Cha'risa's Gift

by Ilana Maletz

Cha'risa, a Hopi medicine woman cast out by her people, begins a journey to help save her son, Ahote. After years of forced attendance at an Indian boarding school, Ahote now questions his traditional beliefs and culture. He is no longer certain which world he belongs to, but Ahote has found employment at C&M Ranch just outside of Flagstaff, Arizona and has decided to link his future to the two brothers who own it. Not wanting to leave Ahote alone in an uncertain world, Cha'risa accompanies him, never realizing how profoundly this decision will change her own life. Set against a backdrop of towering red rocks, snowcapped peaks and sacred canyons, Cha'risa's Gift is not only her story, but the story of a family that spans generations. Into this diverse family, children are born carrying Cha'risa's gift. Each must find their own way to come to terms with their potential and the responsibilities it brings.

276 pages, Paperback

Published September 4, 2016

About the author

I have lived most of my adult life on the east coast of the United States, where I spent the majority of my time raising a family, and teaching singing to middle and high schoolers. I was also doing lots of writing, but the only things that made it out of my file drawers at that time, were theatrical productions I created for my students.

During those years I lived in some beautiful places, most of them along the eastern seaboard. For a short while, I even lived in Munich, Germany. The one thing all these varied landscapes had in common was that they were either city or suburb living. That all changed when I began visiting Northern Arizona with my family more than a decade ago. It didn't take us long to all fall in love with the natural beauty and history of this region. Seven years ago, we made the decision to move here permanently.

With that move my life changed dramatically. Every day, I would walk out the door with my dog, Lucy, and we'd enter into this vivid landscape of color and wide open spaces. I’d walk among towering red rocks, and box canyons dotted with the fresh green of scrubby pine and juniper. It didn't matter whether the sky was a cloudless blue, or the darkening grey of a coming storm. All the colors of the sky enhanced the beauty of the land all around me. It amazed me, how Lucy and I could walk for miles and not see a single person. Out in that wilderness we needed each other to find the paths, steer clear of snakes, and to chase off the roving packs of coyotes. Together we spotted elk, deer, jackrabbits, and all manner of birds and lizards. I was enchanted, and all the while, I would wonder about those who may have walked these paths before me.

Cha’risa’s Gift was my way of trying to share this beautiful gift with others, giving people something of what it feels like to be immersed in the magical beauty and wildness that is Northern Arizona.

Reviews

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful imagery of a multi-ethnic family coming together across many generations. Starting at the turn of the century, this story weaves a spiritual account through the lives of Cha'risa and those she loves. With the family's favorite recipes shared between the chapters, Charis's Gift was an excellent bedtime to read.

[Theo Carroll · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed this historical fiction story of a Hopi medicine woman and her healing gifts and the challenges she faced in an inter-racial marriage to an Irishman in the late 19th and early 20th century. It followed several generations of this Arizona family. However this race through so many generations left me wanting, confused and disappointed. I found it hard to jump up through the years and keep track of the many family members. I wished the character development was slower and deeper. The other detractor for me was the extent of the medicine " gifts" Charisa and her Hopi heirs received. These gifts at times seemed mythical and unrealistic though I don't doubt that there are individuals gifted with extraordinary healing capacities.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thoughts:

I have always been fascinated with Native American culture and even wrote a Master's thesis on it. The Hopi are of special interest to me and this incredible piece of historical fiction immersed me in their spirit world again.
So much action, adventure, and spirit fill this work that I want to read the whole book again. This time I want to create a family tree as once or twice I had trouble remembering who I was reading about. I understand why you might not want such in the book as it would give away some of the relationships too soon.
I have not been pulled into a book this strongly in many years. As you know, I have many other tasks calling to me but had to set those tasks aside to enjoy family time. When others retired for the night, I retired to read. So glad to have this portable diversion to escape into.
Thank you for the opportunity to read your wonderful book. Is this truly your first book? The writing is marvelous and so captivating that it seems like you have had a lot of practice or have an incredible gift.

Sent from my iPad

[Shelley Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this debut novel by Ilana Maletz. The book is a work of historical fiction that begins just before the turn of the 20th century, in Northern, Arizona. It begins with a love story between a Hopi medicine woman and an Irishman, who runs a ranch just outside of Flagstaff. Their love causes them to face many hurdles from prejudice to their own inner demons, but they persevere to create a family possessed of remarkable strength and unusual gifts.

I was hooked on this story right from the start. The author was very good at creating and developing strong characters that I believed in and cared about. The story of the family was the centerpiece for this book, and it spanned three generations, carrying the reader all the way from the turn of the century to the end of World War Two. It was told through individual voices and personalities within each generation of the family, and the shifting perspective created a rich and complex community of personalities from which to know and share their lives. As each individual voice shared their own unique experience of the family, a narrative evolved that really pulled me in deeper, brought me greater insight, and left me wanting to know more.

There were not only great descriptions of the people, but also of Northern Arizona. The author had a real feel for describing landscapes and atmospheres that filled the reading experience with lots of color. The other thing that really intrigued me about this book was its exploration of different modes of awareness, different ways of psychic existence that the reader is exposed to through Cha’risa, her children, and her grandchildren, as each of them struggles to find their own way to understand and use their gifts.

This book filled me with a gamut of emotions, joy as well as tears, and I loved how the characters spoke, using smart and believable dialogue. This book excelled in every aspect I look for when reading literature.

[David Drinkwater · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Cha’risa’s Gift. I understand that this is the first novel by this author, Ilana Maletz. I am very impressed with her writing skill and with many aspects of this story – the ease of reading, the effective way she developed and introduced her characters into the story line and the beautiful language she uses to describe the settings in which her novel takes place made it difficult to put down for any length of time. There are twists and turns to the plot and the occasional surprise that kept my attention throughout the read. My wife and I have visited this region (Sedona, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon) on more than one occasion. During our most recent trip, a good friend suggested that we read this novel. The colorful tapestry of life in this region over the years portrayed by Ms. Maletz and the engaging storyline was a wonderful way to reflect on our memories of great times spent in Red Rock Country. The story begins in the late 19th century and spans several generations of this blended family of Native Americans and Irish immigrants. As a visitor in the 21st century to this region, the novel provides a thoughtful understanding and appreciation of what life was like (and still is) for many Native Americans facing the daily challenges of living in a world that continues to erode the existence and celebration of the pure Native American culture. I especially enjoyed the way in which Ms. Maletz incorporated the special spiritual importance attributed to this region as a key element into her story.
If you appreciate the beauty of this region and share an appreciation of the Native American history in Red Rock Country, I highly recommend this novel. It offers much more than I expected and I am very glad my friend recommended it to me. Enjoy! I am looking forward to this author’s next novel.
Ilana Maletz

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a song, the story beckons the reader into a tale of love and pain, joy and sorrow as it winds its way through the generations. Passing from mother to son, from son to daughter each voice drawing the reader deeper and deeper into the twisting path of life and love. It is the story of a family that crosses times and cultures to defeat the hate and violence that has so marked our history. In the time of upheaval that we find ourselves in now, when violence and hate once again threaten to destroy, it reminds us to pause and remember what we must do to triumph over the darkness, that in the end, love will win.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this historical fiction book. It follows the lives of an interesting and multi-cultural family set near Flagstaff, Arizona. I enjoyed reading about the history, culture and setting as a family shares the joys, hardships and the importance of love over several generations. I also enjoyed the recipes included in the story. A fun and educational read.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story, but to be truthful it was not at all realistic. In this HUGE extended family everyone was kind, considerate,always there to help one another, got along well together and were perfect role models...definitely not the norm in 999 families out of 1000 !!!! There were way too many characters in the story, so much so that I had to make up a family tree on paper so I could figure out who was related to whom and how, and then how they placed in the context of the story. Many of the characters in the story were of Hopi descent, and other Native American tribes... Navajo and Havasupai. I do not know about their medicinal or spirit powers, but these powers played an important and large part of the story. So....despite my negative criticism, I still gave it 3 stars because it was a very heartwarming family saga. Unfortunately, I have yet to personally know of any family that perfect!

[Caroline Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting work of historical fiction with likable characters in a gorgeous setting - Sedona, AZ. I enjoyed the author's vivid descriptions of the landscape there. The blending of two diverse cultures - the Hopi and the Irish immigrants - into one multi-generational family is a really interesting premise and makes for an enjoyable read. I wish the book were a little longer and the characters and their individual stories more developed, as it moves quickly through quite a few generations of this interesting family. The dialog was really well written, and I think this story conveys a strong sense of place and time, making for an enjoyable read.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wildly romantic multi-generational famly saga that begins with the marriage of a Hopi medicine woman into an Irish-American family around the turn of the century. More romance than historical fiction. Little character development.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable story, but the 'spiritual gifts' were a bit too fanciful for me.

[Diane Allmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I was able to go to an author talk given by Ilana. I was impressed with her as well as with her first book. Informative, emotional, interesting. I loved the energy.

[Sharon Miller]

Cha’risa, a Hopi medicine woman thought to be a witch by her people, casts her lot with her boarding school educated son and goes with him when he takes a job on a ranch near Flagstaff, Arizona. Her story—as well as her gift—flows into and through multiple generations from 1898 to 1945. As each generation struggles to understand the power they have inherited, they must recognize the overwhelming responsibility that comes along with it.
Maletz has written a compelling story that opens a window into the nature of Native American spirituality and mysticism. Her characters are both complex and believable, and her descriptions of the Northern Arizona setting, from Flagstaff to Sedona to the Grand Canyon, do not disappoint those of us who are familiar with it.
My only criticism is that the book was too short. I would have loved to follow each generation a bit further, but I understand why the author made the choices she did. The story is, after all, about Cha’risa’s gift, and in many ways, the gift is the main character.
I’m looking forward to Maletz’s next book.