Blood to Rubies

by Deborah Hufford

"Rhapsodic and sensuous." "Savage and tender." Blood to Rubies is the scorching saga of injustice, love, and redemption in the western wilderness. A young frontier photographer goes West to escape the Civil War draft and settles in the Bitterroot Mountains, ancestral home of the Nez Perce Indians. There he becomes obsessed with a young Irish pioneer woman he spies swimming nude in a mountain lake. He comes to admire the Nez Perce and photographs the young leader, Chief Joseph, and a Nez Perce woman warrior (based on a real historical person). Their stories tangle in a ruthless convergence of fates. As he chronicles Chief Joseph's desperate struggle to save his people and their harrowing 1,500-mile exodus to the Canadian border-the medicine line-to join Sitting Bull in freedom, he feels complicit in their demise. Blood to Rubies has already garnered early praise from New York Times bestselling authors, including the great American author, William Kent Krueger, who wrote, Blood to Rubies is nothing short of phenomenal...poetic and sensual and utterly riveting. Mark my words. Blood to Rubies is destined to become a classic." Others have endorsed the novel, calling Blood to Rubies "brilliant," "heartbreakingly beautiful," and "unforgettable."

Genres: Historical Fiction, Book Club, Fiction, Westerns, Native American, Historical, 19th Century

416 pages, Hardcover

First published September 19, 2023

Reviews

[Jeanne Lucier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good descriptions of the West, but midway through became too descriptive and not enough story line.
I’m looking for characters and narrative that keep me engaged….seemed to wander and lose the story….and the reader.

[Joni · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had really good "bones." The characters were interesting, different and well-drawn. The story gave some good history of how the western United States were settled, and how the Native Americans, especially the Nez Perce, were driven out of their homeland. However, the writing was absolutely torturous. Instead of trotting around, horses gamboled. Cabbages wore frilly petticoats. A horse's tail rippled in silken glissando. It was all too much and too flowery for my taste. I personally think this author has a bright future if she just dials back the big words and overwrought descriptions.

[Vanessa Elliott · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok not just the descriptions of violence but also somehow like every metaphor was disgusting, graphic, puke-in-my-mouth a little. i cannot recommend this to anyone like me who enjoys reading while you eat.

[Richard Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was brought to my attention by William Kent Krueger, an author that I admire, in a social media post. I decided to try it after seeing the description. I am glad that I did. It is a wonderful historical fiction book covering the late 19th century in a western town near where the Nez Perce tribe lived.

The characters were all interesting, inspiring people. Frederick, a young photographer moves to the area and becomes the go to photographer for people in the area, both native american and white. He forms friendships with almost everyone he meets. He has doubts at times about what he is photographing, but knows that he is documenting the history of the area.

The reader also meets the famous Nez Perce leader Joseph and a fierce female warrior Flying Horse and her independent minded white friend Sorrel, who eventually finds love with Ransom, a former gambler. They begin a family and enjoy several years together.

The realities of frontier life are laid out for the native americans who are pushed off their land and forced to fight. The white farmers also have some heartbreaking tragedies as well as great joy. I enjoyed learning some history as I followed the stories of people that I bonded with through some top-notch prose. This ranks right up with the best fiction of the year for 2023.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good writing and use of English language. I felt the descriptive voyeurism and lustful tendencies of the photographer was entirely distracting and unnecessary. Maybe just put there for the masses that think every book needs smut, or possibly to increase sales? Idk. The story was mostly good. A bit cumbersome on the battles, but I understand why. Overall, a large subject and story that needs telling.

[CindySR · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

This would make a good mini-series!

I admired the author's accounts of the Nez Perce tragedy, how much they fought, and when Chief Joseph declared he would "fight no more, forever" they stoically endured the lies the whites told them about returning to their ancestral land. Expect a lot of horrific battle scenes, as well as other deplorable accounts of the time that, although fictitious, most likely were more true than not.
There are some romances, but I didn't warm up to the main male paramour until the very end.

