This book was recommended to me by many friends who enjoy reading diverse books. It was a great book to start the year. The main character is a woman about my own age (40, as my children will tell you with horror) who was raised by her father with only vague recollections of her mother. Her father works hard to instill in her the values of their Native culture – he teaches her the importance of praying with every movement, every moment, how to interact with the world around her. He dies of a heart attack and she is suddenly thrust into the foster care system. When she meets a white farmer who offers her a bit of kindness, she takes him up on his offer of marriage and moves into his farm with him. Although their life is happy enough, she finds herself in conflict with the way that he and her son want to manage their farm, and the impact of those choices on the environment. As she experiences major life changes, she retreats back to the life she once knew and finds that uncovering more of her history leads to a richer understanding of what is possible in the future.
I loved the way the author wove together the story of the history of her family and what is important to her in the present day. I also loved the rich descriptions of what Indian life entails – at one point, a character remarks that it is hard to be Indian- not only because of the horrors foisted on Indian people through the brute force of colonization, but also because their way of life involves extensive discipline. Their dedication to near constant prayer and consideration for future generations is not easy. Plenty of religions or cultures make claims about “personal responsibility” but few are such dedicated stewards of this one beautiful life we are given.
I would highly recommend this book, for the writing and engaging story.
The Seed Keeper
The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson