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Crow Mary
The New York Times bestselling author of the book club classics The Kitchen House and Glory Over Everything returns with a sweeping saga inspired by the true story of Crow Mary—an indigenous woman torn between two worlds in 19th-century North America.
In 1872, sixteen-year-old Goes First, a Crow Native woman, marries Abe Farwell, a white fur trader. He gives her the name Mary, and they set off on the long trip to his trading post in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan, Canada. Along the way, she finds a fast friend in a Métis named Jeannie; makes a lifelong enemy in a wolfer named Stiller; and despite learning a dark secret of Farwell’s past, falls in love with her husband.
The winter trading season passes peacefully. Then, on the eve of their return to Montana, a group of drunken whiskey traders slaughters forty Nakota—despite Farwell’s efforts to stop them. Mary, hiding from the hail of bullets, sees the murderers, including Stiller, take five Nakota women back to their fort. She begs Farwell to save them, and when he refuses, Mary takes two guns, creeps into the fort, and saves the women from certain death. Thus, she sets off a whirlwind of colliding cultures that brings out the worst and best in the cast of unforgettable characters and pushes the love between Farwell and Crow Mary to the breaking point.
Crow Mary sweeps across decades and the landscape of the upper West and Canada, showcasing the beauty of the natural world, while at the same time probing the intimacies of a marriage and one woman’s heart.
In 1872, sixteen-year-old Goes First, a Crow Native woman, marries Abe Farwell, a white fur trader. He gives her the name Mary, and they set off on the long trip to his trading post in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan, Canada. Along the way, she finds a fast friend in a Métis named Jeannie; makes a lifelong enemy in a wolfer named Stiller; and despite learning a dark secret of Farwell’s past, falls in love with her husband.
The winter trading season passes peacefully. Then, on the eve of their return to Montana, a group of drunken whiskey traders slaughters forty Nakota—despite Farwell’s efforts to stop them. Mary, hiding from the hail of bullets, sees the murderers, including Stiller, take five Nakota women back to their fort. She begs Farwell to save them, and when he refuses, Mary takes two guns, creeps into the fort, and saves the women from certain death. Thus, she sets off a whirlwind of colliding cultures that brings out the worst and best in the cast of unforgettable characters and pushes the love between Farwell and Crow Mary to the breaking point.
Crow Mary sweeps across decades and the landscape of the upper West and Canada, showcasing the beauty of the natural world, while at the same time probing the intimacies of a marriage and one woman’s heart.
348 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2023
2484 people are currently reading
36619 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Grissom
10 books4,150 followers Born Kathleen Doepker, I was privileged as a child to be raised in Annaheim, Saskatchewan, a hamlet on the plains of Canada. Although we lived in a small, tightly knit Roman Catholic community, I was fortunate to have parents who were open to other religions and cultures. Since television was not a luxury our household could afford, books were the windows that expanded my world.
Soon after Sister Colette, my first grade teacher, introduced me to Dick, Jane, and Sally, I began to read on my own. I was a fanciful child and became so influenced by books that while I was reading Five Little Peppers And How They Grew I ate only cold boiled potatoes (the truth is this lasted only for a day) as I suffered with them through their hardships. After reading Anne Of Green Gables I was convinced that I, too, was adopted, until my mother told me to stop the foolishness and to look in the mirror. I had her nose. She was right. I limped desperately during Red Shoes For Nancy until my sister, Judy, told me to cut it out, people would think that something was wrong with me. Wanting to more closely experience Helen Keller’s tribulations, at every opportunity I walked with closed eyes until I solidly whacked my head on a doorframe. Enid Blynton’s Famous Five series had me looking for adventure around every corner, and when in class Rudyard Kipling’s, Kim, was read aloud, I couldn’t wait to leave for far-off lands.
Throughout my high school years Simon Lizee, a poet of merit, was our principal. He taught us literature and it was he who encouraged me to write.
Upon graduating from high school, as I saw it then, I had four choices. I could marry (no), become a secretary (no), become a teacher (no) become a nurse (yes). After I graduated from nursing school, I left for Montreal and there worked on staff at the Royal Vic Hospital. Eventually I married and came down to the United States. Throughout, I read voraciously and I wrote, often sending my work back to Mr. Lizee in Saskatchewan, who took the time to continue to instruct me.
It wasn’t until after I gave birth to my daughter, Erin, that I finally worked up enough courage to submit a short story to Myrna Blyth, who, I believe at that time was an editor at Family Circle. She sent back a lovely rejection note, telling me that this story was not one that she could use, but could I send others. I took that note to mean that she did not like my writing, but was being kind, and I foolishly submitted nothing further.
In time, I divorced and remarried, relocated to Manhattan, and there worked as an Ad Executive for a graphics company. I did not stop reading, nor writing, and over the next years took various classes in creative writing.
After four years in the city, we decided to try life on a small farm in New Jersey. When our collection of animals grew to include twenty-five Cashmere goats, two horses, three dogs, and two cats, we knew that it was time to relocate to a larger farm in rural Virginia. There we found twenty-seven acres and a large brick house, circa 1830, that once served as a stagecoach stop. But with the move came a glitch. For the first year my husband’s transfer didn’t happen as planned, and although he joined me every weekend, I was left on the new farm to manage on my own. It was an exciting yet frightening time, and I began to journal the experience. I joined a writers' group, and the Piedmont Literary Society, and when I met Eleanor Dolan, a gifted poet, she generously agreed to mentor me in my writing.
In the following years, Charles and I established an herb farm, a tearoom, and a gift shop that we filled to the barn rafters with work from local artisans. As we restored our old plantation home, I began to research the history of our home and the land that surrounded it. Then I discovered the notation ‘Negro Hill’ on an old map. Unable to determine the story of its origin, local historians suggested that
Soon after Sister Colette, my first grade teacher, introduced me to Dick, Jane, and Sally, I began to read on my own. I was a fanciful child and became so influenced by books that while I was reading Five Little Peppers And How They Grew I ate only cold boiled potatoes (the truth is this lasted only for a day) as I suffered with them through their hardships. After reading Anne Of Green Gables I was convinced that I, too, was adopted, until my mother told me to stop the foolishness and to look in the mirror. I had her nose. She was right. I limped desperately during Red Shoes For Nancy until my sister, Judy, told me to cut it out, people would think that something was wrong with me. Wanting to more closely experience Helen Keller’s tribulations, at every opportunity I walked with closed eyes until I solidly whacked my head on a doorframe. Enid Blynton’s Famous Five series had me looking for adventure around every corner, and when in class Rudyard Kipling’s, Kim, was read aloud, I couldn’t wait to leave for far-off lands.