Throughout are photographs from the time and other works of art listed in the credits.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a long struggle and dwindling food supplies, the Nez Perce were being forced to leave their home and resettle in Idaho. Their Chief, however, hoped to reach Canada. Over three months they had travelled over a thousand miles pursued all the way by veteran soldiers of the civil war, yet managing to outmaneuver them time and again. On October 5, 1877 Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce surrendered to generals Miles and Howard. They were only forty miles from the Canadian border. The tactics used by them are still taught at West Point to this day. Don’t be fooled by the cover. There are some love stories in the book, but it is a tale of struggle and survival, and above all the good and the bad in all of us.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much to admire about Blood to Rubies. First and most impressive is the writing. Each word was chosen to perfection. The descriptive narrative creates a visual of both the beauty and ruggedness of western life.

Each chapter is a short historical vignette intertwined with the characters’ storylines and enhanced by photos. This combination of history and story, facts and fiction creates both an interesting and entertaining read. The conflict of White immigration unto Native American lands is depicted with an honesty and empathy to both sides.


I finished Blood to Rubies as I do with all wonderful books. I hurriedly devoured every page while not wanting it to ever end.

[April · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just cannot at this time with the book. It is dragging and all over the place. Maybe I will come back to it another time. This is my first DNF since I started my reading journey a few years ago with a little book called ACOTAR.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Blood to Rubies” is an amazing debut novel by Deborah Hufford. Historical fiction is my favorite genre because it nourishes the brain while entertaining at the same time. Hufford accomplishes both by weaving well-formed characters with rich and well-researched historical accounts of the banishment of the Nez Perce people from their native lands. I especially enjoyed the strong female characters that fought against the norms of the age.
Hufford also provides extras that many historical fiction books don’t include. Each chapter begins with interesting archival photographs that enhance the narrative. Her web site, deborahhufford.com, includes detailed discussion questions, links for further reading, and ideas for enhancing the book club experience. I’m looking forward to discussions with my book club and reading future novels by Deborah Hufford!

[Laura Flavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood to Rubies by Deborah Hufford is a sweeping and emotionally powerful historical novel that blends frontier adventure, romance, cultural conflict, and the tragic history of the Nez Perce people into a deeply moving and unforgettable reading experience.

One of the novel's greatest strengths is its rich historical backdrop. Set against the American West during a period of immense change and conflict, the story captures both the beauty of the frontier landscape and the devastating consequences of expansion on Native communities. Hufford brings the era vividly to life through detailed descriptions and immersive storytelling.

The protagonist's journey provides a compelling lens through which readers experience these events. Arriving in the West to escape the Civil War draft, he gradually finds himself drawn into the lives, struggles, and destinies of the people around him. His evolution from observer to participant adds emotional depth and complexity to the narrative.

The novel's portrayal of the Nez Perce people is particularly compelling. Through characters inspired by historical figures, including Chief Joseph and a courageous Nez Perce woman warrior, the story highlights resilience, dignity, and the heartbreaking realities faced by Indigenous communities during one of the most significant chapters in American history.

Another standout element is the emotional intensity woven throughout the novel. Themes of love, loss, loyalty, injustice, and redemption are explored with remarkable sensitivity, creating a story that feels both intimate and epic in scope. The relationships between the characters add depth while reinforcing the novel's larger historical themes.

Hufford also excels at capturing the moral complexities of the era. The protagonist's growing awareness of the suffering around him and his sense of responsibility create meaningful internal conflict that enriches the narrative and encourages reflection on difficult historical realities.

For readers who enjoy historical fiction, Western epics, Native American history, powerful character-driven narratives, and stories that balance romance with historical significance, Blood to Rubies delivers a memorable and emotionally resonant experience.

