found this statement and subject illuminating. I hadn’t thought of this before. This author does a great job of revealing a dark past and give renewed hope for a bright future in this novel. I love the deep faith that is portrayed through her characters, who in spite of the unbearable circumstances they are in, find peace. If you like historicals you’ll love this story.
Disclosure of Material Connection: #AD Sponsor
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! www.bookfun.org
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
September 3, 2015
Another wonderful Christian Historical by master story teller Jane Kirkpatrick, based on facts about American Indian missionaries Eliza and Henry Spalding, and their daughter Eliza. This is the story about the daughter - expanding on actual diaries and documents - mixed as Jane Kirkpatrick so skillfully does with faith and life wisdoms.
At the age of 10 young Eliza was among the hostages taken by the Cayuse, a traumatic event (including massacres) that took place for 39 days before the British paid the ransom for their release. Eliza was forced to be an interpreter, since she was the only one who spoke all the languages of the captors and hostages. This explores her life as she lives on after this tragedy, expected to act as an adult, and goes on to marry and raise children of her own.
The story of her relationship with her father, her husband and actual events in their lives is very interesting - growing up and still coping with memories of her early life. It's woven with excerpts from her mother's diary, sometimes showing that things were not always the way that she perceived them from her 10 year old vantage point. You can't help but be touched by the story of this strong woman of the 1800's and her story of survival.
From Eliza's mother's diaries:
"... suffering arrives when one longs for what is not and can never be again. "
And during her life among the Indians: ". . . she aided me in understanding that the way I saw the world was not the only way to see it. "
As stated by the author: "It's my hope that this story allows each of us shaped by tragic and painful events to see that we are not alone and that there is a way to weave new cloth."
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Baker Publishing Group, Revell Reads - Netgalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”. http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa...
At the age of 10 young Eliza was among the hostages taken by the Cayuse, a traumatic event (including massacres) that took place for 39 days before the British paid the ransom for their release. Eliza was forced to be an interpreter, since she was the only one who spoke all the languages of the captors and hostages. This explores her life as she lives on after this tragedy, expected to act as an adult, and goes on to marry and raise children of her own.
The story of her relationship with her father, her husband and actual events in their lives is very interesting - growing up and still coping with memories of her early life. It's woven with excerpts from her mother's diary, sometimes showing that things were not always the way that she perceived them from her 10 year old vantage point. You can't help but be touched by the story of this strong woman of the 1800's and her story of survival.
From Eliza's mother's diaries:
"... suffering arrives when one longs for what is not and can never be again. "
And during her life among the Indians: ". . . she aided me in understanding that the way I saw the world was not the only way to see it. "
As stated by the author: "It's my hope that this story allows each of us shaped by tragic and painful events to see that we are not alone and that there is a way to weave new cloth."
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Baker Publishing Group, Revell Reads - Netgalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”. http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa...
May 3, 2016
This is the first book I've read in a long time. I was in a little bit of a reading slump, and then I had a lot going on in my personal life. I just didn't have time to read. I think this book is going to be the gateway for me to get back into reading. I really enjoyed the story. It's written like the pages of a diary from Eliza's point of view. At times, I was a little confused as to what was going on, but I think it's because the first half of the story was read in little bits and pieces at a time by me. To fully enjoy the beauty of this narrative, I think I would have had to read bigger chunks at a time. Read my full review: http://faithlovebooks.blogspot.com/20...
August 29, 2015
I've really struggled with what to rate this book. I requested it due to the theme and setting. I haven't read much about Native Americans and the missionary efforts to reach them and 1850s America.
Kirkpatrick did a wonderful job detailing life and conflicts during that time. She did her researched and portrayed a wide view of the missionary efforts. However, it was a hard book to get into. I struggled to stay interested and to finish it. I didn't feel there was life to the story. I was looking for a realism and I did not get that.
Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Kirkpatrick did a wonderful job detailing life and conflicts during that time. She did her researched and portrayed a wide view of the missionary efforts. However, it was a hard book to get into. I struggled to stay interested and to finish it. I didn't feel there was life to the story. I was looking for a realism and I did not get that.
Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
August 3, 2021
My first Jane Kirkpatrick novel did not disappoint. This is not an Old West romance, but rather the author's research and interpretation of the true account of then 10-year old Whitman massacre survivor Eliza Spalding Warren, the Nez Perce and Indian people, her mother and father as missionaries, her marriage, and other relationships.
The author covers the period of 1847-1913 of Eliza the daughter's life. PTSD, relationships, and failed memories. An indomitable pioneer spirit lived in Eliza and the things she accomplished.
The story has stuck with me each time I put the book down and now that it is finished. History buffs should check out this viewpoint of Oregon Territory and the before and after of this tragedy.
The author covers the period of 1847-1913 of Eliza the daughter's life. PTSD, relationships, and failed memories. An indomitable pioneer spirit lived in Eliza and the things she accomplished.
The story has stuck with me each time I put the book down and now that it is finished. History buffs should check out this viewpoint of Oregon Territory and the before and after of this tragedy.
September 14, 2015
There have been many novels written about life on and at the end of the Oregon Trail. People made the arduous journey for multiple reasons, including being missionaries to the Indians in the west. Jane Kirkpatrick’s latest release, The Memory Weaver, focuses on the life of a daughter of one of those missionaries. Henry Spalding and his wife made the trip with the more well-known Walter and Narcissa Whitman. (For a good novel about the crossing from the Whitman perspective, read The Doctor’s Lady by Jody Hedlund.) Eliza was born after their arrival. Nothing much is known about her life until the Whitman massacre of 1847. She wrote a biography in later life, but there are substantial omissions. For this reason, Kirkpatrick used her imagination to fill in the gaps. The focus was on how memories aren’t always accurate.
It sounds an interesting premise, but I didn’t enjoy this novel as much as I’d hoped. I was only a couple of pages into it when I had to start over. A passage confused me. Young Eliza was walking into town when she meets up with her future husband. But then she was suddenly planting bulbs, while they continued the conversation begun on the path. Then they’re back to walking, and then “I wiped sweat where my bonnet met my forehead, finished our digging.” There’s a similar situation later on. These aren’t errors in Eliza’s memories; these are errors in editing. If the error is mine, I’ve read the passage more than three times and I’m still confused.
To be honest, I didn’t care much for the book. I thought it dragged in parts and I did look at the back to see where it ended. I felt it lacked momentum and there wasn’t any build up to the conclusion. I knew when I’d reached the pivotal scene at the end, but I couldn’t get excited or emotional over it. I didn’t know anything about Eliza and her family before reading this, and I’m not sure how much I know now. Her father came across as unfeeling and her stepmother useless. The Whitmans received a very negative treatment, different from other material I’d read about them. I believe the mother’s diary made her the most sympathetic character, because I couldn’t even come to care about Eliza.
One positive of the book is the addition of a list of characters at the start. Most are historical, including young Eliza’s family and Nez Perce community members. I got a kick out of the fact that the family dogs were the only “fully imagined characters.” I do wish more books would include such lists. They’re so useful.
Thank you to Revell for my complimentary copy of The Memory Weaver, which I received in exchange for my honest review.
It sounds an interesting premise, but I didn’t enjoy this novel as much as I’d hoped. I was only a couple of pages into it when I had to start over. A passage confused me. Young Eliza was walking into town when she meets up with her future husband. But then she was suddenly planting bulbs, while they continued the conversation begun on the path. Then they’re back to walking, and then “I wiped sweat where my bonnet met my forehead, finished our digging.” There’s a similar situation later on. These aren’t errors in Eliza’s memories; these are errors in editing. If the error is mine, I’ve read the passage more than three times and I’m still confused.
