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Daughter of the Sun: A Novel of The Toltec Empire
Seventeen-year-old Hoshi'tiwa had a simple life: The daughter of a humble corn grower, she planned to marry a storyteller's apprentice. But her world is turned upside down when she is captured by the powerful and violent ruler of an infamous city with legends of untold wealth and unspeakable acts of violence to its name. Hoshi'tiwa is suddenly thrown into the court of the Dark Lord, and as she struggles for power, she begins an illicit affair with the one man who has the ability to destroy her.
Bestselling author Barbara Wood has crafted a sweeping saga of one woman's struggle to survive within the dangerous and exotic world of the Toltec court. Set against the backdrop of Chaco Canyon and the mysterious Anasazi people, Daughter of the Sun is an unforgettable novel of power, seduction, murder, and betrayal.
Bestselling author Barbara Wood has crafted a sweeping saga of one woman's struggle to survive within the dangerous and exotic world of the Toltec court. Set against the backdrop of Chaco Canyon and the mysterious Anasazi people, Daughter of the Sun is an unforgettable novel of power, seduction, murder, and betrayal.
453 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
23 people are currently reading
543 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Wood
199 books523 followersBarbara Wood was born on 30 January 1947 in Warrington, Lancashire, England, UK. Together with her parents and older brother, she immigrated to the United States. She grew up in Southern California and attended Los Angeles Schools. After High School, Barbara attended the University of California at Santa Barbara but left to train as a surgical technician. During this time, Barbara held numerous jobs, before she sold her first novel in 1976. A few years prior, Barbara met her husband George. To date, Barbara has written 22 books, including two under the pen name Kathryn Harvey, these books are quite different from the Barbara Wood's novels and she, her agent and editor agreed that a pen name would serve to indicate the difference. She is an international best selling author with books translated into over 30 languages. The reader is transported to exotic countries that Barbara has meticulously researched to provide her fans with a true sense of the culture and history relevant to each story. At the heart of every book, is a strong, independent woman. Currently, Barbara is busy working on her next story that will, no doubt, showcase an extraordinary heroine in an exciting and intriguing adventure.
When not writing, Barbara often takes time to enjoy the work of other authors, and that of a certain well-known martial artist, whose name is listed among the "Ten things you might not know about Barbara.
When not writing, Barbara often takes time to enjoy the work of other authors, and that of a certain well-known martial artist, whose name is listed among the "Ten things you might not know about Barbara.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
December 2, 2007
Ah, yes, to be an archaeologist, yet read historical fiction. It's probably not the best of ideas. While the story is set in Chaco Canyon (New Mexico), it did not feel like it. Archaeologically speaking, the Toltecs were probably not living in Chaco in the great numbers depicted in this book; though their influence is known as represented by copper bells, parrot bones, etc. Also, the descriptions of the Toltecs combined aspects from both the Aztecs and Maya cultures - which, quite frankly, threw me off.
The story read quickly, though it would occasionally move slowly or too quickly. I felt that there was too much story to have in one book; too many storylines and too many characters within those storylines. There were a number of times that I didn't believe the events that were taking place; it seemed out of character and out of place.
I do recommend this book. I would really recommend picking up a book or two about Mesoamerican culture as well as Chaco Canyon and the Ancestral Puebloans (also known as the Anasazi), just to learn more about the archaeology of these great cultures.
The story read quickly, though it would occasionally move slowly or too quickly. I felt that there was too much story to have in one book; too many storylines and too many characters within those storylines. There were a number of times that I didn't believe the events that were taking place; it seemed out of character and out of place.
I do recommend this book. I would really recommend picking up a book or two about Mesoamerican culture as well as Chaco Canyon and the Ancestral Puebloans (also known as the Anasazi), just to learn more about the archaeology of these great cultures.
July 27, 2020
I rather suspect that Daughter of the Sun is a deeply inaccurate depiction of history. To be fair, detailed information about Chaco Canyon and the Ancestral Puebloans (better known by the now disfavored term "Anasazi") isn't exactly thick on the ground; but still. Don't come to this novel looking for an archeologically consistent account. That's not this book. Luckily, as I am unburdened with a great deal of knowledge about the cultures/eras Barbara Wood chose to write about here, my main focus while reading was "is this a good story?" above all else.
The answer to that? It's not half bad.