Throughout my high school years Simon Lizee, a poet of merit, was our principal. He taught us literature and it was he who encouraged me to write.
Upon graduating from high school, as I saw it then, I had four choices. I could marry (no), become a secretary (no), become a teacher (no) become a nurse (yes). After I graduated from nursing school, I left for Montreal and there worked on staff at the Royal Vic Hospital. Eventually I married and came down to the United States. Throughout, I read voraciously and I wrote, often sending my work back to Mr. Lizee in Saskatchewan, who took the time to continue to instruct me.
It wasn’t until after I gave birth to my daughter, Erin, that I finally worked up enough courage to submit a short story to Myrna Blyth, who, I believe at that time was an editor at Family Circle. She sent back a lovely rejection note, telling me that this story was not one that she could use, but could I send others. I took that note to mean that she did not like my writing, but was being kind, and I foolishly submitted nothing further.
In time, I divorced and remarried, relocated to Manhattan, and there worked as an Ad Executive for a graphics company. I did not stop reading, nor writing, and over the next years took various classes in creative writing.
After four years in the city, we decided to try life on a small farm in New Jersey. When our collection of animals grew to include twenty-five Cashmere goats, two horses, three dogs, and two cats, we knew that it was time to relocate to a larger farm in rural Virginia. There we found twenty-seven acres and a large brick house, circa 1830, that once served as a stagecoach stop. But with the move came a glitch. For the first year my husband’s transfer didn’t happen as planned, and although he joined me every weekend, I was left on the new farm to manage on my own. It was an exciting yet frightening time, and I began to journal the experience. I joined a writers' group, and the Piedmont Literary Society, and when I met Eleanor Dolan, a gifted poet, she generously agreed to mentor me in my writing.
In the following years, Charles and I established an herb farm, a tearoom, and a gift shop that we filled to the barn rafters with work from local artisans. As we restored our old plantation home, I began to research the history of our home and the land that surrounded it. Then I discovered the notation ‘Negro Hill’ on an old map. Unable to determine the story of its origin, local historians suggested that
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June 11, 2023
Inspired by true events, Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom tells us the story of Goes First, an indigenous woman from the Crow Tribe who at the age of sixteen married Abe Farwell, a white fur trader who gave her the name “Mary”. The narrative follows Goes First from 1863 and her early years as the daughter of a Chief of her tribe, the events that led to her marriage to a White man and through the next three decades. In 1872, she married Farwell with the blessings of her family who are happy with the alliance. With her husband, she eventually lands in Saskatchewan, Canada, where they build and operate a trading post “Fort Farwell”. Abe proves to be a good man and treats his wife well. Though she makes every effort to embrace her new life, Mary often finds herself conflicted between her own culture and beliefs and the ways of her husband’s world. She makes a few good friends along the way but is not blind to the intolerance and exploitation of the indigenous tribes at the hands of white men.
The Cypress Hills Massacre of 1873 is a pivotal point in her life. Her heroic act results in her saving the lives of four indigenous women taken by white men after a violent confrontation but the episode also triggers the gradual disintegration of her marriage and though Abe and Mary eventually relocate to her native land and build a ranch on the property sanctioned for their tribe by the government, Mary is unable to forget the atrocities against she witnessed on that fateful night and with Abe wants to see justice served but in a white man’s world, that would be more difficult than May could have imagined and the aftermath of their efforts takes a toll on her marriage and the life she has strived to build wither husband and their children. She will face loss, tragedy and oppression and discrimination both as a woman and as a Native American but she makes it a point to learn from what she observes, trusting her instincts, never backing down from a challenge and protecting those she holds dear in the face of any threat.
Impeccably researched and sensitively written with great attention to detail, Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom is a captivating read that I could not put down. The story is presented to us from Mary's first-person PoV. In the course of telling the story of this courageous and resilient woman, the author not only gives us an insightful look into the rituals and beliefs and way of life of the Crow Tribe but also sheds light on the dynamics between the different tribes. As we follow Goes First through the decades, we also get to see how restrictive and oppressive government policies the indigenous people and their ways of life – from confiscation of their lands, forced relocations, government oversight of the Reservations, the role of Indian Agents and the forcible removal of children to government-run institutions designed to strip them of their Native identity. Do read the Foreword written by Mary’s great-granddaughter Nedra Farwell Brown wherein talks about her collaboration with the author. In her Note, author Kathleen Grissom discusses the historical context of the novel detailing the real events and facts that found their place in the narrative and where she has exercised creative license. Incredibly moving, informative and insightful, this is an exceptional work of historical fiction that I would not hesitate to recommend.
Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The Cypress Hills Massacre of 1873 is a pivotal point in her life. Her heroic act results in her saving the lives of four indigenous women taken by white men after a violent confrontation but the episode also triggers the gradual disintegration of her marriage and though Abe and Mary eventually relocate to her native land and build a ranch on the property sanctioned for their tribe by the government, Mary is unable to forget the atrocities against she witnessed on that fateful night and with Abe wants to see justice served but in a white man’s world, that would be more difficult than May could have imagined and the aftermath of their efforts takes a toll on her marriage and the life she has strived to build wither husband and their children. She will face loss, tragedy and oppression and discrimination both as a woman and as a Native American but she makes it a point to learn from what she observes, trusting her instincts, never backing down from a challenge and protecting those she holds dear in the face of any threat.
Impeccably researched and sensitively written with great attention to detail, Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom is a captivating read that I could not put down. The story is presented to us from Mary's first-person PoV. In the course of telling the story of this courageous and resilient woman, the author not only gives us an insightful look into the rituals and beliefs and way of life of the Crow Tribe but also sheds light on the dynamics between the different tribes. As we follow Goes First through the decades, we also get to see how restrictive and oppressive government policies the indigenous people and their ways of life – from confiscation of their lands, forced relocations, government oversight of the Reservations, the role of Indian Agents and the forcible removal of children to government-run institutions designed to strip them of their Native identity. Do read the Foreword written by Mary’s great-granddaughter Nedra Farwell Brown wherein talks about her collaboration with the author. In her Note, author Kathleen Grissom discusses the historical context of the novel detailing the real events and facts that found their place in the narrative and where she has exercised creative license. Incredibly moving, informative and insightful, this is an exceptional work of historical fiction that I would not hesitate to recommend.
Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
July 22, 2023
Holy Crow!
Mary Crow is a Crow Indian. In 1872, she married a white man -a fur trader-a friend of the tribe. They travel north out of Montana to Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan, to establish a new trading post. Outside of these walls, a massacre takes place. The yellow eyed drunks violently kill a tribe of Nakoda Indians and kidnap 5 women to rape. Mary Crow puts her own life at risk to save them. Taking them to justice has its own challenges in the biased court system. It does leave a stain of a trail on their lives.