To be honest, I didn’t care much for the book. I thought it dragged in parts and I did look at the back to see where it ended. I felt it lacked momentum and there wasn’t any build up to the conclusion. I knew when I’d reached the pivotal scene at the end, but I couldn’t get excited or emotional over it. I didn’t know anything about Eliza and her family before reading this, and I’m not sure how much I know now. Her father came across as unfeeling and her stepmother useless. The Whitmans received a very negative treatment, different from other material I’d read about them. I believe the mother’s diary made her the most sympathetic character, because I couldn’t even come to care about Eliza.
One positive of the book is the addition of a list of characters at the start. Most are historical, including young Eliza’s family and Nez Perce community members. I got a kick out of the fact that the family dogs were the only “fully imagined characters.” I do wish more books would include such lists. They’re so useful.
Thank you to Revell for my complimentary copy of The Memory Weaver, which I received in exchange for my honest review.
October 1, 2015
Jane Kirkpatrick's newest novel is truly everything that makes historical fiction such a wonderful genre. Carefully researched and based on multiple accounts of true events, the book examines the life of Eliza Spalding - daughter of some of the earliest missionaries to the Nez Perce, survivor of a horrific attack that left 13 other people brutally murdered, and the first white child born in the Oregon Territory to survive.
The Memory Weaver may indeed be chock full of historical insight but it is certainly not a dull textbook! Kirkpatrick casts a fictional eye at Eliza's life and creatively fills in several gaps, including (most strikingly to me) the questions left between Eliza's account of her mother's death in 1851 and the sentence that followed it: "In 1854 I married Andrew Warren."
Though glimpses of romance dance throughout the story, this isn't the main focus. Instead, readers are swept up in a life that did in fact exist and taken with her on a journey that did in fact happen and, thanks to Jane Kirkpatrick's talented pen, we come to see Eliza and her friends and family as more than just a name on a page. She breathes, she cries, she laughs, she loves, she fears, she overcomes. This is the kind of story that makes me close the novel when I've read the last word, linger over it in my thoughts for a time, and then hunt down a text to find out more - to research the Spaldings and the Whitmans and the nightmare that changed everything for them all.
Kirkpatrick's writing skill peppers the book with lines that steal your breath at their poignancy, making even the most agonizing scene one of beauty and grace.
While not a light or easy read, The Memory Weaver is more than worth the investment. It is a book that will touch your heart in unexpected ways, full of characters who will do the same. The struggle of early missionaries and settlers sometimes gets lost in the romanticism of the time period, but readers won't find that to be the case here. Jane Kirkpatrick gives us an honest, emotional and grace-filled look inside a woman who lived - perhaps not happily ever after - but with great courage and grit and heart.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
The Memory Weaver may indeed be chock full of historical insight but it is certainly not a dull textbook! Kirkpatrick casts a fictional eye at Eliza's life and creatively fills in several gaps, including (most strikingly to me) the questions left between Eliza's account of her mother's death in 1851 and the sentence that followed it: "In 1854 I married Andrew Warren."
Though glimpses of romance dance throughout the story, this isn't the main focus. Instead, readers are swept up in a life that did in fact exist and taken with her on a journey that did in fact happen and, thanks to Jane Kirkpatrick's talented pen, we come to see Eliza and her friends and family as more than just a name on a page. She breathes, she cries, she laughs, she loves, she fears, she overcomes. This is the kind of story that makes me close the novel when I've read the last word, linger over it in my thoughts for a time, and then hunt down a text to find out more - to research the Spaldings and the Whitmans and the nightmare that changed everything for them all.
Kirkpatrick's writing skill peppers the book with lines that steal your breath at their poignancy, making even the most agonizing scene one of beauty and grace.