Daughter of the Sun reads very old school, in that the characters' internal lives are not richly explored and the scope of events is wide and sweeping. The novel's protagonist, Hoshi'tiwa, is a Mary Sue messiah come to save her people from the cruel tyranny of the Toltec colonizers via a message of unity, peace and love. Also, she makes a lot of clay pots. Like...a lot. That's the main conflict of the book, actually: can Hoshi'tiwa make a pot that the gods will love enough to end the drought that's cursed the Chaco Canyon settlement?
(Recapping the plot a bit since the jacket copy is pants): Daughter of the Sun starts off with Hoshi'tiwa, a very gifted potter, being enslaved by the Toltecs and taken to "Center Place," AKA Chaco Canyon, their local base of operations. Apparently in Barbara Wood's version of history, there are Toltecs running around colonizing northern New Mexico which...is not that likely. But run with it. Once there, Hoshi'tiwa makes a big impression on everyone, from her fellow potters to the lord of the city. Everyone is, like, obsessed with her. Months pass, and some minor tragedies occur, and Hoshi'tiwa metamorphosizes into a self-proclaimed godly vessel to encourage her oppressed people to rise up once again. She's nearly executed multiple times, evil men in the government are out to get her, she's involved in a taboo love/hate thing with the lord of the city, and there's a secret outlawed cult growing in the desert. Also there are human sacrifices, because Toltecs gonna Toltec.
What I'm saying is, this story felt very Dramatic with a capital D. If only Cecil B. DeMille had the opportunity to turn this into one of his flashy biblical films. Alas. Granted, this type of plot won't be for every reader. Nowadays people generally expect their characters to have realistic flaws, and for historical fiction to be more historical and less "history-based fantasy." Honestly, I'm baffled as to how Barbara Wood got away with such a 1980s style book in 2007.
But! I think that if you modify expectations appropriately, Daughter of the Sun could be a great read. Hoshi'tiwa's journey from captured slave to savior of her people is fairly interesting, even though it often feels like all she does is sculpt pottery. The author augments the main storyline (admittedly, Hoshi'tiwa is a bit dull) with several side characters and B-plots, which are all wrapped up together by the end in a satisfying way. The "other woman" character, for instance, gets a solid plot arc and a happy ending of her own, which I felt was richly deserved. Aside from one or two obvious villains, most of the characters are drawn in shades of gray, so that even when they're pitted against Hoshi'tiwa and must obviously fall, the reader understands where they're coming from.
But again, just to reiterate the things that this book is not: a detailed examination of history, a romance, and/or masterful character study. This book is all about the grand, flashy plotline. The author wants to explain why the Ancestral Puebloans abandoned the Chaco Canyon settlement, and she's concocted a far-fetched but entertaining fairytale to fill in the gaps. It's not a credible account, but if you pretend you're reading a history-flavored fantasy novel instead, it's a pretty satisfying read all the same.
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The answer to that? It's not half bad.
Daughter of the Sun reads very old school, in that the characters' internal lives are not richly explored and the scope of events is wide and sweeping. The novel's protagonist, Hoshi'tiwa, is a Mary Sue messiah come to save her people from the cruel tyranny of the Toltec colonizers via a message of unity, peace and love. Also, she makes a lot of clay pots. Like...a lot. That's the main conflict of the book, actually: can Hoshi'tiwa make a pot that the gods will love enough to end the drought that's cursed the Chaco Canyon settlement?
(Recapping the plot a bit since the jacket copy is pants): Daughter of the Sun starts off with Hoshi'tiwa, a very gifted potter, being enslaved by the Toltecs and taken to "Center Place," AKA Chaco Canyon, their local base of operations. Apparently in Barbara Wood's version of history, there are Toltecs running around colonizing northern New Mexico which...is not that likely. But run with it. Once there, Hoshi'tiwa makes a big impression on everyone, from her fellow potters to the lord of the city. Everyone is, like, obsessed with her. Months pass, and some minor tragedies occur, and Hoshi'tiwa metamorphosizes into a self-proclaimed godly vessel to encourage her oppressed people to rise up once again. She's nearly executed multiple times, evil men in the government are out to get her, she's involved in a taboo love/hate thing with the lord of the city, and there's a secret outlawed cult growing in the desert. Also there are human sacrifices, because Toltecs gonna Toltec.
What I'm saying is, this story felt very Dramatic with a capital D. If only Cecil B. DeMille had the opportunity to turn this into one of his flashy biblical films. Alas. Granted, this type of plot won't be for every reader. Nowadays people generally expect their characters to have realistic flaws, and for historical fiction to be more historical and less "history-based fantasy." Honestly, I'm baffled as to how Barbara Wood got away with such a 1980s style book in 2007.
But! I think that if you modify expectations appropriately, Daughter of the Sun could be a great read. Hoshi'tiwa's journey from captured slave to savior of her people is fairly interesting, even though it often feels like all she does is sculpt pottery. The author augments the main storyline (admittedly, Hoshi'tiwa is a bit dull) with several side characters and B-plots, which are all wrapped up together by the end in a satisfying way. The "other woman" character, for instance, gets a solid plot arc and a happy ending of her own, which I felt was richly deserved. Aside from one or two obvious villains, most of the characters are drawn in shades of gray, so that even when they're pitted against Hoshi'tiwa and must obviously fall, the reader understands where they're coming from.
But again, just to reiterate the things that this book is not: a detailed examination of history, a romance, and/or masterful character study. This book is all about the grand, flashy plotline. The author wants to explain why the Ancestral Puebloans abandoned the Chaco Canyon settlement, and she's concocted a far-fetched but entertaining fairytale to fill in the gaps. It's not a credible account, but if you pretend you're reading a history-flavored fantasy novel instead, it's a pretty satisfying read all the same.
📌 . Blog | Review Database | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
July 23, 2017
This story was wonderful! This is a part of history I don't know a lot about, and it was told with Grace and heart. The narration was spectacular! It is very obvious that the narrator spent a lot of time learning how to pronounce different words with different accents. I was really impressed with her performance, and it really made the book come alive for me. I would definitely recommend this to historical fiction lovers and anyone interested in an epic tale.
I was given this audiobook for free for an honest review.
I was given this audiobook for free for an honest review.
February 2, 2025
Första delen av boken (Hoshi'tiwas del) var bra. För övrigt var boken väldigt tråkig och jag orkade inte ens läsa hela. Väldigt old-school och för mycket prat om gud. Också lite problematisk.. Anyways rekommenderar inte.
September 25, 2013
A parte final, é muito boa, ou pelo menos, muito emocionante. O contexto histórico é mais ou menos. Mas infelizmente quase até ao final é demasiado morno.
June 22, 2018
Krydsning af Charles Dickens og Margareth Mitchell tilsat en smule shamanisme.
August 8, 2010
Set in what is now Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, this is a rather contrived novel that tries to explain why the site was eventually abandoned. It's a pretty average read, not that interesting, and full of very wild speculation on the author's part. Those who want HF set in the Americas might find it interesting, but I was just left annoyed. Proceed at your own risk.
To read the complete review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_40902...
To read the complete review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_40902...
June 6, 2024
Audible
Returned the Book
Returned the Book
May 20, 2017
When I discovered this book on the ‚Up for Adoption‘ page of Audiobookworm Promotion, I absolutely had to listen to it. I remembered having devoured another novel (Virgins of Paradise) by Barbara Wood many years ago, and I remembered how fascinated I had been, even though my memory of the plot is hazy. So, I didn’t even read the summary, hence I didn’t know what to expect.
Let me tell you, this is a great story that made me think. I wondered about the old religions and beliefs, asking myself whether they weren’t preferable to today’s religions. But my first impression of a peaceful religion was soon shattered, because, as is so often the case, those believing in cruel deeds to please their gods oppress all the others.
What puzzled me, was the focus on female virginity before marriage, and the idea that they were makai-yó (outcasts) if they were found out. Somehow, I had always connected this anti-female behaviour with Christendom. However, the book seems extremely well researched, and whether or not this virginity thing is due to poetic licence or actually took place, it doesn’t really matter to me — although it does matter to our main protagonist, Hoshi’tiwa, whose life takes a turn for the worse when she is claimed by the Dark Lord — from then on, she is makai-yó.
This book contains everything you could wish for, especially a lot of information about the religious beliefs, rites, traditions, clothing, food, drink, and daily life of the Toltecs shortly before they perished. All this information isn’t easily found on the www, so much about these people is still shrouded in myth, with few facts known.
Barbara Wood masterfully crafts an engaging story that you won’t want to put down. It is great that this novel is now available as audio book, and the narrator, Rebecca Roberts, does a fantastic job at narrating it. Her voice in my head was never obtrusive, she simply drew me in, and I was there, on center green, seeing it all before me, suffering with the slaves, connecting with Jakál even.
There is only one character who is truly ugly inside and out, all the others have many facets, and though you may not like them, you can understand them.
The combination of a great story and a wonderful narration makes for a very enjoyable 15.5 hours of listening time.
As mentioned above, I received this audiobook at no-cost from Audiobookworm Promotions. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Let me tell you, this is a great story that made me think. I wondered about the old religions and beliefs, asking myself whether they weren’t preferable to today’s religions. But my first impression of a peaceful religion was soon shattered, because, as is so often the case, those believing in cruel deeds to please their gods oppress all the others.
What puzzled me, was the focus on female virginity before marriage, and the idea that they were makai-yó (outcasts) if they were found out. Somehow, I had always connected this anti-female behaviour with Christendom. However, the book seems extremely well researched, and whether or not this virginity thing is due to poetic licence or actually took place, it doesn’t really matter to me — although it does matter to our main protagonist, Hoshi’tiwa, whose life takes a turn for the worse when she is claimed by the Dark Lord — from then on, she is makai-yó.
This book contains everything you could wish for, especially a lot of information about the religious beliefs, rites, traditions, clothing, food, drink, and daily life of the Toltecs shortly before they perished. All this information isn’t easily found on the www, so much about these people is still shrouded in myth, with few facts known.
Barbara Wood masterfully crafts an engaging story that you won’t want to put down. It is great that this novel is now available as audio book, and the narrator, Rebecca Roberts, does a fantastic job at narrating it. Her voice in my head was never obtrusive, she simply drew me in, and I was there, on center green, seeing it all before me, suffering with the slaves, connecting with Jakál even.
There is only one character who is truly ugly inside and out, all the others have many facets, and though you may not like them, you can understand them.
The combination of a great story and a wonderful narration makes for a very enjoyable 15.5 hours of listening time.
As mentioned above, I received this audiobook at no-cost from Audiobookworm Promotions. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
October 3, 2017
A very interesting story that doesn’t work out like you would think. It isn’t a romance although it does have people who fall in love and the outcome of that love. Mostly it is based on one woman who everyone thinks because she was born under a rain star that she can make it rain through her rain vases she makes. This is her journey of what she goes through losing her love as another man takes over her life. When he falls in love with her things get very sticky when others want her as well.
Rebecca Roberts as always gives me a highly entertaining listen she puts so much into her audios giving you a wonderful clear listen free of background noise. There are no high or low tones just wonderful clear even voices. I love her voice and could listen to it all day. Her male voices are as wonderful as her female ones. It is so wonderful to put a voice to the characters they feel more real to me. I love how she bring the story to life as she puts emotion into her read never leaving you guess as to how the character feels or what they are thinking. She always delivers a high quality audio that is highly entertaining. It is always a delight to see her name on an audio I have decided to listen to. She truly has a lovely voice with wonderful character voices it is really surprising how many different voices she has that sounds so different and truly fits each character. I really hope Ms. Roberts is the narrator of those as well. You are going to love this narrator and what she brings to the listen.
I thought a lot of thought went into this plot it kind of has a happy ending but at the same time very sad. My heart really broke for so many characters as life goes on leaving a big hole in their world. Hoshi'tiwa stole my heart from the first page as she is torn from her family to live a life she is unsure of. Things do not turn out the way she thought they would. She is a very strong brave woman who takes things as they come making it as good as she can. Her life turned from love to a very painful time leaving her guessing to her outcome. I really enjoyed this but have mixed feelings on the ending. The other characters were interesting, some I liked and others I did not. I was torn between who she would love and who got hurt when really they all did. This has a powerful meaning, there is much pain from hate, to love or dreams, needs and wants. I really enjoyed listening to it. It isn’t one of my favorite books but the narration really brings the story to life.
Rebecca Roberts as always gives me a highly entertaining listen she puts so much into her audios giving you a wonderful clear listen free of background noise. There are no high or low tones just wonderful clear even voices. I love her voice and could listen to it all day. Her male voices are as wonderful as her female ones. It is so wonderful to put a voice to the characters they feel more real to me. I love how she bring the story to life as she puts emotion into her read never leaving you guess as to how the character feels or what they are thinking. She always delivers a high quality audio that is highly entertaining. It is always a delight to see her name on an audio I have decided to listen to. She truly has a lovely voice with wonderful character voices it is really surprising how many different voices she has that sounds so different and truly fits each character. I really hope Ms. Roberts is the narrator of those as well. You are going to love this narrator and what she brings to the listen.
I thought a lot of thought went into this plot it kind of has a happy ending but at the same time very sad. My heart really broke for so many characters as life goes on leaving a big hole in their world. Hoshi'tiwa stole my heart from the first page as she is torn from her family to live a life she is unsure of. Things do not turn out the way she thought they would. She is a very strong brave woman who takes things as they come making it as good as she can. Her life turned from love to a very painful time leaving her guessing to her outcome. I really enjoyed this but have mixed feelings on the ending. The other characters were interesting, some I liked and others I did not. I was torn between who she would love and who got hurt when really they all did. This has a powerful meaning, there is much pain from hate, to love or dreams, needs and wants. I really enjoyed listening to it. It isn’t one of my favorite books but the narration really brings the story to life.
November 14, 2017
Actually, 2. 5 stars.
Hoshi’tiwa’s life seemed to be happy and peaceful. She was the daughter of a corn grower, and she made rain jars for her people. She plans to marry her childhood friend and to live as a wife and mother. However, her life changes when their ruler makes her an outcast and forces her to live in his city to make rain jars to bring rain. Once she arrives, she learns of an ancient prophecy that foretells doom for her people. Can Hoshi’tiwa save her people and bring about the birth of a new world?
I really could not connect with Hoshi’tiwa. She did not have any faults. She is a Mary Sue character. She is beautiful, intelligent, and has extraordinary talent. She is also the chosen one. There really was no depth to her character. Because she was not very interesting to me, I did not see she was special. For most of the novel, she just makes rain jars. If this novel was not about her, then she could really be an unforgettable character in another story.
Overall, this book is about religion, friendship, and ancient prophecies. This novel is also about a young girl trying to navigate in a brutal world. The story was told from the viewpoint of many flat characters. The story was drawn-out and could easily have been much shorter. The writing itself was very repetitive. Every character always said the same thing over and over so that I started counting how many times they have uttered the same sentence throughout the novel. Therefore, I really struggled to finish the book and would probably have given up on it had I not listened to the audiobook version. The narrator breathed life into the story. She voiced all the characters well, except for Hoshi’tiwa, whom I believed sounded whiny to me. Still, while I did like the narration better, it could not stop me from disliking the book. It is really sad, for I wanted to love Daughter of the Sun because it takes place in a setting that I didn’t know much about. The only positive thing I can say about this book is that I did like the historical details, and I can tell the author went through exhaustive research when constructing this novel. For those of you that are still interested in Native American culture, there are better books that I think you might enjoy on the subject. A few examples are Island of the Blue Dolphins, Favorite Daughter: Part One, and Feathered Serpent.
(Note: I was given an audiobook version of this book as part of a blog tour.)
Hoshi’tiwa’s life seemed to be happy and peaceful. She was the daughter of a corn grower, and she made rain jars for her people. She plans to marry her childhood friend and to live as a wife and mother. However, her life changes when their ruler makes her an outcast and forces her to live in his city to make rain jars to bring rain. Once she arrives, she learns of an ancient prophecy that foretells doom for her people. Can Hoshi’tiwa save her people and bring about the birth of a new world?
I really could not connect with Hoshi’tiwa. She did not have any faults. She is a Mary Sue character. She is beautiful, intelligent, and has extraordinary talent. She is also the chosen one. There really was no depth to her character. Because she was not very interesting to me, I did not see she was special. For most of the novel, she just makes rain jars. If this novel was not about her, then she could really be an unforgettable character in another story.
Overall, this book is about religion, friendship, and ancient prophecies. This novel is also about a young girl trying to navigate in a brutal world. The story was told from the viewpoint of many flat characters. The story was drawn-out and could easily have been much shorter. The writing itself was very repetitive. Every character always said the same thing over and over so that I started counting how many times they have uttered the same sentence throughout the novel. Therefore, I really struggled to finish the book and would probably have given up on it had I not listened to the audiobook version. The narrator breathed life into the story. She voiced all the characters well, except for Hoshi’tiwa, whom I believed sounded whiny to me. Still, while I did like the narration better, it could not stop me from disliking the book. It is really sad, for I wanted to love Daughter of the Sun because it takes place in a setting that I didn’t know much about. The only positive thing I can say about this book is that I did like the historical details, and I can tell the author went through exhaustive research when constructing this novel. For those of you that are still interested in Native American culture, there are better books that I think you might enjoy on the subject. A few examples are Island of the Blue Dolphins, Favorite Daughter: Part One, and Feathered Serpent.
(Note: I was given an audiobook version of this book as part of a blog tour.)
December 14, 2020
This book seems like it was influenced by Clan of the Cave Bear.
A young girl is taken from her village to make rain jars for the gods because of a drought. The book is set in the Toltec period and the girl is horrified at the human sacrifices but the Lord is smitten with her and allows her to talk directly with him which earns the ire if his enemies who want to sacrifice her.
There is a lot of detail in the book that just seems to drag it down.
It is possible to fire clay pots in a fire for only 45 minutes which is the method that must have been used in the book because one pot was finished being painted, out in the fire, and retrieved, by hand, from the fire while the girl stood there daydreaming while a ceremony was taking place in the square. Since the clay pots are an integral part of the story, I wish the process was explained at least once. There were other aspects of the book that were brought up 2 and 3 times.
A slow moving book where the characters seem to be secondary to the Toltec history
See https://www.thoughtco.com/toltec-art-... for Toltec information
A young girl is taken from her village to make rain jars for the gods because of a drought. The book is set in the Toltec period and the girl is horrified at the human sacrifices but the Lord is smitten with her and allows her to talk directly with him which earns the ire if his enemies who want to sacrifice her.
There is a lot of detail in the book that just seems to drag it down.
It is possible to fire clay pots in a fire for only 45 minutes which is the method that must have been used in the book because one pot was finished being painted, out in the fire, and retrieved, by hand, from the fire while the girl stood there daydreaming while a ceremony was taking place in the square. Since the clay pots are an integral part of the story, I wish the process was explained at least once. There were other aspects of the book that were brought up 2 and 3 times.
A slow moving book where the characters seem to be secondary to the Toltec history
See https://www.thoughtco.com/toltec-art-... for Toltec information
January 12, 2019
This is one of the best books I have ever read. There are very few works of literature that take you through every emotion possible as you laugh, love, and cry with the characters while also engaging you in a rich, entrancing story so you never want to put it down. That’s when you know it’s a good book. I cannot remember the last time I read a novel in just mere days. The story and history was only heightened by the fact that I had just come back from visiting the pyramids at Teotihuacan, which was mentioned in the book. I also took part in a temazcal which greatly resembled the kivas described throughout the story. These experiences allowed me to feel more connected to the history and if I wasn’t already an aspiring author, history buff, and travel lover, I definitely am now. So thank you, Barbara Wood, for creating such a beautiful work that has started my year on an extremely high note as I take this inspiration to delve deeper into the history and mysteries of the world.
January 30, 2019
TW: spousal abuse
At first I was really excited to read a book about the native American culture. My previous historical fiction novels have been set in Britain, Korea, China and Egypt. So yay! Something different!
I really couldn't get past the physical abuse from the king. That's the last thing that I would want to read about. While it may have been part of that culture, the author did not have to go into detail about it.
At first I was really excited to read a book about the native American culture. My previous historical fiction novels have been set in Britain, Korea, China and Egypt. So yay! Something different!
I really couldn't get past the physical abuse from the king. That's the last thing that I would want to read about. While it may have been part of that culture, the author did not have to go into detail about it.
March 23, 2023
I liked the depiction of the cultures and the "what could have happened." Things did get repetitive and had moving targets (I KNOW she has been brought here for rain and will be killed after the solstice, or is the equinox, or is it the next solstice). I'm not sure that I buy such a heavy Toltec presence -- influence, perhaps, but not the extent shown here. I did enjoy the differing goals of the main characters and how they all came into conflict toward the end.
March 16, 2019
Esta novela no está mal, pero no puedo decir que me ha gustado. Me ha resultado larga y creo que le sobran páginas. Me esperaba otra cosa.
Un joven medico tiene a su hija en un barco y su esposa muere en el parto. A partir de ahí el sentimiento de culpa le hace emprender diferentes viajes en busca de una espiritualidad que no encaja en él.
Un joven medico tiene a su hija en un barco y su esposa muere en el parto. A partir de ahí el sentimiento de culpa le hace emprender diferentes viajes en busca de una espiritualidad que no encaja en él.
March 19, 2017
Good story! Lots of twists that I didn't see coming and it enlightened me to an era of history that I knew very little about before. It's a kind of speculative story about a history that archeologists haven't really been able to figure out yet. It uses real places, cave paintings, and artifacts to expound on a fiction that very well might have been real and I love that! The entire landscape of the south western US is dotted with huge monuments and humble cave paintings depicting a culture that we just can't figure out. Who were these people and where did they go? (read the back of the book for more on that) The disappeared from history as surely as a ghost but they left behind a wealth of stuff for us to study.... I love how this book takes all that and weaves it into a captivating story of love, friendship, and faith.
