Review: Cherokee Talisman by David-Michael Harding

Title: Cherokee Talisman
Author: David-Michael Harding
Format: Paperback
Publisher: QCY Books
Publish Date: November 15, 2012
Source: I received a copy from PR; however, this did not affect my review.

Why You're Reading This Book:

• You're a historical fiction fan.
• You don't mind tough subjects.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "They were blood-thirsty savages - superstitious, dirty animals. They were thieves and killers who burned houses to the ground and kidnapped women and children.

They were protectors of a Nation – guerrilla fighters serving their country. They were husbands and fathers who built homes in lush valleys for their families.

They were – the same men.

In 1775 perspective came with the color of your skin.

An orphan boy, Totsuhwa, is taken under the wing of legendary Cherokee war chief Tsi’yugunsini, the Dragon. But even under a dragon’s wing isn’t safe when a covetous nation forms around them.

Amid the battles, Totsuhwa fights the reoccurring pain of loss until he meets Galegi, who becomes his wife. Trying to raise their son in a peace the new world won’t allow, they teach him the strictest Cherokee traditions while white assimilation, encroachment, and treachery grows. General Andrew Jackson wages war against tribes across the southeast and the toll is high. With his people gradually losing everything, Totsuhwa must find a way to save his family — and the Cherokee nation — before all is lost."

My Two Cents:

Cherokee Talisman follows the story of a Cherokee family headed by Totsuhwa, a man who is educated by some of the greatest leaders of the Cherokee tribe. Later on in the book, it also follows his son, Chancellor, who grows up in a much different and much more dangerous world than his father. This book is the first book in a planned series. The end of the book gives you a taste of what is to come in the next book. It definitely made me want to read on!

The story of the Cherokees in the United States is a very sad one. It is hard for me to think about their story without thinking about the infamous and sad Trail of Tears and the brutality under President Andrew Jackson. It was a very dark time in American history and a time that is still incredibly difficult to think about even today so many years later. Cherokee Talisman explores Cherokee life in the late 1700s and the early 1800s. Even though this was before the Trail of Tears, there was still a lot of issues and extreme tension between the white settlers who were trying to expand the country of the United States west and the Native Americans who had lived in the western parts of the country for much longer. It was eye-opening to be reminded of how long Native American tribes like the Cherokees faced and fought adversity at the hands of the government and the settlers.

Some parts of the book were very hard to read just because there was a lot of brutality but it seems to be a very realistic story about what happened during this period of time and reality is not always that pleasant. The things that happened to Totsuhwa's wife were truly heartbreaking. Although this book is fiction, it is a very important read about things that are still not discussed much in the history of our country.

Overall, this is a good and important historical fiction read.