Themes of alcoholism, residential schools, the conflict between natives and whites; the conflict within a mixed marriage.
I have respect for these native stories and their spirituality, how they treat their animals, their land, their elders, and the rich cultures and traditions they embrace.
Grissom writes a tribute to the very brave & real, Mary Crow. She worked with the Crow to ensure the historical pieces of the story were accurately told.
4.25⭐️
Fun fact: Grissom was born and raised in Saskatchewan, CAN, eventually settling in Virginia.
Mary Crow is a Crow Indian. In 1872, she married a white man -a fur trader-a friend of the tribe. They travel north out of Montana to Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan, to establish a new trading post. Outside of these walls, a massacre takes place. The yellow eyed drunks violently kill a tribe of Nakoda Indians and kidnap 5 women to rape. Mary Crow puts her own life at risk to save them. Taking them to justice has its own challenges in the biased court system. It does leave a stain of a trail on their lives.
Themes of alcoholism, residential schools, the conflict between natives and whites; the conflict within a mixed marriage.
I have respect for these native stories and their spirituality, how they treat their animals, their land, their elders, and the rich cultures and traditions they embrace.
Grissom writes a tribute to the very brave & real, Mary Crow. She worked with the Crow to ensure the historical pieces of the story were accurately told.
4.25⭐️
Fun fact: Grissom was born and raised in Saskatchewan, CAN, eventually settling in Virginia.
June 11, 2023
We meet Goes First, a Crow chief's daughter, as a child listening to stories told by her grandfather, Red Fox.
"No one is without fear,” he tells her. "There will be times in your life when you will be very afraid, but the brave take action in spite of that fear.”
And she wonders, “Will I ever be that brave?”
“You already are,” Red Fox says. “It is the brave who tell the truth.”
And truth, it turns out, is such an important part of her inspiring story.
Kathleen Grissom’s well-researched novel brings to life the indigenous people and their cultures in North America in the late 1800s. Based on the true story of a Crow woman originally named Goes First, we can’t stop turning the pages as she fights for her life, her love, her family, her culture, and her true identity.
At sixteen, Goes First marries a white fur trader and loses her name when the minister unceremoniously bestows on her the name Mary.
"Easier that way,” he tells her husband Abe Farwell. “Who can remember names like Hits Him Over the Head or Runs the Land with the Buffalo?”
Neither Farwell nor his bride are amused by the minister’s humor, but Mary is what is inked on the marriage license. Goes First becomes Crow Mary to distinguish her from all the other newly christened indigenous Marys — and she wears the Crow part of her name proudly.
As the story follows her through the decades, we witness her courage, determination, and resilience, as well as her deep love for her family.
Wife, mother, and proud member of the Crow Nation, Crow Mary is really a simple story about one woman's experiences in the Montana and Canadian territories — it just happens that woman led a rather unusual and extraordinary life.
Grissom does a wonderful job of telling Mary's story while respecting the spirit of the Crow people. There's something in her story for all of us to learn and appreciate. Highly recommend.
"No one is without fear,” he tells her. "There will be times in your life when you will be very afraid, but the brave take action in spite of that fear.”
And she wonders, “Will I ever be that brave?”
“You already are,” Red Fox says. “It is the brave who tell the truth.”
And truth, it turns out, is such an important part of her inspiring story.
Kathleen Grissom’s well-researched novel brings to life the indigenous people and their cultures in North America in the late 1800s. Based on the true story of a Crow woman originally named Goes First, we can’t stop turning the pages as she fights for her life, her love, her family, her culture, and her true identity.
At sixteen, Goes First marries a white fur trader and loses her name when the minister unceremoniously bestows on her the name Mary.
"Easier that way,” he tells her husband Abe Farwell. “Who can remember names like Hits Him Over the Head or Runs the Land with the Buffalo?”
Neither Farwell nor his bride are amused by the minister’s humor, but Mary is what is inked on the marriage license. Goes First becomes Crow Mary to distinguish her from all the other newly christened indigenous Marys — and she wears the Crow part of her name proudly.
As the story follows her through the decades, we witness her courage, determination, and resilience, as well as her deep love for her family.
Wife, mother, and proud member of the Crow Nation, Crow Mary is really a simple story about one woman's experiences in the Montana and Canadian territories — it just happens that woman led a rather unusual and extraordinary life.
Grissom does a wonderful job of telling Mary's story while respecting the spirit of the Crow people. There's something in her story for all of us to learn and appreciate. Highly recommend.
July 10, 2023
This story is about the Crow Indian tribe, in Montana 1872.
Goes First is a sixteen year old Crow daughter who in seeing how her family can benefit from her marrying a 30 ish yr old white fur trader named Abe Farwell who frequents their camp.. agrees to marry him and he gives her the name Crow Mary. He gives her family weapons and horses for her hand.
The couple then leaves and journeys to Canada where Farwell has a trading post.. not knowing when or if she’ll see her family again.
They face drunken whiskey traders when at the new camp who slaughter 40 people of the Nakota tribe and Crow Mary is so brave.
This has a cast of great characters who become friends with Farwell and Crow Mary.. also some sinister men.
This book is based on some real people.. Crow Mary, her husband and children were real.
Every time I put this book down I was very eager to return to the story! Ahoo!
Goes First is a sixteen year old Crow daughter who in seeing how her family can benefit from her marrying a 30 ish yr old white fur trader named Abe Farwell who frequents their camp.. agrees to marry him and he gives her the name Crow Mary. He gives her family weapons and horses for her hand.
The couple then leaves and journeys to Canada where Farwell has a trading post.. not knowing when or if she’ll see her family again.
They face drunken whiskey traders when at the new camp who slaughter 40 people of the Nakota tribe and Crow Mary is so brave.
This has a cast of great characters who become friends with Farwell and Crow Mary.. also some sinister men.
This book is based on some real people.. Crow Mary, her husband and children were real.
Every time I put this book down I was very eager to return to the story! Ahoo!
July 25, 2023
There are times 5 is just not enough stars! Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom is one of these times. Starting in 1872 a Crow Indian marries a yellow eyes. From there her life is stretched between two completely worlds. One the land world. Where she grew up and learned how to live off of the land, wild and free. Secondly, the world of Yellow Eyes, the white man. She learns she will never be free. As she maneuvers between worlds trying to find her place. 19 years married with 3 children. She learns how dangerous the white man’s world is for Indians.
The author does an amazing job researching and writing in sensitive scenes. What lasts with me is when Mary realizes Alcohol is a disease.
