The Loon Feather

by Iola Fuller

The story of an Indian girl destined to grow up with the incompatible traditions of her own people and of the white traders on Mackinac Island. One of the most popular books ever written about the conflict of alien peoples.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Classics, Book Club, Native American, Indigenous, Historical

456 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1940

Reviews

[Pam]

This is my favorite book of all time. I just recently reread it, and it is as good as I remembered. It takes place on Mackinac Island during the time of Tecumseh and follows his life thru the life his daughter.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve wanted to read this book for awhile as it was in the top 5 of my mom’s favorite books. I think this book is out of print. The book I read was a used copy I bought off Amazon and gave to my mom for Christmas one year - which made her cry.

I went into this book knowing nothing about it and was pleasantly surprised to find a story about Indians and the White Men who take over their territories in the 1800’s. The story takes place on an island called Mackinac by Lake Heron. I really loved the character development especially in Oneta, the main character and how she finds peace and happiness through finally being herself. And I gotta admire Pierre, who takes her in, even though his character kind of made me mad and has a lot of pride. It gave a small insight on what it might have been like for Indians during that time. Not particularly exciting or fast moving book - but I would still classify itself as a Good Read.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for work and really didn't have enough time to finish it properly, so I skimmed quite a bit. It's a slow, quiet read with a clear love for Michigan and Mackinac Island. The writing is really lovely, so maybe one day I'll come back to it when small tyrants don't rule my schedule.

[Ronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. Oneta, daughter of Tecumseh, barely remembers her father, but his greatness as a leader still shapes her life. Living on Mackinac Island, she is surrounded by a wide range of people: from Marthe, the wise woman of her tribe who instructs her in the old ways, to Pierre, the French stepfather who is determined that nothing in this wild place will change him in the slightest. Oneta lives between the two worlds, quietly learning to understand both. As relations between the tribes and the traders become restless, she finds herself unsure where she belongs.

I love the writing in this book. Her words and descriptions are just beautiful, and her insight into the way both Indians and French see their world is fascinating. She brings each culture to life in a believable way. I loved learning more of the history of Mackinac Island and the Great Lakes, a place that I love, and the way she speaks of the land shows the author's love for it as well.

The pace of this story is unhurried, echoing the patient measure of native American life, but you can feel the tension as the town grows and inevitably changes, as does Oneta, Tecumseh's daughter. I was quite enchanted by this book and highly recommend it.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story that takes place on Mackinac Island after the Revolutionary War, when the fort was in use and Indians and fur traders were a big part of the scene.

A couple of quotes:

p. 429 "As I looked along the shore at the roundness of the white pebbles at the water's edge, I saw among them a different shape, an unsoiled black and white feather, newly fallen from a passing loon-bird. I caught it up in joy, remembering that, as a token, the loon always dropped a wing feather when he was pleased."

p. 456 "I look back at that day through the happiness of years, so I may be remembering it in greater beauty than was there, just as it is the air between and not the far-off ridge that has the delicate blue. Out of the happiness of those years has come a rich deepening of the truth I felt that day, that when there is likeness of spirit, two people are of one kind. And if there is not that likeness, the two are divided by something even greater than the accident of race."

[Kent District Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Our book group here at Alto used this title earlier this year. For different reasons, this book appealed to everyone. It’s a very interesting look at the conflict between European and Native American cultures in the early 1800’s, and the fact that most of it takes place on Mackinac Island, referring to things many of us here are familiar with, makes it even more of a draw.” – Sandy at Alto

“This story of a young Native American girl growing up on Mackinaw Island during the time of the fur trade is one of the best and most popular portrayals of the cultural conflicts faced by Native Americans and their conquerors ever published. Oneta’s story of personal growth and search for identity is beautifully told, and will appeal to anyone of any age. An overlooked classic.”
—Mark at KDL’s Krause Memorial Branch

[Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story of Oneta, a young Ojibway girl growing up on Mackinac Island during the early 1800s. As the daughter of Tecumseh, raised by a French step-father, she must straddle the worlds of her heritage and the white settlers. The novel is Oneta's reflection on her past and how she became what and who she is. There is a wonderful collection of supporting characters that are also well developed. The language is beautiful and I enjoyed seeing history from a different viewpoint. Growing up in Michigan I have visited the Island many times over the years and those experiences made this book even more enjoyable. I could easily picture the places Fuller describes and I know first hand the magic of the "Turtle." This was almost a 5 star book for me but I found I could put it down and wasn't drawn back to it until the very end.

[Susan Feathers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Considered one of the best stories about native and Euro cultural interactions in the NE. The daughter of Tecumseh must find a way to reconcile her upbringing on the straits of the great lake and Mackinac Island. Fuller, a librarian living in Ohio, brings to life the early culture of French fur trappers and traders and the tribes on whose land they harvested the golden fleeces.

Also read her Shining Trail about the tribes living on the Sauk River on the Mississippi watershed. It chronicles the Black Hawk wars.

Both are rare records of tribal life right at the moment when their cultures were still whole around the mid-1800's.

[Lorri Coburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only give five stars to the best of the best. Thank you, Patty, for encouraging me to read this. I felt such a resonance with the tribe, their customs, the island, and the time period. Absolutely mesmerizing with its poetic beauty and compelling story.

[Gina Whitlock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for my online book club. Several times I wished the story had gone a little faster, however, it's a great book with a wonderful story. I wished several times that I knew more about Mackinac Island and that part of the country, especially because I had just read I Cheerfully Refuse and it was about Lake Superior.

[Olivia Mitas · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5, this was such a simple, yet beautiful story surrounded with loveably characters.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book that gives a unique perspective on the relationship between Native Americans and European settlers in the early 1800s. I read it because it takes place in Northern Michigan, where we spend our summers, and although I enjoyed the references to many places that I know, the book was interesting at many different levels. The story of Oneta's (daughter of Tecumseh) life from the time of her birth until she became engaged to be married is told in the first person and is interesting in itself. The issues that Oneta addresses in her pull between Indian and European mores is also very thought provoking especially given the time of the writing (1940). I also enjoyed learning more about everyday life on the frontier and the complicated relationship between Native Americans, French fur traders, and the US government.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great old-fashioned story, in the spirit of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES or CHRISTY, of a young woman’s imbuing a new culture with her time-honored values. I must have picked this up on Mackinac Island years ago but just now read it. I wish I were in the movie biz because this needs to be a classic film with great indigenous actors and beautiful scenery. I just recently read an interview with a Native American actor who was looking for stories to tell. This would be perfect. Are you listening, universe?

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad to have had the chance to find out about this author, Iola Fuller. And maybe because I live in the area where the Indian Tribes lived (Michigan) and the fact that the story takes place on Mackinac Island, where I have stayed several times, I felt close to beautiful discription sod the land and the water. I learned the history and the conditions that changed the future of the Red man and the White man. Fuller digs deep into the lives of her characters to bring up the inevitable changes that they have to face and the path that they choose.

I was reminded that history repeats itself and that is the advantage of knowing history. Telling the story in the first person, Oneta, the daughter of Tecumseh, shares this observation; "As I make the long journey over the years, I realize that the priest and the trader disturbed us little, and we were glad to see them come, not knowing they were signs of the coming end, that where they went the farmer followed, and where he settled the red man and the wild creatures could never return."

In the end, Oneta, finds this piece of wisdom. "They must be led, not driven. They must have leaders to help them over the bridge between the old and the new. Unless they can cross it, they will soon be gone, like last year's leaves, into the soil from which they came....."

A refreshing look at history, romance and character. This should be a bucket list read. It will be a good book for discussion.

[Judy Cyg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was captivated from the first page by the voice and character of Tecumseh's daughter, Oneta. Nomadic life for the Ojibway in the forests of northern Michigan, and on Mackinac Island with the French traders, is unrolled in luscious, captivating detail. This is a story of heroism in a quiet and dignified girl who inherits the moral strength of her father Tecumseh, and displays his spirit at a historical moment, earning her respect and love.

Love this book. Reread it periodically, and am absorbed into the world and characters fresh every time, as if I've just discovered it. A keeper for any shelf with a reader who loves history and endurance and heroic spirit.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Beautifully written story of a young Ojibway woman who navigates between that heritage and the French heritage of her stepfather during the early 19th century on Mackinac Island. Descriptive details of the people, places, and events help make this an interesting and exciting tale of what life was like during these years on the frontier where cultures mixed and clashed. I took off half a star because Oneta was written as being Tecumseh’s daughter which is not at all true. Yes, this book is fiction, but this relationship was important to the plot, so that is why it bothered me. Otherwise, it was nearly perfect.

[Lynne Golodner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this while I was on Mackinac Island leading a writers retreat, because I love reading books about the place I'm in when I am there. It helps me to better understand the legacy of the land and the culture and the people. It was a perfect book to read during that week and I now keep it beside my bed to remind me about the journey of a young Native American woman several centuries ago in Michigan's north, when being a woman and being Native were two strikes against you. This is a classic, and it is beautiful. I will return to it!

[Katie Gendel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel skillfully weaves historical fiction, delving into cultural clashes between European and Native American societies in the early 1800s. The author navigates complex characters' lives, providing a poignant narrative that immerses readers in a bygone era. With vivid descriptions and well-drawn characters, it explores a world where love, resilience, and cultural identity intertwine, all set against the backdrop of Mackinac Island—an added allure for those familiar with the place. I actually acquired a used copy of this novel on Mackinac Island making it even more special.

[Michele Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in 194o, this book has a sort of formal language that makes you feel as though you have stepped back in time. You will want to read it slowly and savor all the beautiful descriptions of the land surrounding Mackinac Island. The main character is Tecumseh's daughter and the story is told from her point of view. Indian culture is juxtaposed with the French traders and soldiers with near devastating results. Five stars because it has a great ending.

[Pat Jorgenson Waterchilde · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to read. While not a fast read, Ms. Fuller uses words that describe, engage and witness to the reader the sights, sounds and beauty of Mackinac. From the daughter of Tecumseh you experience through her eyes how the white man treated the Native Americans.
A truly wonderful experience to read such a great book.

[Laurie Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read, but a quite outdated view of Native Americans. The book was fascinating because I have visited northern Michigan many times and so the place names, etc. were evocative. A good companion read might be the contemporary novel Firekeeper's Daughter, a story about a Native American teen set in the same area.

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My father was very interested in the fur trade, and this was a book he had that I picked up to read recently. It brought back a lot of memories. I think it is probably a pretty good introduction to the relationships between whites (French, English and Americans), Indians, and Métis and what was like in the straits of Mackinac in the 1800's.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mother remembered loving this book when she read it almost 60 years ago. The story still resonates today. The clash of native Americans and their abuse by alien invaders. Well written and compelling. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting story. I liked parts of it more than others. It became apparent that it was written quite some tIme ago (1940). I’m glad I stuck with it and finished it. I’ve wanted to go to Mackinac Island for forty years, so being set there in the fur trading times was great.

[Yara Racine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I randomly came across this little treasure while browsing through a used bookstore in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Just phenomenal. What a treat this was.

Being able to read it in the same region where the story takes place made it all the more immersive. I highly recommend it.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! I personally love these kind of stories.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it right after a trip to Mackinac Island. Makes it so real!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a lovely old book, full of the rich history of Mackinac Island.

[Tammy Hartnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic writing!!!!

[Terri Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet old-fashioned book about Mackinac Island