[Laura Flavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood to Rubies is an extraordinary work of historical fiction that combines lyrical storytelling with meticulous historical detail to create a deeply moving portrait of love, injustice, and survival during one of America's most tragic periods. Deborah Hufford delivers a novel that is both emotionally intimate and historically expansive, drawing readers into a world where personal choices unfold alongside events that forever changed countless lives.

One of the novel's greatest strengths is its richly layered cast of characters. The frontier photographer's journey from reluctant observer to deeply conflicted witness provides a compelling emotional anchor, while the intertwined lives of the Irish pioneer woman, Chief Joseph, and the Nez Perce warrior create a narrative that feels both epic and deeply personal. Each perspective adds emotional depth, making the historical events resonate with remarkable humanity.

Hufford's prose is vivid, elegant, and immersive. The landscapes of the American West come alive through beautifully crafted descriptions, while the emotional weight of the story never overshadows its historical authenticity. The novel thoughtfully portrays the courage, resilience, and dignity of the Nez Perce people, particularly during Chief Joseph's heartbreaking struggle to protect his community and preserve their freedom.

Beyond its compelling narrative, Blood to Rubies explores themes of conscience, identity, sacrifice, and redemption with remarkable sensitivity. It encourages readers to reflect on the lasting consequences of injustice while celebrating the endurance of hope, compassion, and human connection even in the darkest moments.

Blood to Rubies is a beautifully written, emotionally unforgettable novel that will resonate with readers long after the final page. It is a remarkable achievement in historical fiction and a book that deserves to be widely read and discussed.

[Elizabeth Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A love letter to the American West. Some scenes had a timeless, instant-classic quality that reminded me of Lonesome Dove.

That being said, this ultimately wasn't to my taste. It's certainly got an epic quality, but because there are so many characters with an omniscient point of view, we don't get to know any character deeply. Some of those characters are interesting, but I never truly cared about any of them. The two main male characters are frankly gross. The novel begins with them as Peeping Toms. One takes photographs of their naked, bathing victim. The other has a sexual relationship with two women simultaneously and only stops when he gets the Peeping Tom victim pregnant. She is at least bisexual and perhaps wishes to be lesbian alone, having been raped by a man as a child. Neither Peeping Tom faces any consequences or judgment for any of their lustful sins. I care nothing about religious morality here but about the objectification and suffering of female characters. These two men are supposedly protagonists, not villains, though the villains also commit sexual sins. It all felt very male and classically (in a bad way) Western but was surprising (in a bad way) from a female, 21st-century author.

The Nez Perce parts of the story felt slighted as well due to the epic scope and large cast; the Nez Perce were only one strand. This felt more like a collection of related short stories than a novel. Certainly worth reading but didn't live up to my expectations.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood to Rubes is one of the most masterful books I have ever read. It is a poetic yet realistic, and factual rendering of the near genocide of the Indian populations in the United States. It is written from the point of view of Frederick a photographer who came west to record the traumatic transformation taking place there in the late 1800s. The belief on the part of the government that it was manifest destiny to take the land from the people who had called it their home for 10,000 years. There is nothing sanguine, or sentimental in the telling. The character Sorrel represents all that was wild and free before nature was corrupted by settlers. The town folk in Spotted Horse where Frederick settles down are all true to the time. The 1500-mile trek of 900 Nez Perce with their 2,000 head of fine Appaloosa horses led by Chief Joseph the centerpiece of the story is nothing less than heartbreaking. Intense research lends authenticity to the telling. Beautiful images and swellings of emotion are poetically rendered in tight well-worked language. I can't say enough about the fantastic writing in Hufford’s debut novel. I tried to capture the tragedy of this charged time in my novel Embrace of the Wild when telling the story of the Sand Creek Massacre that took place in Colorado. This author soundly surpasses my puny effort. The stain of Chief Joseph’s story on American history remains a sad reality.

[Evan Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I'VE EVER READ
The many NYT bestselling authors who endorsed Blood to Rubies are spot on, including William Kent Krueger who wrote the amazing cover blurb and is one of my all-time favorite authors. It's one of the most powerful books I've read: deeply moving and beautifully told, raw, sensual, sometimes brutal. It reveals the inside story of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce people as they struggle to remain free, as well as the equally harrowing stories of pioneers and immigrants who went West. We've all learned about what happened to Native Americans, but this book is so authentic, you feel a part of them, experiencing their way of life and their struggles. I loved the young frontier photographer Frederick Courtland and immediately fell into his adventures, first on the Oregon Trail and then in the Bitterroot Mountains where he settles and meets the Nez Perce tribe. I learned amazing (and shocking) facts about frontier life, Native American culture and 19th century NYC and San Francisco. The book is deeply researched but so artfully told, you’re immersed in the story. There are archival photographs throughout the book that make the story even more poignant. I’ve not seen this in HF before. I would give this book ten stars if I could. Highly recommend.

[Kathy Hagen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm pretty sure I put this book on hold at the library, because William Kent Krueger loved it. The way it's written is not your usual historical fiction book though there is a lot of history in it. It's the story of a young photographer who goes west to avoid the Civil War draft. He settles in the ancestral home of the Nez Perce Indians aka Nimiipuu. Each chapter showcases a photograph that (sometimes) foreshadows what will happen next (all photographs are credited at the end of the book). As the west is settled, we learn how the government wanted to rid the land of Indians so whites could live in peace. Each chapter follows a different character and over time we learn how their stories intermingle. At the heart of the book, is the story of Chief Joseph and his struggle to save his people as they travel 1500 miles toward Canada and safety with Sitting Bull. While the Nez Perce were a historically peaceful tribe, this flight brought out the warriors in their soul as they fought for their way of life. I highly recommend this book if you want to learn more about the plight of these Native Americans.
ETA: I was so involved with the story that I constantly looked at a map to see where all the action was taking place.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not finish this book.

Rhapsodic and sensuous." "Savage and tender." Blood to Rubies is the scorching saga of injustice, love, and redemption in the western wilderness. A young frontier photographer goes West to escape the Civil War draft and settles in the Bitterroot Mountains, ancestral home of the Nez Perce Indians. There he becomes obsessed with a young Irish pioneer woman he spies swimming nude in a mountain lake. He comes to admire the Nez Perce and photographs the young leader, Chief Joseph, and a Nez Perce woman warrior (based on a real historical person). Their stories tangle in a ruthless convergence of fates. As he chronicles Chief Joseph's desperate struggle to save his people and their harrowing 1,500-mile exodus to the Canadian border-the medicine line-to join Sitting Bull in freedom, he feels complicit in their demise. Blood to Rubies has already garnered early praise from New York Times bestselling authors, including the great American author, William Kent Krueger, who wrote, Blood to Rubies is nothing short of phenomenal...poetic and sensual and utterly riveting. Mark my words. Blood to Rubies is destined to become a classic." Others have endorsed the novel, calling Blood to Rubies "brilliant," "heartbreakingly beautiful," and "unforgettable."

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

We had about 5 story lines running through this book. We had the Gambler Ransom and his two loves... which does he choose? He is pretty much a two timer. We had the photographer, Frederick, that seemed to have a fetish for some of his subjects... he was a little creepy I have to admit. I wasn't really sure where she was going to go with him. It turned out okay but I didn't really like him. Actually, for a character that was drawn through out the entire book, he was an enigma.
I would have loved to have more engagement with the Nez Pence Indians. That was also a huge part of the story however, outside of knowing that it was a true part of the story and Chief Joseph was a real person, we didn't have much engagement with him. The whole two spirit thing was weird as well. I didn't have a problem with it but it was dealt with so superficially and then resolved so easily it felt gratuitous.
The women characters living on their own in the wilds of Idaho seemed to easily take care of themselves. I mean... that had to be super hard. Just as Swallow seemed to be just too darned accomplished.
I just don't think it was really focused.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been looking for a good historical fiction story about the Nez Perce and Chief Joseph's heartbreaking attempt to lead them to safety with the U.S. Cavalry in pursuit. I so wanted Blood to Rubies to be that book. I thought Hufford did a good job of breathing life into the Nez Perce story and if she had stopped at that, it would have been a much better book. She even included a "two spirit" native woman, which I liked a lot. However, the rest of the book--the stories of the farmers, miners and entrepreneurs who settled in Nez Perce territory in the the 1800s--was a major disappointment. Hufford goes off in too many different directions--three love triangles, trafficking in Chinese women, side trips to San Francisco, etc.