The author does an amazing job researching and writing in sensitive scenes. What lasts with me is when Mary realizes Alcohol is a disease.
dnf
August 29, 2023I’m a reader who does not enjoy fiction written about real people who lived. I don’t like imagined conversations or events of a person who walked this earth.
I understand HF can bring to light little known people and events from history, but I’m one that incessantly wants and googles the REAL story as I read.
This is definitely a case of it’s me, and the type of reader I am.
I understand HF can bring to light little known people and events from history, but I’m one that incessantly wants and googles the REAL story as I read.
This is definitely a case of it’s me, and the type of reader I am.
September 2, 2023
I very much enjoyed Kathleen's Grissom's The Kitchen House, so when I had the opportunity to read this one, I decided to give it a go.
Crow Mary was an indigenous woman who was proud of her Crow heritage and would do anything to preserve her birthright and her background. In 1872, she marries a fur trader and the two set off to Saskatchewan, Canada. It's hard for Mary to leave her family, but her love for Abe Farwell, is great even though he is a yellow eyes. Before she leaves, she befriends a young woman, a Metis, named Jeannine, who is also beginning her married life. The woman grow close and will remain, although distant, friends for a lifetime.
Tragedy befalls Mary as a group of drunk whiskey traders murders Nakota Indians, and kidnaps some of their women. In an action that reeks of bravery and outstanding couage, Mary armed with a knife and two guns rescues the woman, but in doing so sets herself up for a lifetime of hatred from many especially one man named Stiller.
Farwell, initially, had tried to prevent what he intuitively knew would happen to no avail. Farwell then decides to bring some justice to the people slaughtered through the court system, but when that fails due to the injustices and prejudices towards Indians, he resorts to drinking, a vice he had originally turned away from.
Mary is devastated on so many fronts. Her husband is an alcoholic and he tries to turn her and her children against the Indian ways, even to the point of sending the two oldest away to school.
Mary tries to keep the love she felt for Falwell, but he is a lost soul and escapes into the bottle. Sad and poignant, this story explores many concepts, that of divergent cultures, the progression of a marriage that seems destined to fail. and the strength of a woman to preserve what she cherishes and loves.
While this is a fiction story, there are some events that are based in fact. Truly a sad and telling tale of unrelenting courage ad devotion to tradition, children, and a fighting spirit.
Crow Mary was an indigenous woman who was proud of her Crow heritage and would do anything to preserve her birthright and her background. In 1872, she marries a fur trader and the two set off to Saskatchewan, Canada. It's hard for Mary to leave her family, but her love for Abe Farwell, is great even though he is a yellow eyes. Before she leaves, she befriends a young woman, a Metis, named Jeannine, who is also beginning her married life. The woman grow close and will remain, although distant, friends for a lifetime.
Tragedy befalls Mary as a group of drunk whiskey traders murders Nakota Indians, and kidnaps some of their women. In an action that reeks of bravery and outstanding couage, Mary armed with a knife and two guns rescues the woman, but in doing so sets herself up for a lifetime of hatred from many especially one man named Stiller.
Farwell, initially, had tried to prevent what he intuitively knew would happen to no avail. Farwell then decides to bring some justice to the people slaughtered through the court system, but when that fails due to the injustices and prejudices towards Indians, he resorts to drinking, a vice he had originally turned away from.
Mary is devastated on so many fronts. Her husband is an alcoholic and he tries to turn her and her children against the Indian ways, even to the point of sending the two oldest away to school.
Mary tries to keep the love she felt for Falwell, but he is a lost soul and escapes into the bottle. Sad and poignant, this story explores many concepts, that of divergent cultures, the progression of a marriage that seems destined to fail. and the strength of a woman to preserve what she cherishes and loves.
While this is a fiction story, there are some events that are based in fact. Truly a sad and telling tale of unrelenting courage ad devotion to tradition, children, and a fighting spirit.
May 29, 2023
This is historical fiction at its finest.
The time and location this book centres around was so unknown to me, but that is the wonder of this genre. To teach.
I found the language and character names rather a lot to get used to, but I was so moved and enthralled by this story, I still find myself thinking about it weeks later.
There is constant drama and I shed several tears at a few scenes.
A truly excellent book.
The time and location this book centres around was so unknown to me, but that is the wonder of this genre. To teach.
I found the language and character names rather a lot to get used to, but I was so moved and enthralled by this story, I still find myself thinking about it weeks later.
There is constant drama and I shed several tears at a few scenes.
A truly excellent book.
September 17, 2023
‘No one is without fear. But only the brave take action in spite of that fear’.
Is it any real surprise that this is worth 5 glorious stars. Though my heart is heavy, I’m grateful to have read this story and had my eyes opened even wider; given increased clarity to the heartache and suffering of Native Americans. The clash of cultures, whether through naïveté or malice is heartbreaking. To read of such proud people humbled, and their spirit corralled is just another layer of historical tragedy.
Crow Mary is such a wonderful example of a proud, indigenous woman who is trying to negotiate the changing world she lives in, yet being true to herself and her people. Her white, fur trading husband, is also caught negotiating this changing environment. He too, tries to do the right thing but sadly becomes a victim of his own making.
I truly appreciate Kathleen Grissom’s integrity and effort in ensuring authenticity to voice, time and place. Please do take the time to read this book to add understanding, even at a fictionalised level, to American and Indigenous history. ‘how is it possible that such beauty can exist after the horror of what has happened’? Despite history’s tragedies, each day we have the ability to help try and shape a better future. Again, read more, learn more, understand more.
‘Kindness doesn’t require words’.
Is it any real surprise that this is worth 5 glorious stars. Though my heart is heavy, I’m grateful to have read this story and had my eyes opened even wider; given increased clarity to the heartache and suffering of Native Americans. The clash of cultures, whether through naïveté or malice is heartbreaking. To read of such proud people humbled, and their spirit corralled is just another layer of historical tragedy.
Crow Mary is such a wonderful example of a proud, indigenous woman who is trying to negotiate the changing world she lives in, yet being true to herself and her people. Her white, fur trading husband, is also caught negotiating this changing environment. He too, tries to do the right thing but sadly becomes a victim of his own making.
I truly appreciate Kathleen Grissom’s integrity and effort in ensuring authenticity to voice, time and place. Please do take the time to read this book to add understanding, even at a fictionalised level, to American and Indigenous history. ‘how is it possible that such beauty can exist after the horror of what has happened’? Despite history’s tragedies, each day we have the ability to help try and shape a better future. Again, read more, learn more, understand more.
‘Kindness doesn’t require words’.
May 29, 2025
I've now read all three of the novels written by Kathleen Grissom. I'm hoping she's got another one on the way.