March 26, 2019
Imersive and well researched. It could do without the references to what things are called in the present day, it breaks the the flow when modern terms are pasted over what are supposed to be ancient times. OK, but smells like an endless series.
August 29, 2023
Such a great book!! I love Barbara Wood’s writing and this book was a great example of why. I am just sorry that I’m finished. A fantastic story full of suspense, drama, romance, a bit of mystery and LOTS of history.
March 5, 2024
Un conjunto de relatos que habla de la conexión universal que todos tenemos, donde cuestionas si es coerto o inventado o de ¿y si fuera asi?
Para mi mucho de lo que habia aqui lo senti como si yo misma hubiese estado en el relato. Me encantó
Para mi mucho de lo que habia aqui lo senti como si yo misma hubiese estado en el relato. Me encantó
July 22, 2025
A love, war and power struggle story from 7 different perspectives. Full of excitement, intrigue and shocking but true traditions that the Toltecs held near and dear. Full of loss and tragedy you won't regret picking up this book.
March 6, 2020
Totally thought this was going to be a juicy romance novel I could brain dump with. And it's not, but i decided to finish it anyways.
April 19, 2020
Exelente, una de mis mejores lecturas. Sorprendente de principio a fin. 💫
April 30, 2020
I took the message that we need to be true to ourselves and what we believe over what we want, even if that's love. I very much needed that message when I read the book.
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November 17, 2021Loved this story!!
October 28, 2024
It started out a bit slow, but then grew into a captivating story that I couldn't put down before flat lining back into a bitter and disappointing ending.
December 9, 2011
Tendo sido a primeira vez que li algo de Barbara Wood, e sem qualquer influência por parte de slogans ou opiniões literárias, devo concluir que este livro me satisfez genuinamente.
Com a originalidade temática, centrada num tempo um pouco mais recente do que os Maias, com a especificidade de práticas religiosas, de costumes, de alimentação, A Filha do Sol está recheada de cultura e de pormenores diferentes e que nos transportam para um mundo e uma civilização totalmente diferente do Agora.
Com uma ligação e um à vontade com a natureza, todas as personagens são fascinantes, mesmo quando têm personalidades, objectivos e crenças tão distintas.
Hoshi'tiwa tem direito, sem qualquer dúvida, à sua posição principal no livro, tanto pelo que representa, como pelos seus actos. Uma rapariga tão pura e ingénua, mas por outro lado tão corajosa e ciente do bom e do mau. ela vai seguir o seu coração durante todo o trajecto, mesmo sofrendo perdas e fazendo opções dolorosas.
Originária de um clã, com o totem da tartaruga, Hoshi'tiwa vai ser levada para uma civilização diferente. Gostei da forma como a personagem é levada e as circunstâncias que ficam na sua ausência, que mostra o quanto o Homem é cruel e como consegue não ter qualquer consciência ou valores.
De qualquer maneira, a personagem principal vai seguir o seu destino, lutar pelos dois amores, sobreviver, viver aventuras, arriscar a vida e com todos os feitos, com todas as esperanças que recaem sobre ela, vai também ser cobiçada, invejada e odiada tanto pelos seus pares como pelos seus superiores.
Esta disparidade de sentimentos, tão crus aqui demonstrados, torna todo o livro apelativo aos sentimentos, envolvendo-nos e levando-nos para este local que é real e que assistiu a tanto.
O final, apesar de não ser o que se espera, é surpreendente. Cheio de revelações e emoções, deixa saudades e desejo de uma continuação que não me parece que venha a existir.
Vou continuar a ler obras desta escritora, que tão bem me deu algo em que pensar e com que aprender.
Com a originalidade temática, centrada num tempo um pouco mais recente do que os Maias, com a especificidade de práticas religiosas, de costumes, de alimentação, A Filha do Sol está recheada de cultura e de pormenores diferentes e que nos transportam para um mundo e uma civilização totalmente diferente do Agora.
Com uma ligação e um à vontade com a natureza, todas as personagens são fascinantes, mesmo quando têm personalidades, objectivos e crenças tão distintas.
Hoshi'tiwa tem direito, sem qualquer dúvida, à sua posição principal no livro, tanto pelo que representa, como pelos seus actos. Uma rapariga tão pura e ingénua, mas por outro lado tão corajosa e ciente do bom e do mau. ela vai seguir o seu coração durante todo o trajecto, mesmo sofrendo perdas e fazendo opções dolorosas.
