All I See is Violence

by Angie Elita Newell

A woman warrior, a ruthless general, and a single mother—three stories deftly braided into the legacy of a stolen nation

The US government stole the Black Hills from the Sioux, as it stole land from every tribe across North America. Forcibly relocated, American Indians were enslaved under strict land and resource regulations. Indigenous writer Angie Elita Newell brings a poignant retelling of the catastrophic, true story of the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn and the social upheaval that occurred on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1972 during the height of the American Indian Movement.

Cheyenne warrior Little Wolf fights to maintain her people’s land and heritage as General Custer leads a devastating campaign against American Indians, killing anyone who refuses to relocate to the Red Cloud Agency in South Dakota. A century later, on that same reservation, Little Wolf’s relation Nancy Swiftfox raises four boys with the help of her father-in-law, while facing the economic and social ramifications of this violent legacy.

All I See Is Violence weaves love, loss, and hard truths into a story that needs to be told—a journey through violence to bear witness to all that was taken, to honor what all of our ancestors lived through, and to heal by acknowledging the shadows in order to find the light.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Indigenous, Horror, Fiction, Native American, Historical, Contemporary

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 16, 2024

Reviews

[Emma Ann]

Soft DNF at pg. 46. I really, really wanted to fall in love with this one. The blurb on the back describes it as “a story of … colonialism, the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn, and the reverberating effects on modern Indigenous peoples,” written by an author who “blends a tradition of oral stories with academic history.”

I still think that sounds awesome and I don’t want to discourage anyone from reading this book! The writing style just isn’t jiving with me right now. Three alternating POVs are all written in essentially the same tightly focused 1st person present tense narration, and I can’t really differentiate them—and the narrator of a given chapter isn’t marked. I’m sure the author has a reason for making that choice, but I’m finding frustrating. The three narrators—Little Wolf, Nancy Swiftfox, and General Custer—all sound very similar, despite being different people in different social contexts.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC! Again, I’m sure this book will resonate with a lot of people, and I really hope it does. It’s just not quite working for me right now.

[mickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided with an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was very interested to read this book, particularly because of my own unique background dealing with the effects of colonization and stolen land, but the situation in Hawaii and Puerto Rico are so different from what happened to the Indigenous Americans. The violence shown to Indigenous Americans, and particularly women, has been a constant throughout these decades.

The narrative structure was interesting, switching between the three point of views at random. My favorite point of view was that of Little Wolf. Her view of the world captured my attention, and I wanted to read more. The prose utilized by the author to describe Little Wolf’s connection to nature and her culture was enchanting. I not only felt like I was learning, but like I was experiencing it through her. The first person point of view helped with that.

However, the only thing I really didn’t enjoy about this book was Custer’s point of view. If I’m being honest, I didn’t understand the purpose of including him. He didn’t really fit the theme since he, unlike Nancy and Little Wolf, was a white man. It didn’t make a lot of sense to me, considering the white man’s point of view is pretty much all we have gotten through history, something the author points out within the book. Perhaps I’m missing something about his purpose, but I hope in the final product it will be more clear. Personally, I dragged my feet during his chapters, I just didn’t find them very engaging. I honestly believe that if his point of view was taken out completely and instead filled with more chapters from Nancy, the book would have a tighter and more cohesive theme. Speaking of Nancy, I really wish we had seen more of her story and her relationship with all of her sons.

The ending of the novel was what really solidified this book as 4 stars for me. It perfectly tied the stories together with the theme of violence that permeates the novel. I know the last line will sit with me for some time, it was so striking.

Overall this was a captivating read, the last star is because of Custer’s point of view, which made my enjoyment of the novel go down significantly because it brought me out of the world.

[Ai Jiang]

ALL I SEE IS VIOLENCE is a tale of historical and present dark realities, its consequences, injustice, generational trauma and how the past manifests in the present, responsibility versus duty, want versus need, choice versus choicelessness, where the characters are being robbed of their homes, forcibly taken, displaced. In the novel, land becomes no longer a means of home but as a mine for plunder and a battlefield for war.