December 31, 2022
As writers, we all have characters who inhabit us. In 2000, Kathleen Grissom heard about an incredible woman named Goes First, and her novel Crow Mary is worth the wait.
As a Montanan, I was thrilled to read about Goes First, an indigenous woman who fought prejudice during daily life in Montana as well as within her marriage to a white man; saved Nakoda women from being murdered; and ran a ranch and raised three children.
My favorite novels shine a light on women that history books have forgotten. While reading Crow Mary, I couldn’t help but think of My Antonia by Willa Cather, and the debt we owe to the women who came before us.
As a Montanan, I was thrilled to read about Goes First, an indigenous woman who fought prejudice during daily life in Montana as well as within her marriage to a white man; saved Nakoda women from being murdered; and ran a ranch and raised three children.
My favorite novels shine a light on women that history books have forgotten. While reading Crow Mary, I couldn’t help but think of My Antonia by Willa Cather, and the debt we owe to the women who came before us.
July 5, 2023
4.5
This is truly a remarkable book about a Crow woman named Goes First. After her marriage to a white fur trader, she becomes Crow Mary. Her name change is only the first of many attempts to make her more acceptable to her husband's people, but Crow Mary holds fast to the ways of her people.
The thoroughness of Ms. Grissom's research for this novel is evident in every scene. I felt like I was in the teepee with the young Goes First and her family. Later, after she and her husband move to Canada, her life as a mother and rancher are equally vivid.
Sometimes, I wanted to feel more rage from Crow Mary. Her anger over the mistreatment of the Crow and other indigenous peoples was righteous, and I didn't want her to hold back. On the other hand, she had three children to protect. I could've read about this remarkable woman for another 300 pages.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction, strong women, the power of family, and the struggle to find one's place in a hostile world.
This is truly a remarkable book about a Crow woman named Goes First. After her marriage to a white fur trader, she becomes Crow Mary. Her name change is only the first of many attempts to make her more acceptable to her husband's people, but Crow Mary holds fast to the ways of her people.
The thoroughness of Ms. Grissom's research for this novel is evident in every scene. I felt like I was in the teepee with the young Goes First and her family. Later, after she and her husband move to Canada, her life as a mother and rancher are equally vivid.
Sometimes, I wanted to feel more rage from Crow Mary. Her anger over the mistreatment of the Crow and other indigenous peoples was righteous, and I didn't want her to hold back. On the other hand, she had three children to protect. I could've read about this remarkable woman for another 300 pages.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction, strong women, the power of family, and the struggle to find one's place in a hostile world.
February 20, 2025
“Here, in the Cypress Hills, I was known as Crow Mary. In 1873, I was sixteen years old and newly married to my white fur-trader husband, Abe Farwell, when a massacre of the Nakoda took place. The men responsible were a group of ruthless wolfers and whiskey traders, and after the massacre they took five Nakoda women back to their camp for their amusement. I couldn’t save the women from being brutalized, but alone, and armed only with my two guns, I did save them from being murdered.”
Another captivating novel by Kathleen Grissom. I have read ‘ The Kitchen House’ and “Glory over Everything “ which I enjoyed.
This book was inspired by the true story of Crow Mary an indigenous woman, who marries Abe Farwell a white fur trader. Mary formerly known as Goes First is from the Crow Tribe. Mary and Abe travel from Montana to Saskatchewan, Canada to establish a trading post. Mary must get aquatinted to the way of life of her husband. It is a rude awakening for her.
This book is told in Mary’s POV . She faces many conflicts in her young life. She leaves her family that she loves not knowing when she will see them again. She witnesses a massacre and abduction of Nakoda women, whom Mary was able to save from being killed.
This book is beautifully written. In the forward of the book we learn of Mary’s great granddaughter Nedra who Kathleen Grissom interviewed to write this book.
Highly recommended.
Another captivating novel by Kathleen Grissom. I have read ‘ The Kitchen House’ and “Glory over Everything “ which I enjoyed.
This book was inspired by the true story of Crow Mary an indigenous woman, who marries Abe Farwell a white fur trader. Mary formerly known as Goes First is from the Crow Tribe. Mary and Abe travel from Montana to Saskatchewan, Canada to establish a trading post. Mary must get aquatinted to the way of life of her husband. It is a rude awakening for her.
This book is told in Mary’s POV . She faces many conflicts in her young life. She leaves her family that she loves not knowing when she will see them again. She witnesses a massacre and abduction of Nakoda women, whom Mary was able to save from being killed.
This book is beautifully written. In the forward of the book we learn of Mary’s great granddaughter Nedra who Kathleen Grissom interviewed to write this book.
Highly recommended.
February 21, 2025
This is based on the true story of Crow Mary, and brings to life the hardships European immigrants to the US and Canada. The effects it caused Native Americans, and how the white government tried to erase their heritage.
July 19, 2023
5 stars! An outstanding + unforgettable 19th century historical about strong, courageous women that will not only melt your heart, but forever seal your love of this author. Highly recommend! ❥ — Pub. 6/6/23
June 6, 2023
I was in a rage for the entire second half of this book, and that’s as it should be. It sickens me to know, as I do, the way that the European settlers have ravaged this country, stolen from its inhabitants, and refused to give them all what they are owed in return.
I usually steer clear of books that are sure to make me cry, but this book is necessary, especially if you feel you don’t know very much about the historic treatment of Native Americans in these lands by white settlers.
I sobbed over this story, because I know that even though this may be a work of “fiction” what has been represented here is nothing short of the truth of what these people have suffered for years by the hands of white people. The systemic demolition of their cultures and their practices is more than a tragedy.
It was a good read, and plenty insightful.
I usually steer clear of books that are sure to make me cry, but this book is necessary, especially if you feel you don’t know very much about the historic treatment of Native Americans in these lands by white settlers.
I sobbed over this story, because I know that even though this may be a work of “fiction” what has been represented here is nothing short of the truth of what these people have suffered for years by the hands of white people. The systemic demolition of their cultures and their practices is more than a tragedy.
It was a good read, and plenty insightful.
August 2, 2023
3.5 stars. Crow Mary had a very interesting life, and I admire her courage and desire for justice.
That being said, this story was pretty slow, plot wise. It felt kind of meandering, and I wasn’t eager to keep reading. At the 40 percent mark, I was already thinking about hurrying up and finishing, and that’s never a good sign.
I really loved The Kitchen House, but this almost felt like it was written by a completely different person.
That being said, this story was pretty slow, plot wise. It felt kind of meandering, and I wasn’t eager to keep reading. At the 40 percent mark, I was already thinking about hurrying up and finishing, and that’s never a good sign.