While not a light or easy read, The Memory Weaver is more than worth the investment. It is a book that will touch your heart in unexpected ways, full of characters who will do the same. The struggle of early missionaries and settlers sometimes gets lost in the romanticism of the time period, but readers won't find that to be the case here. Jane Kirkpatrick gives us an honest, emotional and grace-filled look inside a woman who lived - perhaps not happily ever after - but with great courage and grit and heart.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
September 1, 2015
Eliza Spalding Warren was a young girl of ten years, newly arrived at the Whitman mission from her home in Lapwai where her parents were missionaries to the Nez Perce, and where she grew up playing with children of The People, and loved and was loved in return, by The People. Shortly after her arrival at the Whitman's mission, a few of the Cayuse, cousins of the Nez Perce, attacked and killed several people, including the Whitmans. Young Eliza was the only one who spoke fluent Sahaptin and was called upon by both the Cayuse and the whites to act as interpreter. The nightmare of those days as a captive, of not knowing if she would live, if her parents lived, if her siblings lived, of being treated roughly by people she didn't know but had been raised to respect and even to love, affected her for the rest of her life.
Ms. Kirkpatrick, a lover of history of the Oregon Country and it's people, took the facts as she found them, filled in the gaps as she could, and wove a delightful story of a young girl who suffers from what today we'd call PTSD, as this child matures, marries against her father's will, questions herself, and eventually questions her memories of that fateful time and place known as Waiilatpu. As young Eliza says in one place, "I had returned to a time, a reunion, that didn't happen where I'd thought. I was discovering that the past I remembered wasn't always the past that was."
Because Eliza's parents were missionaries (Henry Harmon and Eliza Hart Spalding) there is much mention of faith in this book. It is necessary to the story, and beautifully done. Faith was important to those people who made the perilous journey across the mountains and deserts to a vast, unknown, and often unwelcoming, country called Oregon. Young Eliza is credited with being the first white child born and raised in the Oregon Country. Alice Clarissa was born first, but did not live. (Marie and Pierre Dorion's child, considered white at the time, was born even earlier, but again, did not live.)
This is an excellent book by an excellent author who knows how to weave a story into a gorgeous tapestry. I highly recommend this to any lover of history.
Ms. Kirkpatrick, a lover of history of the Oregon Country and it's people, took the facts as she found them, filled in the gaps as she could, and wove a delightful story of a young girl who suffers from what today we'd call PTSD, as this child matures, marries against her father's will, questions herself, and eventually questions her memories of that fateful time and place known as Waiilatpu. As young Eliza says in one place, "I had returned to a time, a reunion, that didn't happen where I'd thought. I was discovering that the past I remembered wasn't always the past that was."
Because Eliza's parents were missionaries (Henry Harmon and Eliza Hart Spalding) there is much mention of faith in this book. It is necessary to the story, and beautifully done. Faith was important to those people who made the perilous journey across the mountains and deserts to a vast, unknown, and often unwelcoming, country called Oregon. Young Eliza is credited with being the first white child born and raised in the Oregon Country. Alice Clarissa was born first, but did not live. (Marie and Pierre Dorion's child, considered white at the time, was born even earlier, but again, did not live.)
This is an excellent book by an excellent author who knows how to weave a story into a gorgeous tapestry. I highly recommend this to any lover of history.
September 29, 2015
The Memory Weaver is a work of historic fiction based on the life of Eliza Spalding Warren. In it, Eliza tells us of her life starting at age fourteen when she was first approached by Mr. Warren, as she continues to call her husband even after marriage. And while this is partly the story of their marriage, it is primarily the story of how past traumatic events affect Eliza as she struggles to deal with the difficult men in her life and the hardships found in the Oregon Territory of the mid to late 1800s.
At age ten, Eliza had been held as a hostage in the aftermath of what is sometimes called the Whitman Massacre. Memories of events before, during and after the massacre are incorporated throughout the novel as are entries from her mother’s journal.
This is a gently paced novel, giving time for the explorations of memory and Eliza’s gradual journey toward coming to terms with her memories. It is a story of how memories can hold us back, how they can be altered by time and perception, and how they can also (as the author wrote when signing my copy) “nourish and transform.”
I will definitely be reading more by Jane Kirkpatrick in the future.
An expanded review can be found on my WordPress based blog: http://wp.me/p5Tcfi-4M
This review refers to both a purchased paperback copy and a review ebook copy that was read courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
At age ten, Eliza had been held as a hostage in the aftermath of what is sometimes called the Whitman Massacre. Memories of events before, during and after the massacre are incorporated throughout the novel as are entries from her mother’s journal.
This is a gently paced novel, giving time for the explorations of memory and Eliza’s gradual journey toward coming to terms with her memories. It is a story of how memories can hold us back, how they can be altered by time and perception, and how they can also (as the author wrote when signing my copy) “nourish and transform.”
I will definitely be reading more by Jane Kirkpatrick in the future.
An expanded review can be found on my WordPress based blog: http://wp.me/p5Tcfi-4M
This review refers to both a purchased paperback copy and a review ebook copy that was read courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2016
Based upon the lives of the Spalding family who journeyed west to bring faith to the Nez Perce in the mid 1800's. Told through the voice of Eliza Spalding Warren and the diary entries of her mother, the struggles and triumphs of their history are revealed. Eliza grew up playing with the children of the Nez Perce, spoke their language and was loved and nurtured by her extended family. In a visit to the neighboring Whitman's mission, there is an attack by the Cayuse Indians, several people are murdered, and others are held hostage for several weeks. Eliza is among the captors, and speaking the language, she is enlisted as an interpreter. This experience scars the survivors, each finding ways to cope with the horrors they experienced. The memories haunt Eliza, causing difficulties in her relationship with her husband and father. She and fellow survivor, Nancy, help each other to cope. Time, faith and perseverance help Eliza to find peace within herself, and find forgiveness. The wisdom Eliza finds is found in the following quotes:
"But then every day is a day that starts a new life, that requires knitting and going back to pick up lost stitches."
"There was blame enough to go around, but also none to claim. Tragedies happened. People suffered. I was learning that it was what one did with the suffering that mattered."
What brave and heroic people who shaped our country, and willingly took a leap of faith to explore the unknown.
"But then every day is a day that starts a new life, that requires knitting and going back to pick up lost stitches."
"There was blame enough to go around, but also none to claim. Tragedies happened. People suffered. I was learning that it was what one did with the suffering that mattered."
What brave and heroic people who shaped our country, and willingly took a leap of faith to explore the unknown.
September 30, 2015
This fictional biography of Eliza Spalding Warren is a sobering read. I've come away with a new appreciation for the tenacity of the pioneering spirit. And the women in particular. Every aspect of their lives was determined by the whims of a man, be it father or husband. Their men boasted grandiose dreams and expected the women to scurry around taking care of all the practicalities to make those dreams possible.
Eliza just never seemed evenly yoked. First with her father who tried to control her future without regard for her own wishes and then with a husband who fought his own demons in soul-destroying ways. As if that isn't enough to cope with she is dealing with her own turbulent past. Talk about courageous. Determined. A true overcomer.
Jane Kirkpatrick has a distinctive flare for words that convey depth and meaning even in the simplest of phrases. Like this: "We don't recall the detail in our stories; we remember the experiences." Profound, right? Made me stop and think and then ponder some more. I didn't totally get it until I finished reading Eliza's story. Now I have a glimmer of understanding and don't those words just fit so beautifully with the title, The Memory Weaver?
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Eliza just never seemed evenly yoked. First with her father who tried to control her future without regard for her own wishes and then with a husband who fought his own demons in soul-destroying ways. As if that isn't enough to cope with she is dealing with her own turbulent past. Talk about courageous. Determined. A true overcomer.
Jane Kirkpatrick has a distinctive flare for words that convey depth and meaning even in the simplest of phrases. Like this: "We don't recall the detail in our stories; we remember the experiences." Profound, right? Made me stop and think and then ponder some more. I didn't totally get it until I finished reading Eliza's story. Now I have a glimmer of understanding and don't those words just fit so beautifully with the title, The Memory Weaver?
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
April 28, 2016
Jane Kirkpatrick is such a talented author because the amount of historical research is incredible. There are few authors who are able to write a fictional story based upon a real person and not make it sound like a history book. I enjoy all of Jane's books because of their historical truths and this book was very good. At first I was a bit confused on the story line, things jump around a bit. The book goes between an old diary and the main story line. This book is based upon Eliza Spalding and her children. This isn't really a happy book since it is based upon real life but it shows the struggles of the times. The Indian history and how people really haven't changed that much when it comes to relationships and families.
For a rich historical read, I recommend. There were a few slow spots which is why I give it four stars.
I think some of Kirkpatrick's other books are better but this one is still good.
If you like faster moving books, you might not enjoy this one as much.
"Thanks to Revell for offering me a free copy in exchange for an honest review."
For a rich historical read, I recommend. There were a few slow spots which is why I give it four stars.
I think some of Kirkpatrick's other books are better but this one is still good.
If you like faster moving books, you might not enjoy this one as much.
"Thanks to Revell for offering me a free copy in exchange for an honest review."
Read
September 22, 2015As a young child Eliza Spalding Warren was taken hostage by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre in 1847. Now she is a mother of two young children with no mother to guide her in her marriage and child raising Her husband chooses to make a new start in another territory, which means leaving the only safe place she has known and her mother's grave; while returning to to the land of her captivity. Struggling with the memories that haunt her, Eliza longs to know how her mother dealt with everything that happened in her life. Reading her mothers diary brings her closer to how her mother dealt with the struggles that life dealt her as a missionary to the Nez Perce Indians. Also Eliza's journey toward healing takes he back to where the massacre happened and she is able to forgive the ones that she thought failed her.
Thank you to Revell reads for this complimentary copy of this book for a honest review.
Thank you to Revell reads for this complimentary copy of this book for a honest review.
October 1, 2015
This is an interesting historical novel.
This is the first book I have ever read by Jan Kirkpatrick. I really liked the character development in this book. I also enjoyed the fact that as the story progressed many of the characters matured in how they handled things that came up.
It was a great look at how childhood trauma can affect a person for years to come. It was a little bit of a revelation to see how simple things were able to cause flashbacks.
I had a little bit of trouble with how short segments of Eliza Spalding’s (the mother) diary were inserted. I didn’t see any reference as to someone reading the diary to explain their presence in the story. Each time that I came to one of them I had to stop and remind myself of the connection before I could read it. This was the only real disadvantage for me but it is the reason that I have chosen to give this book only 4 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is the first book I have ever read by Jan Kirkpatrick. I really liked the character development in this book. I also enjoyed the fact that as the story progressed many of the characters matured in how they handled things that came up.
It was a great look at how childhood trauma can affect a person for years to come. It was a little bit of a revelation to see how simple things were able to cause flashbacks.
I had a little bit of trouble with how short segments of Eliza Spalding’s (the mother) diary were inserted. I didn’t see any reference as to someone reading the diary to explain their presence in the story. Each time that I came to one of them I had to stop and remind myself of the connection before I could read it. This was the only real disadvantage for me but it is the reason that I have chosen to give this book only 4 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.
January 16, 2016
A good read! I don't have much to say about it, though. I did like how the story took place over a longer period of time and you get to see a lot of the family and how things end up with everyone, even the next generation.
I also liked that the main character had a lot of faith and stayed strong in it throughout everything.
To be honest, I really didn't like the husband, but I guess we were supposed to see through. And by the end he had grown on me a bit.
Overall a really good story and I'll definitely pick up more from the author, though this specific story probably won't be one that I think of too often.
I also liked that the main character had a lot of faith and stayed strong in it throughout everything.
To be honest, I really didn't like the husband, but I guess we were supposed to see through. And by the end he had grown on me a bit.
Overall a really good story and I'll definitely pick up more from the author, though this specific story probably won't be one that I think of too often.
October 19, 2015
Although I liked Kirkpatrick's writing style I did not find this story interesting. It was a slow read and I did not feel a connection with the main character Eliza Spalding Warren.
September 4, 2015
I initially requested a copy of this book from the publisher because I'd never really read anything about Indians before. Sure, I'd read children's stories, but nothing for adults. So, I was a bit disappointed that this book really didn't involve Indians as much as I thought it would. But, I think that this was my mistake, as I didn't finish reading the entire blurb on the back of the book before I started it.
When I started reading this book, I found it quite confusing. I got the dates and years all switched around, until I finally had to look up the real Eliza Spalding Warren and see what really happened to her.
For the most part, the events in this book are based on the true story of Eliza Spalding Warren, so I figured it would make for a really interesting read. But, to be honest, I felt as if the story lacked something. It held my interest for the most part, but I wasn't all that excited to return to the book for more of the story.
I did really like the character of Eliza. I love when an author can make the characters seem like they've come to life right before my eyes. Eliza's emotions seem real and I was able to connect with her.
I also found this book to be a little depressing, which is to be expected, given the subject matter. But it felt really dark (not as in evil, but just like a dark cloud that hovers in the sky). I never felt joyful while reading the story. It honestly dampened my mood while I was reading it, which was one reason I was ready to be done with it.
Jane Kirkpatrick's writing style doesn't blow you away, but it does flow well on the page and at times I found it almost poetic. To me, it's a simple style of writing, but sometimes that's what makes a book beautiful. I also really liked that the book was written in first person.
Eliza had a rough life, if you ask me. She was taken hostage by Indians when she was a child, and then her father practically disowned her when she eloped. Perhaps she shouldn't have run off in the night with Mr. Warren, but I felt sorrow for her after she became 'dead' to her father. How she ever stood to be cut from her father's love, I don't know. But, despite all the difficulties, she tried so hard to make a good life.
Now, I think this book would be a great read for some people, but for me it wasn't. I just didn't find it all I had hoped for. I find Eliza Spalding Warren a very interesting person, and I think if I had read an actual biography of her, I would have really enjoyed it. That being said, I am giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. It had great writing, and a wonderful protagonist, it just wasn't for me.
*Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.*
When I started reading this book, I found it quite confusing. I got the dates and years all switched around, until I finally had to look up the real Eliza Spalding Warren and see what really happened to her.
For the most part, the events in this book are based on the true story of Eliza Spalding Warren, so I figured it would make for a really interesting read. But, to be honest, I felt as if the story lacked something. It held my interest for the most part, but I wasn't all that excited to return to the book for more of the story.
I did really like the character of Eliza. I love when an author can make the characters seem like they've come to life right before my eyes. Eliza's emotions seem real and I was able to connect with her.
I also found this book to be a little depressing, which is to be expected, given the subject matter. But it felt really dark (not as in evil, but just like a dark cloud that hovers in the sky). I never felt joyful while reading the story. It honestly dampened my mood while I was reading it, which was one reason I was ready to be done with it.
Jane Kirkpatrick's writing style doesn't blow you away, but it does flow well on the page and at times I found it almost poetic. To me, it's a simple style of writing, but sometimes that's what makes a book beautiful. I also really liked that the book was written in first person.
Eliza had a rough life, if you ask me. She was taken hostage by Indians when she was a child, and then her father practically disowned her when she eloped. Perhaps she shouldn't have run off in the night with Mr. Warren, but I felt sorrow for her after she became 'dead' to her father. How she ever stood to be cut from her father's love, I don't know. But, despite all the difficulties, she tried so hard to make a good life.
Now, I think this book would be a great read for some people, but for me it wasn't. I just didn't find it all I had hoped for. I find Eliza Spalding Warren a very interesting person, and I think if I had read an actual biography of her, I would have really enjoyed it. That being said, I am giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. It had great writing, and a wonderful protagonist, it just wasn't for me.
*Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.*
September 5, 2015
"The Memory Weaver" is an emotional story of healing that takes readers on a journey through the western frontier. Jane Kirkpatrick introduces the real-life Saplding family, who served as missionaries to the Nez Perce and survived a deadly Cayuse Indian attack. Knowing that the plot is inspired by actual events makes the story more meaningful. Although this is a work of fiction, Kirkpatrick gives us a realistic vision of what life must have been like for Eliza as she grew into womanhood still haunted by visions of the Indian attacks.