Newell explores who we are, what we are taught growing up, the things that become our truths even though they may be far from the same for others, where one’s victory is another’s loss; it doesn’t have to be that way, yet, it is, and it has always been.

At its core, the book explores ownership, migration, living with the land, living as part of the land, living on the land, and what it means to be removed and uprooted from it.

A big thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of the book!

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A novel that examines the Sioux life in The Black Hills from three different viewpoints.

Pretty depressing.

[Fernanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

In "All I See is Violence" we learn through the eyes of Little Wolf, a warrior; Nancy Swiftfox, a mother; and General Custer, an american puppet; how the Sioux land is taken by force, how it is violated, and how it loses its essence, since the people who nurtured and loved that land are obliged to live sequestered in what was once their home.

I have mixed feelings about this book. It is difficult to describe the emotional rollercoaster this book produces in you when you read it.
It has some plot twists, I didn't see coming near the end of the book, that made me stop reading because it hurt me, it really hurt me.
This is not a book for everybody, but I think is one we all should read at least once in our lives. It's one of those books that gives you an open handed slap in the face, one of those that cleans the fog in your head and makes you wake up. Wake up to the world, wake up to what happened, and keeps happening all around the world.

SPOILER + TRIGGER TAGS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE READING:
This book contains colonisation, confinement, graphical violence, gun violence, racism, rape, animal death, homicide, suicide.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

All I See is Violence is a historical fiction novel that really packs a punch. It centers three characters and their POVs, such as General Custer, Little Wolf, and Nancy Swiftfox. General Custer and Little Wolf's POVs take place around the time of the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn, and Nancy Swiftfox takes place in 1972 during a time when there's a social upheaval on the Pine Ridge Reservation. And despite the time difference, their stories are tied together, with Nancy being a relation to Little Wolf.

I loved that we got three different POVs because it allowed the story to remain rejuvenated, and with different interesting POVs I found myself excited to get to the next one, while being excited to read the current one. Nancy Swiftfox's story was most interesting to me and more of the stand out because of her story taking place years later. You want to see how her and her people got to that point, and that is then discovered through the POVs of Custer and, primarily, Little Wolf. General Custer's POV was the most lackluster to me, and I think that speaks to the author's skill, because of who we know him to be in actual history and she captured his personality. He's extremely unlikable, but what else can you expect from someone who has committed mass murder, war crimes, cheated on his wife, and sexually and physically harmed Indigenous women? He's atrocious, and that was detailed well.

Little Wolf seemed like a hinge to differing positions on what happened to Indigenous people. She knows what is happening to her people is wrong, and she's prepared to do what she can to protect them, but she isn't completely emotionless in witnessing death. It weighs heavy on her mind, and I think non-Indigenous people will be able to read this and understand the humanity and "non-savagery" of our people, and what they had to do for our future generations. That their actions were rooted in the harm caused by settlers moving onto their land and breaking treaties and having those notions of Indigenous people being nothing more than "savages" without advancements or meaningful contribution to society. Although this is historical fiction, there is the reality of history and the now rooted in every page. Overall, I found Little Wolf to be the most likable.

Nancy Swiftfox, as I mentioned before, was my favorite to read from. We see her life as a mother, and dating while Indigenous. In a community beyond the reservation and how she navigates life, as just her existence is considered a "problem." All the while, she's a professor just trying to support her children while her husband is in prison. Her and her children's existence is a representation of their ancestors' survival, but their struggles show the harm that was caused by people like Custer and their "legacy." It is truly multiple stories all woven together.

My only criticism for this book, and with it being an ARC that I'm reviewing, is a minor one, but I think it could use another round of edits. The storytelling, the character building, and the history aspect are all top notch. But it was hard to get through when there were a lot of "I smiled" moments with every single POV, multiple times per chapter. It was just repetitive and I think better changes could be made. Something more dynamic, and lines that showcased that emotion better. Other than that, I thought this was a beautiful, yet heart-wrenching novel and I am finding myself eager for another to follow along with Nancy's children.