I really loved The Kitchen House, but this almost felt like it was written by a completely different person.
May 27, 2023
I love reading about ordinary people that lead extraordinary lives and this is one of those books! Any reader that enjoyed this author's previous books, The Kitchen House or Glory Over Everything, will undoubtedly relish this book also, even though it is not a continuation of those stories.
Crow Mary is based on the true-life story of an indigenous woman, originally known as Goes First in her Crow tribe in Montana. At sixteen years old, in 1872, she marries a white fur trader, and they travel to Saskatchewan, Canada to establish a trading post. While longing to return to her family and her native roots, Crow Mary must acclimate to her new surroundings and a seismic cultural shift in her life. As this story follows her through the decades of her life, I was astounded by Mary's strength, courage, determination and resilience, as well as her deep and abiding love for her family.
This was a fresh, creative, adventurous story that immediately grabbed my full attention and didn't let go. I will definitely be recommending it over and over again. My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review. Publication date: June 6, 2023.
Crow Mary is based on the true-life story of an indigenous woman, originally known as Goes First in her Crow tribe in Montana. At sixteen years old, in 1872, she marries a white fur trader, and they travel to Saskatchewan, Canada to establish a trading post. While longing to return to her family and her native roots, Crow Mary must acclimate to her new surroundings and a seismic cultural shift in her life. As this story follows her through the decades of her life, I was astounded by Mary's strength, courage, determination and resilience, as well as her deep and abiding love for her family.
This was a fresh, creative, adventurous story that immediately grabbed my full attention and didn't let go. I will definitely be recommending it over and over again. My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review. Publication date: June 6, 2023.
July 4, 2023
4.5 stars
Some of you know that Kathleen Grissom and I talk from time to time and that she has gifted me a signed copy of the UK edition of Kitchen House, that proudly sits next to my US version of that book. It was actually before her book Glory Over Everything came out that she told me that she was contemplating writing Crow Mary, but that she planned that book to be her last. She further told me that Jamie the character in Glory Over Everything - who was also in Kitchen House - kept talking to her and she had to finish writing about him first, to get him out of her head. But then she would tackle Crow Mary and once completed she would then resign herself to the work that was needed on her newly bought plantation in Virginia. Now it has been some time since we have spoken, so if this is her last book, much to my chagrin, she has done a marvelous job and should be very proud of her literary career. However I am secretly hoping that something else has caught her eye and will nibble at her brain until she breaks down and gives us another award winning best seller, even though I understand her reasoning to change careers.
I fell in love with Crow Mary every early in the book. I have always been sympathetic to the destructive way the Indigenous People were treated initially and have continued to be treated. This book took over 10 years of research and writing to come to fruition. Crow Mary was a real person and it was her great granddaughter that initially helped Grissom to write this book. Much of the book is true to fact, some of the book is fact adjusted to fit this story and some of the story is fictitious. But put together this is another great story borne from an accidental encounter and written from the heart, research and experience of a wonderfully inspiring author.
Some of you know that Kathleen Grissom and I talk from time to time and that she has gifted me a signed copy of the UK edition of Kitchen House, that proudly sits next to my US version of that book. It was actually before her book Glory Over Everything came out that she told me that she was contemplating writing Crow Mary, but that she planned that book to be her last. She further told me that Jamie the character in Glory Over Everything - who was also in Kitchen House - kept talking to her and she had to finish writing about him first, to get him out of her head. But then she would tackle Crow Mary and once completed she would then resign herself to the work that was needed on her newly bought plantation in Virginia. Now it has been some time since we have spoken, so if this is her last book, much to my chagrin, she has done a marvelous job and should be very proud of her literary career. However I am secretly hoping that something else has caught her eye and will nibble at her brain until she breaks down and gives us another award winning best seller, even though I understand her reasoning to change careers.
I fell in love with Crow Mary every early in the book. I have always been sympathetic to the destructive way the Indigenous People were treated initially and have continued to be treated. This book took over 10 years of research and writing to come to fruition. Crow Mary was a real person and it was her great granddaughter that initially helped Grissom to write this book. Much of the book is true to fact, some of the book is fact adjusted to fit this story and some of the story is fictitious. But put together this is another great story borne from an accidental encounter and written from the heart, research and experience of a wonderfully inspiring author.
August 19, 2023
Kathleen Grissom's latest work of historical fiction is based on the real life story of Crow Mary Farwell. In 1872, at the age of sixteen, she marries a white fur trader named Abe and they travel from Montana to his trading post in Saskatchewan, Canada. While there, they witness the Cypress Hills Massacre and decide to press charges against the men responsible. The justice system fails them and Abe's reputation never recovers.
Mary is a remarkable woman, courageous with strong principles, proud of her Crow heritage. Grissom weaves an intimate story about her marriage and the love that develops between husband and wife. It's distressing once again to read how poorly native people were treated and how their customs were disregarded by the government who wanted them to become assimilated to white society. I rooted for Mary when she stood up for herself and tried to protect her children. This is quite an uplifting story, seeing the past from a new perspective.
Mary is a remarkable woman, courageous with strong principles, proud of her Crow heritage. Grissom weaves an intimate story about her marriage and the love that develops between husband and wife. It's distressing once again to read how poorly native people were treated and how their customs were disregarded by the government who wanted them to become assimilated to white society. I rooted for Mary when she stood up for herself and tried to protect her children. This is quite an uplifting story, seeing the past from a new perspective.
November 26, 2023
Loved this so much!
May 14, 2023
The first half of this book started out strong. It felt developed and the reader felt a part of the story as it progressed at a consistent pace. Then all of a sudden it went into sort of “synopsis” mode where it felt like it was just sort of fast forwarding without feeling to wrap up the story. The reader became disconnected from the characters and it just felt like a long epilogue.
The actual historical story is interesting and I’m glad I finished, I just wish it had finished strong the way it started.
The actual historical story is interesting and I’m glad I finished, I just wish it had finished strong the way it started.
November 20, 2025
A winding, slow-starting, slow-moving fictional biography of Crow Mary beginning in the 1880s. The historical detail is compelling: skirmishes between the Crow, Sioux, and other tribes, white men who buy pelts and sell whiskey, and the wild life of hunter-gatherers. Crow Mary is based a real person, and there the trouble begins. The author, making most of it up, feels compelled to stick to real events. Mary was married to a white-man trader for three years before they were sucked into a a massacre, so the book has be routine for three years to pass. Then it's years before somebody tries to prosecute some of the perpetrators; again the reader waits. The outcomes are unsatisfying; the drama is no more than a real frontier justice system that drops more cases than it hears. Crow Mary's story, spread across a couple of decades, is one of maturity and resilience, but the author has missed the chance to make up a more impactful story. Why write fiction events must be limited to real occurrences? Meh.