One of my disappointments was the fizzling out of the frontier photographer's story. It starts out promising, but then instead of an active protagonist, he becomes an observer of life around him. Also, I was not a fan of Hufford's overly ornamented writing style.

[Robert Schneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bold and ambitious debut. The perfect history lesson for our present moment, and simultaneously timeless.

Nothing less than gripping fiction, layered on meticulous historical research.

A much needed reminder of the conflict of our nations' deep-seated lust for growth running headlong into those already here -- in this case, the Nez Perce Indian tribe. Both an empathetic tale, integrating fictionalized and "real" players on the stage of America's ruthless westward expansion.

Hufford weaves memorable (at times heart-wrenching) characters and sweeping storylines like a fine, hand-cast fishing seine. She casts the tale wide, allows everything to settle to just the right depth, then expertly - muscularly! - draws all the threads together, bringing in the harvest in the gripping conclusion.

[Julia Gimbel · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of historical fiction, please do not hesitate to pick up and read this book immediately. I was fortunate to hear snippets of this book while Ms. Hufford was writing it, and each time I heard a tiny piece of the story I was dying to hear more. She did an absolutely amazing job with her research which allowed her to truly bring each character to life. The reader feels connected to the experience of both the settlers searching to build and improve their lives and the Nez Perce and other tribes who simply want to continue their way of life. A heartbreaking and moving story, but also one that includes characters that will crack you up. Ms Hufford is exceptionally talented at painting vivid pictures of people, places, and things. I have been thinking about this book for a month - I can't get it out of my head. Pick up your copy today!!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This historical fiction tale is of a photographer who goes out west to Spotted Horse and finds himself entranced by a naked woman swimming in a lake, and another man watching the same woman. He becomes part of the town among the Nez Perce Tribe nearby. The book is like a compendium of stories of several of the townsfolk, where they come from, and some very intimate acquaintances. The writing touches the heart of beauty, like poetry, yearning, fighting and emotion, like few books I’ve read. The nomadic existence of the Tribe struggles as the white man pushes them out. Some of the most beautiful land near the Wallowa Mountains is their home, while the Calvary threatens to annihilate them. Frederick is caught in a dilemma to photograph some of the most profound historical instances of the West. I really enjoyed reading this very sensuous and righteous book.

[Brady Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’re just over a week in to the new year but I must recommend a book I’m guessing will probably be one of my favorites for the year. I approached “Blood to Rubies” somewhat reluctantly. It’s unique in the use of photography at the beginning of each chapter (some real historical photographs, some totally doctored) and the heavy mix of historical fiction and flat out historical description. The book takes you on a wandering path between novel and textbook, romance, adventure, and frontier warfare, but it’s woven so nicely I couldn’t put it down - both wondering what plot twists lay ahead and what I may learn next.

This book won’t be a bestseller, and that’s unfortunate, because I think just about anyone who picks it up will truly enjoy it.

[Rebekah Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book with the way two of the characters are immediately introduced, but I finished this tome, and it awoke me to the reality of the Native American Wars after the Civil War fought by the Union as well as the Oriental slave trade.