Rep: SC with PTSD, Amputee SC, WLW Sapphic SCs, Poly SCs.

[⚫㊐✨Heather Mc Erlean❦㈦㊏ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angie Elita Newell is a new author. "All I See is Violence" is a heartbreaking and soul-wrenching novel about the way the U.S.A. government stole Native American land. I was lucky enough to win this on Goodreads. I am grateful for this opportunity.

What I love most about this book is how it portrays historical accounting and how it ends up in the future part of this tri-POV narrative. I don't care for Custer's POV in this book. I know he serves a purpose for the storyline, but I feel this addition is unnecessary. The ending was so tragic in a couple of different ways. I do not wish to give away anything, but the book has a tear-jerking ending in two ways.

Overall, this is a visceral read. The U.S.A. army has all the perquisites of colonizers. For hundreds of years, their admitted defalcations of the government have yet to give proper remuneration for their colonization. "All I See is Violence" should be read by everyone. I have been remiss in reading books of this nature. I find them difficult to read. This book is a stark reminder of how little things have changed. Given what the government has done to the indigenous people of this land, their responses to the nations seem insouciant. Maybe more books like this would get people reading more about it. Through solidarity, perhaps things would change and evolve.

[Shannon]

DNF at page 100. I really wanted to love this one. The premise immediately caught my attention, All I See Is Violence promises a powerful exploration of generational trauma, colonialism, and the impact of violence on Indigenous communities, told through an unflinching and deeply personal lens.

That still sounds incredible, and I don’t want to discourage anyone from picking it up. The themes are important, and I can tell there’s a lot of heart and meaning behind the story. Unfortunately, the writing style just isn’t clicking with me right now. The pacing feels uneven, and I’m having trouble connecting with the characters or following the narrative flow. The emotional weight is there, but the structure and tone are making it difficult for me to stay fully engaged.

I’m sure the author’s creative choices were intentional, and I can absolutely see this book resonating with many readers. It’s just not quite working for me at the moment.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC. I really wanted to fall in love with this story, and I still hope it finds its audience. It’s clear there’s something powerful here. It just wasn’t the right fit for me right now.

[Sassy Mystic Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Try as I might I just couldn’t get into this book.

[Stephie Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness, what a book. If you’re reading this and wondering whether to read the book, wonder no more - it’s a must read
This is a subject I’m ashamed to say I am far too ignorant of. Superbly written and so important. All I can say is I’m so utterly sorry.

[Dana K · Rating 4 out of 5]

{4.5 stars}

I've been actively trying to seek more stories written by indigenous writers. I always find their storytelling to be unique and immersive. This story is no different, it does take a while to understand what is happening as we get three separate stories in time but there is never any indication of when and who you've switched to. We get a modern day mother living with the strife of daily life as a tribal woman, she has a husband in prison, a son damaged by his time in Vietnam and a new white lover who challenges her perceptions. We get the view of her ancestor, a Cheyenne warrior woman involved in the battle of Little Big Horn and the general himself. The stories weave together quite unexpectedly and show the strength of both women and the indigenous people throughout the generations.

While the structure of this one was challenging, it's worth sticking with it. I loved both Nancy and Little Wolf and despised Custer. I felt all the emotions and wanted different outcomes than the world has handed out. This is a beautiful piece of literary fiction.

[rowan molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly I’d like to thank NetGalley and Greenleaf Publishing for allowing me to read this ahead of time as an ARC. This is a book that hits hard and repeatedly, emotionally – you will not catch a break. This is not a book for those who read for escapism, this is a book that is gut wrenching and poignant and terrifying and heart breaking.

It is a story of strength, of a people beaten down for generations by the oppressors. Their lands taken, their families threatened, their people slaughtered. And in the day and age we live now, with the political climate we have at this time, and the current events in the news we are bombarded with images that this book evokes despite years of different eras. Over a century has passed since the Battle of Greasy Grass, and yet we as a people have learned nothing it seems.