September 15, 2023
Having recently finished “Crow Mary” by Kathleen Grissom, I am happy to have had the chance for the Advanced Reader’s Edition e-copy; thank you NetGalley and Atria Books!
For me, there is nothing better than reading a historical novel that transports me to a place and time that I never knew. Living in a world of comfort, I am in awe of courageous women of the past who persevered during the harshest of circumstances. With the encouragement of the Crow people and Crow Mary’s great-granddaughter, Ms. Grissom’s thorough research and writing process allowed me to experience a culture, and follow along on a journey that will continue to inspire me. After reading an amazing story like this one, I can’t help but wonder what of my own ancestors' history continues within me.
For me, there is nothing better than reading a historical novel that transports me to a place and time that I never knew. Living in a world of comfort, I am in awe of courageous women of the past who persevered during the harshest of circumstances. With the encouragement of the Crow people and Crow Mary’s great-granddaughter, Ms. Grissom’s thorough research and writing process allowed me to experience a culture, and follow along on a journey that will continue to inspire me. After reading an amazing story like this one, I can’t help but wonder what of my own ancestors' history continues within me.
January 11, 2024
Why is this book not on all the great lists of 2023?
I DEVOURED this book. Definitely one of my best reads of 2024. Based on a true story.
Goes First lives her strong Crow tribe - deep in traditions, lore and pride. After a tragedy, Goes First agrees to marry Abe Farwell. The truth of an Ingenious woman's experience in Montana in the 1870's - harsh weather, harsh stereotypes, harsh treatment, total lack of justice and law, sexism.
Crow Mary rose up to each challenge, felt her fear, and did it all.
This book will stay with me for a long time.
I DEVOURED this book. Definitely one of my best reads of 2024. Based on a true story.
Goes First lives her strong Crow tribe - deep in traditions, lore and pride. After a tragedy, Goes First agrees to marry Abe Farwell. The truth of an Ingenious woman's experience in Montana in the 1870's - harsh weather, harsh stereotypes, harsh treatment, total lack of justice and law, sexism.
Crow Mary rose up to each challenge, felt her fear, and did it all.
This book will stay with me for a long time.
July 1, 2024
The writing of this story was inspired by an incredibly brave action on the part of a sixteen-year-old Native American woman named Crow Mary (a.k.a "Goes First" in native Crow language) who as a newly married wife of a white fur trader witnessed on June 1, 1873 the Cypress Hills Massacre where a group of bison hunters and "wolfers" decimated a village of approximately forty Nakota (a.k.a Assiniboine) people.
After the shooting stopped she witnessed several surviving native women being taken back to the wolfer's encampment. Her husband declined her request to rescue the women as being too dangerous, so without her husband's permission she entered into the wolfer's encampment alone and secured the women's release by herself. She rescued four women (a fifth woman told her where they were being held).
Many of the details of this rescue are based on oral history carried on by her descendants and members of the Crow Tribe. There is documentation supporting her involvement based on her testimony given several years later at the trial of three defendants charged with being part of the murderous group.
In case you are thinking that I'm giving away a spoiler by telling the above story you'll be relieved to hear that this book is a fictional re-creation of her whole life, and the rescue of the women occurs relatively early in her life. As a young child she experienced the violence of intertribal war by witnessing the Battle of Pryor Creek. The reader learns about Crow culture and life on the plains. The story continues with her marriage and the aftermath of the Cypress Hills Massacre.
This book tells the story of American Indians living through the time period when they became restricted to reservation life and they could no longer hunt wild game. It also portrays the experience of having her children forcibly removed to attend the Carlisle Indian Industrial School.
Her rescue of the women establishes early in the story that she is a self-confident Crow woman capable of taking care of herself. So later in the book when the welfare of her family is threatened it's believable when she plans to take drastic action. Thus the reader is exposed to the suspense of wondering what will happen next.
As a 21st century reader, I felt uncomfortable with a story of a sixteen-year-old girl marrying a man a couple decades older than her. As described here it's a happy marriage in its early years. I can only hope that the actual historical marriage was as happy as portrayed in this book.
This story is narrated in first person by Crow Mary, and if the reader permits their feelings to be intertwined with her fate as she describes her life's struggles, reading this book can be an emotional experience.
After the shooting stopped she witnessed several surviving native women being taken back to the wolfer's encampment. Her husband declined her request to rescue the women as being too dangerous, so without her husband's permission she entered into the wolfer's encampment alone and secured the women's release by herself. She rescued four women (a fifth woman told her where they were being held).
Many of the details of this rescue are based on oral history carried on by her descendants and members of the Crow Tribe. There is documentation supporting her involvement based on her testimony given several years later at the trial of three defendants charged with being part of the murderous group.
In case you are thinking that I'm giving away a spoiler by telling the above story you'll be relieved to hear that this book is a fictional re-creation of her whole life, and the rescue of the women occurs relatively early in her life. As a young child she experienced the violence of intertribal war by witnessing the Battle of Pryor Creek. The reader learns about Crow culture and life on the plains. The story continues with her marriage and the aftermath of the Cypress Hills Massacre.
This book tells the story of American Indians living through the time period when they became restricted to reservation life and they could no longer hunt wild game. It also portrays the experience of having her children forcibly removed to attend the Carlisle Indian Industrial School.
Her rescue of the women establishes early in the story that she is a self-confident Crow woman capable of taking care of herself. So later in the book when the welfare of her family is threatened it's believable when she plans to take drastic action. Thus the reader is exposed to the suspense of wondering what will happen next.
As a 21st century reader, I felt uncomfortable with a story of a sixteen-year-old girl marrying a man a couple decades older than her. As described here it's a happy marriage in its early years. I can only hope that the actual historical marriage was as happy as portrayed in this book.
This story is narrated in first person by Crow Mary, and if the reader permits their feelings to be intertwined with her fate as she describes her life's struggles, reading this book can be an emotional experience.
November 18, 2024
This is one of those rare books that just consumed me—as in, I was reading it so intensely that I felt as if I were in the story. Remarkable!
Written by Kathleen Grissom, this is the story of a young Crow girl named Goes First, who is the only child of loving parents. We meet her when she is 7 years old, several years before her little brother is born. The first part of the novel is a simple but fascinating tale of her life beginning in 1863 living in what is now Montana where her father, Horse Guard, is the Crow chief. In Crow tradition, Goes First is raised to be independent and courageous, just like the boys.