There is no happy ending for what the US government did to Chief Joseph, Sitting Bull, Geronimo, and Red Cloud and all their people: refugees inside their own land.

There was a bit of reprieve for Sorrel, her fictional story woven throughout the history, in bringing justice to Blades. But even that was short-lived.

The vanishing race of Native Americans and the horrors to which many Asians endured is truly another stain on the history of the white government in America right alongside the African slave trade.

[Nora Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I thought I found interesting the chapters began with a photograph. It didn't take long until I I became disturbed at the narrative of what happened to the Nez Pierce Indians. The promises not kept by the government and the attitudes of the white man. No respect or consideration for the Indians rights' to land they had protected and held sacred for generations. It definitely made an impact on me to read in detail the atrocities. The destruction and commercialization of the beautiful mountains and the bison. Makes it all the more imperative we preserve what is still there in nature and take care of each other. We must never forget "man's inhumanity to man" in the way our country was built.

[Michael Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deborah Hufford’s “Blood to Rubies” is a beautifully rendered, sensual adventure of the struggle of Westerners moving to tame the Oregon Territory. This immersive story is richly evocative of a post-Civil War time frequently misrepresented in American Western movies, including the lives of indigenous peoples. Painted on a sweeping canvas of unspoiled plains, forests, and mountains, we are immersed in the grisly and grotesque, the lilting and lascivious, and the honest and raw.
Michael Miller, Ph.D., author of High Bridge, story of Matilda Joslyn Gage, suffragist inducted into the Wolf clan of the Mohawk

[Leslie K Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A monumental achievement in both writing and research, (and dare I say format?) this haunting portal into the American frontier is as raw and gritty as the fascinating and very human characters inhabiting the 19th C town of Spotted Horse.

Rich in evocative imagery and poignant portrayals of settlers hopes and what could have been, layered over the fate of the Nez Pierce tribes, Hufford entices us onto a crossroads traveled by tarnished heroes, vast beauty, deep sorrows, and love that mirrors what those who proceeded us might have lived.

HIghly Recommended - A must read for readers of Western/Frontier Historical Fiction.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted more

The author wrote a believable story about resilience and acceptance of diversity. But, the story was written through 21eyes. What was omitted was the education availability for these pioneer families, indigenous, former slaves and Civil War veterans. Women were property, and men found towns built on mining, ranching, and bartering. The only character who took on life was the photographer. The book started & ended with Fredrick, but his photos did not tell the story.
I would recommend this as an American Historical story with strong female characters to a wide audience.
I am looking forward to the next work by this author.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still have 30% to go in this book, and plan to finish it. But I do want to share some feedback. First, I highly recommend you read this book on Kindle or other reader. It is full of flowery language, and even though I have a fairly broad vocabulary, I find myself looking up a word on almost every page. I realize the style is probably meant to emulate the writing of the time, but it’s way overdone! Secondly, it reads at times like a romance novel (“she found herself melding into the energy of his passion, devouring it, then giving it back again.” “… unbuttoned his pants … and stood at his full manhood …”). But the disconnect is that it is also full of history, while it jumps so much from character/event/location that I am unable to immerse myself in any one plot or character. I have a hard time with it, and I’m never sure whether I’m reading Historical fiction or a full-fledged romance novel🤷🏻‍♀️

Finished: The last chapters were the best. I was able to become immersed in the historical telling of the last great battle of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce. This is was originally drew me to the book.

[Elinor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m somewhat prejudiced because this is my favourite subject in historical fiction, the settling of the West. It was such an amazing time period with its sweeping changes to human civilization that came at a bitter cost to the original inhabitants. The story of how one tribe, the Nez Perce, did everything to adapt to this new world and their ultimate defeat is heartbreaking. The characters, both white and indigenous, were interesting and engaging. I stumbled across this novel by accident and was happy to find the author’s blog filled with interesting information about pioneer life. I’m surprised this novel hasn’t received more attention.