"The Memory Weaver" spans a few decades from the beginning to the end, with a focus on family dynamics, memories, and healing. I was very drawn into the story initially, but, my engagement began to wane towards the end of the novel. The entire novel feels like a diary, letting us into the emotions of Eliza's daily life. The first half of the novel is more focused on details of Eliza's seemingly ever-changing life and her struggles with her impulsive husband. The pace started to feel slower as I went deeper into the second half as Eliza's memories and emotional healing took precedence. Eliza's healing is impactful and poses questions about how we perceive past events in our own lives. As Eliza discovers, her memories are not always accurate, and sometimes misconceptions create more pain than reality. Kirpatrick definitely provides readers with something to ponder and discuss.
I appreciate "The Memory Keeper" for its realism and historical focus. Eliza's story brims with perspectives of the American West that aren't always seen in fictional novels. Kirkpatrick does not romanticize life on the frontier or even the specifics of Eliza's life, like her marriage to Andrew Warren. Eliza's tale is one of many peaks and valleys, which combine to create a portrait of a true pioneer woman.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
"The Memory Weaver" spans a few decades from the beginning to the end, with a focus on family dynamics, memories, and healing. I was very drawn into the story initially, but, my engagement began to wane towards the end of the novel. The entire novel feels like a diary, letting us into the emotions of Eliza's daily life. The first half of the novel is more focused on details of Eliza's seemingly ever-changing life and her struggles with her impulsive husband. The pace started to feel slower as I went deeper into the second half as Eliza's memories and emotional healing took precedence. Eliza's healing is impactful and poses questions about how we perceive past events in our own lives. As Eliza discovers, her memories are not always accurate, and sometimes misconceptions create more pain than reality. Kirpatrick definitely provides readers with something to ponder and discuss.
I appreciate "The Memory Keeper" for its realism and historical focus. Eliza's story brims with perspectives of the American West that aren't always seen in fictional novels. Kirkpatrick does not romanticize life on the frontier or even the specifics of Eliza's life, like her marriage to Andrew Warren. Eliza's tale is one of many peaks and valleys, which combine to create a portrait of a true pioneer woman.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
September 24, 2015
"The Memory Weaver" perhaps finds Jane Kirkpatrick at her very finest, as I can confidently say that this is my favourite book by the author that I have read thus far. Kirkpatrick has succeeded at weaving the facts of history into a fascinating story. She employs expert pacing as she gradually releases more and more of the details of the harrowing experience Eliza had when she was held hostage as a young girl by the Cayuse Indians, interspersed with Eliza's experiences growing into adulthood. In the midst of the trials that Eliza faces, from her childhood tragedy to the conflict with her father and the struggles with her husband, we can see how God's hand is at work and he is there in the midst of the pain, even when Eliza doesn't realize it. Eliza's journey is an emotional one, one filled with doubt and pain and misunderstanding, but also with faith and hope at the same time. Kirkpatrick has created characters who live and breathe on the pages, and I have no doubt that readers will be able to glimpse pieces of their own struggles in Eliza's story. Really, I think that's what I love about historical fiction like this. Though times and circumstances may change over the ages, the underlying human experience is so common for all of us. We all experience pain and loss, tragedy and triumph. I am so thankful that Jane Kirkpatrick chose to bring Eliza to life for our generation, so that we can learn from her experiences and also celebrate with her as good comes out of all of the trials. I ended this book with tears in my eyes, having to pause and reflect on the story I had just read. If you love historical novels, then I encourage you to plan on reading this one for yourself.
Eliza's story is a keeper, one that is equal parts haunting, emotional, and triumphant, all at the same time. I award this novel a high recommendation and a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Eliza's story is a keeper, one that is equal parts haunting, emotional, and triumphant, all at the same time. I award this novel a high recommendation and a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
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