Originária de um clã, com o totem da tartaruga, Hoshi'tiwa vai ser levada para uma civilização diferente. Gostei da forma como a personagem é levada e as circunstâncias que ficam na sua ausência, que mostra o quanto o Homem é cruel e como consegue não ter qualquer consciência ou valores.
De qualquer maneira, a personagem principal vai seguir o seu destino, lutar pelos dois amores, sobreviver, viver aventuras, arriscar a vida e com todos os feitos, com todas as esperanças que recaem sobre ela, vai também ser cobiçada, invejada e odiada tanto pelos seus pares como pelos seus superiores.
Esta disparidade de sentimentos, tão crus aqui demonstrados, torna todo o livro apelativo aos sentimentos, envolvendo-nos e levando-nos para este local que é real e que assistiu a tanto.
O final, apesar de não ser o que se espera, é surpreendente. Cheio de revelações e emoções, deixa saudades e desejo de uma continuação que não me parece que venha a existir.
Vou continuar a ler obras desta escritora, que tão bem me deu algo em que pensar e com que aprender.
July 13, 2011
Este livro é outro grande romance histórico de Barbara Woods. Esta autora escreve regularmente sobre temas relacionados com a antropologia da vida tribal da espécie humana, construindo histórias interessantes a partir de factos científicos que vão sendo descobertos sobre esse imenso período da evolução humana. Neste livro, a autora constrói uma narrativa em torno da cultura Anasázi, que floresceu na região sudoeste dos Estados Unidos, que abrange os 4 estados que actualmente constituem a região dos Four Corners, desde 1200 A.C. No livro, a autoria designa esta cultura como "Povo do Sol", que foi invadido pelos mais aguerridos Toltecas que se expandiram para Norte a partir do México Central entre os séculos X e XII. A narrativa de Barbara Woods dramatiza a vida de uma mulher do Povo do Sol que estava profetizada como aquela que iria reunificar o Povo do Sol após a devastação causada pela invasão Tolteca e consequente desagregação e aculturação. A história está recheada de factos muitos interessantes sobre ambas as culturas, nomeadamente os respectivos mitos e deuses, bem como a importância atribuída pela cultura Tolteca à observação Astronómica e à contagem do tempo por meio de calendários. A autora consegue contruir uma história absorvente que relata as relações humanas entre os invasores Toltecas e os escravos Anasázi, bem como ilustrar de uma forma muito vivida as condições em que estes povos viviam naquela região do globo. É igualmente interessante apreciar os relatos do panteão de deuses Toltecas, a quem se ofereciam sacríficios humanos, dando-se um relevo particular ao deus Quetzalcóatl, uma divindade das culturas de Mesoamérica, em especial da cultura Asteca, também venerada pelos Toltecas e Maias, cujo culto era mais humanizado e prescindia dos habituais sacrifícios de sangue. Globalmente, trata-se de mais um grande livro desta autora, vivamente aconselhado a todos aqueles que gostam de um bom romance histórico.
February 13, 2017
Interesting setting for this story, but the plot is too far-fetched, too many amazing coincidences in terms of timing of events in the plot. I enjoy historical fiction, but this is ridiculous.
January 25, 2010
The setting... an infamous city in the Toltec court. A young girl is torn from her home and brought to the city because her father had bragged about her gift in making vessels that attract rain. The court is in a state of terrible drought and she must turn the tides or she and her village will be put to death. This is an interesting story of love... betrayal.... murder... fear.
The story immediately captured my interest because it began with a runner coming to warn a village that Jaguar troops of the Dark Lord are coming. When I was in Peru I had learned about these runners who were extra-ordinary. While hiking I met a modern day runner. I could not believe how this child was able to run miles.... in sandals and beat a motor vehicle to it's destination throught his knowledge of the land and physical ability. Anyhow... The story opens with this scene and I was immediately captivated. Aside from the personal connection I love how the book opens right into the story- no wait!
The story immediately captured my interest because it began with a runner coming to warn a village that Jaguar troops of the Dark Lord are coming. When I was in Peru I had learned about these runners who were extra-ordinary. While hiking I met a modern day runner. I could not believe how this child was able to run miles.... in sandals and beat a motor vehicle to it's destination throught his knowledge of the land and physical ability. Anyhow... The story opens with this scene and I was immediately captivated. Aside from the personal connection I love how the book opens right into the story- no wait!
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