Goes First grows older, falls in love with a young warrior, and is ready to begin her life as an adult when tragedy strikes. In 1872 when she is 16, her father arranges a marriage for her with a white man named Abe Farwell, a fur trader who keeps Horse Guard well supplied with horses and guns, which are essential to fighting the Sioux and other enemies. Abe changes Goes First's name to Mary, and soon it's Crow Mary to distinguish her from others with that common name.
And then the novel takes off. Crow Mary and Abe travel to Saskatchewan, Canada so Abe can establish a trading post. It's not an easy life, but Crow Mary is adept with a gun and knows how to live in the great outdoors. Eventually, Crow Mary learns the dark secret of Farwell's past, while he learns just how brave his wife really is even as she struggles to adapt to the white culture that is so different and so much more treacherous and devious than her own. After a winter of trading, the couple is set to return south for the summer, but on the eve of their departure something horrific, dangerous, and tragic takes place—something that will forever change their lives for years to come.
This is a book about a way of life in a specific time in history, but it is also timeless in that it's also a book about love and marriage—its joys, heartaches, and tragedies. Most important, this is a story about identity: Crow Mary must adapt and change who she is in order to fit in and survive, but she never loses her Crow spirit and traditions even under the most ominous threats.
This novel is based on real characters, although the author has taken poetic liberties in telling their story. Still, the descriptions of the land and the people, as well as the bloody and deadly encounters the native peoples had with the invading white man are realistic and revealing about both cultures. Reading this book is like taking a trip in time to live with the Crow people, learning what they value, their ethics, and their way of life.
Bonus: At the end, the author includes several recipes for delicious dishes, including one that is mentioned a lot in the book--Creamy Rice and Raisin Pudding. (Once you read the novel, a reference to this dessert will no doubt make you smile.)
This is imaginative storytelling at its best—riveting, compassionate, and suspenseful.
Written by Kathleen Grissom, this is the story of a young Crow girl named Goes First, who is the only child of loving parents. We meet her when she is 7 years old, several years before her little brother is born. The first part of the novel is a simple but fascinating tale of her life beginning in 1863 living in what is now Montana where her father, Horse Guard, is the Crow chief. In Crow tradition, Goes First is raised to be independent and courageous, just like the boys.
Goes First grows older, falls in love with a young warrior, and is ready to begin her life as an adult when tragedy strikes. In 1872 when she is 16, her father arranges a marriage for her with a white man named Abe Farwell, a fur trader who keeps Horse Guard well supplied with horses and guns, which are essential to fighting the Sioux and other enemies. Abe changes Goes First's name to Mary, and soon it's Crow Mary to distinguish her from others with that common name.
And then the novel takes off. Crow Mary and Abe travel to Saskatchewan, Canada so Abe can establish a trading post. It's not an easy life, but Crow Mary is adept with a gun and knows how to live in the great outdoors. Eventually, Crow Mary learns the dark secret of Farwell's past, while he learns just how brave his wife really is even as she struggles to adapt to the white culture that is so different and so much more treacherous and devious than her own. After a winter of trading, the couple is set to return south for the summer, but on the eve of their departure something horrific, dangerous, and tragic takes place—something that will forever change their lives for years to come.
This is a book about a way of life in a specific time in history, but it is also timeless in that it's also a book about love and marriage—its joys, heartaches, and tragedies. Most important, this is a story about identity: Crow Mary must adapt and change who she is in order to fit in and survive, but she never loses her Crow spirit and traditions even under the most ominous threats.
This novel is based on real characters, although the author has taken poetic liberties in telling their story. Still, the descriptions of the land and the people, as well as the bloody and deadly encounters the native peoples had with the invading white man are realistic and revealing about both cultures. Reading this book is like taking a trip in time to live with the Crow people, learning what they value, their ethics, and their way of life.
Bonus: At the end, the author includes several recipes for delicious dishes, including one that is mentioned a lot in the book--Creamy Rice and Raisin Pudding. (Once you read the novel, a reference to this dessert will no doubt make you smile.)
This is imaginative storytelling at its best—riveting, compassionate, and suspenseful.
June 12, 2023
All the stars!!! I was super happy to see Kathleen Grissom had a new book coming out this summer after loving The Kitchen House and Glory Over Everything.
Goes First is a young Crow girl pledged to marry the man of her dreams. While out on a raid, he is killed, and she is heart broken. Eventually she meets a fur trader who is looking for a wife to help him with translating for his business. She meets a wonderful Metis woman who becomes a life long friend. She makes an enemy of one of the fur traders, and goes on to save some women from a neighboring tribe from him.
I absolutely loved Crow Mary, and she is one strong woman that I will not soon forget. I very highly recommend this outstanding book!
Goes First is a young Crow girl pledged to marry the man of her dreams. While out on a raid, he is killed, and she is heart broken. Eventually she meets a fur trader who is looking for a wife to help him with translating for his business. She meets a wonderful Metis woman who becomes a life long friend. She makes an enemy of one of the fur traders, and goes on to save some women from a neighboring tribe from him.
I absolutely loved Crow Mary, and she is one strong woman that I will not soon forget. I very highly recommend this outstanding book!
December 16, 2024
The life of Goes First, a young Native American girl from the Crow tribe, is followed from her experiences as a child up until when she became a mature adult.
This was a slow moving story, as life is slow moving. There is no actual plot, just a series of incidents and obstacles Goes First faces. Adding to the slow pace, the writing style was simplistic. It was almost bare bones simplistic. Maybe the author, attempting to “get into the head” of her main character, did this purposefully as an attempt to convey the MC’s limited English vocabulary, as her native language was Crow.
Normally, a book like this would have driven me crazy with boredom, but this was different for me. I became engrossed in Goes First’s life. I love the fact that she was certainly no damsel in distress; she was strong and capable. Admittedly, I found I liked this book much better after I finished reading it. It’s one I looked back on and thought about, and the characters stuck with me for a while. Four stars.
This was a slow moving story, as life is slow moving. There is no actual plot, just a series of incidents and obstacles Goes First faces. Adding to the slow pace, the writing style was simplistic. It was almost bare bones simplistic. Maybe the author, attempting to “get into the head” of her main character, did this purposefully as an attempt to convey the MC’s limited English vocabulary, as her native language was Crow.
Normally, a book like this would have driven me crazy with boredom, but this was different for me. I became engrossed in Goes First’s life. I love the fact that she was certainly no damsel in distress; she was strong and capable. Admittedly, I found I liked this book much better after I finished reading it. It’s one I looked back on and thought about, and the characters stuck with me for a while. Four stars.
January 24, 2024
Kathleen Grissom is a favorite when it comes to historical fiction. Her characters are well written and very relatable, and the story is always mesmerizing. I fell in love with Crow Mary early on and couldn't stop reading.
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