But all of this is regarding the general setting, the set up of the book was somewhat confusing for me at first until I got more immersed into it. There are three POVs, Little Wolf, our warrior from the Sioux / Cheyenne side of the battle, Custer from the US Army, and our more modern POV of Jane Swift Fox, descendant by marriage of Little Wolf. These POV’s are unlabeled and it takes a second to realise you’ve switched. Their written voice and thought voice is not entirely dissimilar, but there are incredibly nuances to each.

I did not initially understand the reasons behind including Custer as a POV, until we are described the story of Little Wolf. Her father and brother immediately murdered, her mother raped by Tom Custer and then killed. Yet in Custer’s POV he speaks fondly of Tom, his goodness, even at times his innocence. In combination with the allusions and descriptions of the Indian ‘wife’ Custer took and the son she bore him, it’s a fitting way to describe the relationship of the US to the lands they stole. They took it and they raped it. They killed the buffalo, they corrupted the lands, they polluted the water. To this day, approximately 48% of indigenous people’s homes do not have adequate water for sanitation and living. The Navajo people are 67 times more likely than the rest of the American population to not have access to running water. Over 75% of people living on Hopi lands are drinking contaminated water.

Again this is diverting slightly from the book, but it bears saying none the less.

Jane’s POV was my favourite, I loved her strength and her resilience, and also her distrust – and exhaustion. So often when we are given strong characters, they are diluted from their struggles, and Jane is a character defined so often by her struggles but also by her victories. She raises her four boys and helps take care of her father in law despite a bad relationship with her husband ( imprisoned at the time of the book ). And the way that the government continues to take from her, she drives over three hours a day to commute, she is unwelcome in the town and region despite being a professor at the university, she is highly educated and intelligent, yet bigotry colours her experiences and even causes doubts and fears as she pursues a new relationship. Her eldest son’s struggle with substances after returning from the war has his mental health in tatters and she is the target of it. And ultimately we don’t know how the story ends, we know where the book ends, but not the story. It is the singular thread of hope.

Little Wolf lives to bear her and her husband’s child ( Swift Fox the ancestor of Jane’s incarcerated husband ), but then after a while in the reservation she goes into the water and the book ends.

This book left me with a heart ache and a million questions of what happened to these characters and how their families went on. But in an odd way, it felt fitting that the story ended there. Because we weren’t owed anymore.

One of the best books I’ve ever read, and one I’ll definitely remember for the rest of my life.

[Brian Shevory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Greenleaf Book Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read a preview copy of Angie Elita Newell’s fierce and compelling novel All I See is Violence. The story features several different narratives that span nearly 100 years, yet are interrelated. The novel starts out with Nancy Swiftfox’s story, introducing us to her struggles as the wife of an incarcerated man trying to work as a professor and raise her four sons with the help of her father-in-law, George Swiftfox’s father. We also learn that they live on the Rosebud reservation, and it is in the mid-1970s when Dick Wilson’s goon squad reigned terror on the reservation. Nancy and George’s oldest son, Timothy, is a Vietnam veteran who returned from the war with the loss of an arm and some undiagnosed PTSD. To further complicate their relationship, Timothy’s father has been locked up for some time while Nancy works in a college nearly 3 hours away. Timothy seems to have latched on to members of the AIM (American Indian Movement), the group that Dick Wilson’s violence sought to counteract in Rosebud. While both Nancy and her father-in-law grow increasingly concerned about Timothy’s well-being, he ends up traveling with the group of AIM members that occupied the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs in DC. Although seeming to make a statement, the real events had limited impact on policy, and Timothy returns to Rosebud dejected, angry, and further upset that his mother has found a new love interest with a white colleague at the college, Joshua. Newell not only establishes the complications of the main characters, but also paints a rather bleak winter setting on the reservation homes, as Nancy and her children battle rats and poor living conditions. Furthermore, Newell also uses real events and figures from history and the AIM movement (and its violent counterpart, the goon squad) the develop a kind of historical narrative fiction from the last 50 years.

Chapter 2 follows a similar pattern where we meet Little Wolf, a Cheyenne warrior who has lost most of her family, but has become a skilled shooter and is determined to save the remaining members of her tribe from starvation and the forced displacement that seems imminent from the advancing US Army. It is nearly 100 years early, around 1876, and the US government is looking to take over the Black Hills, despite previous treaties securing the land for indigenous people. Little Wolf wants to ensure that her people are not relocated to the Red Cloud Agency, but violence is often the answer from the US Army for anyone resisting this forced relocation. In these alternating chapters, we meet some historical figures like Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, while we meet Custer, his family, and other members of the 7th Cavalry in a third alternating narrative that tells the story of the Army’s pursuit of the land and forced relocation from the white man’s perspective. Little Wolf eventually meets with Swift Fox, another warrior who is also refusing relocation and is looking to maintain the land of their ancestors with other warriors like Crazy Horse. Swift Fox is also the surname of Nancy’s husband, George, so we can see that George (and his children, including Timothy) are descended from warriors, and there is a connection among the past and the present in these narratives.

Newell’s use of both historical fact and individuals from history helps to establish the reality of the story, while also helping to establish links between the fight to maintain their land from US Government usurpation and the American Indian Movement of the 1970s. Although I have read a little about both the AIM movement and events like Little Big Horn, Newell’s book made me want to learn more about the figures from these historical events, especially whether some of the minor characters in the story were real or invented for the story. Her writing definitely provides some dynamics for them and imbues them with life. In particular, I was wondering about some of the grabbers and scouts who ended up working more with Custer and the Army, and whether these were real figures. Regardless, Newell’s research and attention to detail with ceremonies like the Sundance, clothing, and weapons provide interesting insight into the life of the People of the Plains. It was also interesting to see how the threat of white encroachment and violence (as well as forced relocation) brought many of the different tribes together to fight a common threat. I found myself more engaged with the Little Wolf chapters more than any of the others. I really enjoyed her perspective and storytelling, as well as her observations and experiences with the Sundance and other ceremonies she participated in. There are some moments of violence when during a ceremony she recalls losing her brother as well as the rape of her mother at the hands of Custer’s men. It’s a pretty brutal scene, but also captures the cruelty and barbarity of the men that Custer led (and most likely influenced). I tended to be the least engaged with Custer-focused chapters, where the perspective was either from Custer or one of the men in his Cavalry (some were his brothers or nephews). I’m not sure if that was the purpose, to kind of see how unlikeable these characters were or to possibly try to understand their motivations or perspectives, but I was wondering why Newell included them in the book. However, Nancy’s chapters were more interesting and engaging than the Custer focused chapters. I felt Nancy’s stress and struggles, but it also seemed like her romance with Joshua progressed rather quickly. I can understand that she neglected her own needs to focus on those of her kids while also trying to stay true to her husband, George, even if he wouldn’t grant her a divorce. One of the most unique chapters is when Joshua somehow convinces Nancy to visit George in prison with him. It’s strange, but I was impressed with Nancy’s response. I won’t spoil it here, but I loved the way Newell navigates this strange encounter to bring readers to an understanding about the lack of options for many indigenous men in the 1970s. I was also a little sad to see that Nancy’s story kind of ended suddenly. The last few chapters focus on the Battle of Little Big Horn, and these were some of the most exciting and compelling chapters in the book, as we see how the Indigenous People created a strategy to attract and eventually trap Custer. We see these experiences from both Little Wolf’s perspective and that of Custer’s men. However, Nancy’s chapters end shortly after her visit to George in the prison, and I wanted to learn more about what happened with the birth of her daughter with Joshua. However, I can also appreciate that Newell may be allowing readers to develop their own conclusions about the continuous struggles that indigenous women face and how they are often the warriors as well, fighting with men to maintain not only their land but also their traditions, culture, and their ancestors. Towards the end of the book, Swiftfox and Little Wolf are talking about the upcoming battle, and Swiftfox says “ ‘Things only die if you forget them,’…His words ring through my soul. I let my family, my ancestors, die because I had lost the courage to remember them.” There were some other lines like this as well as how these stories and tales about our ancestors help to keep them alive. In many ways, this reminded me of Toni Morrison and Beloved, how stories nourished Sethe’s children, and even brought the dead back to life. It seemed like Newell’s stories and narratives also serve a similar function that moves beyond entertainment and focuses on the kind of re-memory that Morrison employs in Beloved. It not only keeps the past alive, but it also honors and nourishes them. However, Newell also helps to show how this kind of generational trauma is passed on through the kind of systemic violence and racism that has been employed by the US government. I really enjoyed this story, and Newell’s writing made me want to learn more about the events surrounding Little Big Horn. I look forward to not only learning more about the past, but also reading Newell’s future work.

