Pomme De Terre is book two in the Abercrombie Trail series by Candace Simar about the 1862 Sioux Uprising in Minnesota. Simar writes this book from three points of view: Gust Gustofson, his wife Serena, and Drumbeater, nephew of Crooked Lightning who is Evan Jacobson’s life-and-death friend. Through these three narratives, the clash of cultures unfolds dramatically.
Newlyweds Gust and Serena Gustofson pick up the pieces after losing their farm and their baby daughter in the uprising. Gust’s stubbornness to rebuild their lives blinds him to the danger of homesteading on the Pomme De Terre River on the Minnesota frontier. Serena struggles with grief and loneliness, but it’s a secret of Gust’s which proves a turning point for her. Gust and Serena work tirelessly, wanting to live off the land and prosper. They are stunned at the atrocities of the Indians.
Drumbeater wants to hunt and live with his family as the Indians have for hundreds of years. Drumbeater’s love for his wife and infant son and his longing to keep his threatened way of life resonate through Simar’s portrayal. This is the first novel I’ve read in years that presented an in depth point of view of a Native American character. Some vocabulary was new to me—washechu, icamnatanka, wanmdi, uncheedah—but the context made most words understandable. Drumbeater became a sympathetic character for me, given he lost what he loved most in life.
During the uprising white children are captured after their parents are murdered, among them Ragna and Birdie Larson whom Evan Jacobson counts among his friends. Although he’s blameless in their capture, Drumbeater takes responsibility for delivering them back to Evan. After a series of broken promises, the Army or the Long Knives, destroys everything Drumbeater holds dear in life. Through his eyes we see the only thing left for him—revenge for his People. As Drumbeater becomes a tragic figure, Serena emerges courageous and confident, returning to her roots in Iowa.
As with the Abercrombie Trail, I was taken in by Simar’s story telling. Although there is a tragic theme in this book, it is none the less a compelling read.
The next book in the series is Birdie, and I’ve already started it!
Find out more about Candace Simar at http://candacesimar.com
You can buy Pomme De Terre at https://www.amazon.com/Candace-Simar/dp/0878393773/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=pomme+de+Terre&qid=1593453077&sr=8-1
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