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Publisher Says: A woman warrior, a ruthless general, and a single mother―three stories deftly braided into the legacy of a stolen nation

The US government stole the Black Hills from the Sioux, as it stole land from every tribe across North America. Forcibly relocated, American Indians were enslaved under strict land and resource regulations. Indigenous writer Angie Elita Newell brings a poignant retelling of the catastrophic, true story of the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn and the social upheaval that occurred on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1972 during the height of the American Indian Movement.

Cheyenne warrior Little Wolf fights to maintain her people’s land and heritage as General Custer leads a devastating campaign against American Indians, killing anyone who refuses to relocate to the Red Cloud Agency in South Dakota. A century later, on that same reservation, Little Wolf’s relation Nancy Swiftfox raises four boys with the help of her father-in-law, while facing the economic and social ramifications of this violent legacy.

All I See Is Violence weaves love, loss, and hard truths into a story that needs to be told―a journey through violence to bear witness to all that was taken, to honor what all of our ancestors lived through, and to heal by acknowledging the shadows in order to find the light.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Alternating PoV narratives are hard to pull off. A balancing act among three voices is even harder. What Author Newell sought to do, it seems to me, was done by giving the reader all the points of view that shore up her point: Fight for or against something, whichver you like, and you will still end up reinforcing the violence and the rage our world is swimming in. She does this best by presenting each character's story to us in the same first-person present tense.

To be sure, her Indigenous people's points of view are clearly presented as they are, the victims of an aggressive colonial project that requires them to die. The truth here is that women are not passive victims of this project, but use every tool available at the time they exist to fight against the dual prongs of racism and sexism.

Custer's PoV is, at first, an odd choice given the theme of the book. His perpetration of violence against Indigenous people did nor give me any clues about why he was included...until his (much shorter) sections led me to see that the story was about the violence committed, not about victimhood. Custer was part of an Imperial project, and a believer in it...through cluelessness, sociopathy, or an Eichmannesque just-following-orders soldier's ethos is an open question.

I landed on a four-star rating because I was not entirely convinced by the narrative inclusion of Custer...it jars with my expectations, and more to the point it is not prefigured or required in Little Wolf's contemporaneous narrative parts...and because I very much wanted more of Nancy Littlefox's family relationships. These lacunae were not fatal to my enjoyment of the read, obviously, but noticeably lessened my smooth sailing through it.

Cavils, really, concerning a read I was drawn to, and held within, for several pleasurable hours.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew what I was getting myself into when I started All I See is Violence by Angie Elita Newell. First, the title - pretty self-explanatory. Second, the time period it's discussing is a period in history that most American school children have had some education about. We know how it ends. It ends with the tribes and their ways of life decimated through systematic genocide. We know about Custer and his stand. However, so much of the literature and the story out there is told from the side of the settlers and those that perpetrated the violence. In All I See is Violence, we get the story of Little Wolf and her journey from her perspective, as well as Nancy's journey in the 1970s. Custer's story is also told.

I'm still sitting with this book a day later. There was hope, anguish, despair, love, the whole gamut of emotions. I really loved how the author spoke through Little Wolf and Nancy to show how the actions of the government and the agencies to force the tribes off their land in the 1870s was still impacting their descendants and their families 100 years later. Their stories were intertwined and interconnected across the generations and the centuries, and I thought this was really well done. I did struggle with the inclusion of telling a part of the story from Custer's perspective. There's been so much told about him and his story, I really at first was not sure why the author included him as such a central story teller. I can't speak for the author, but after a day of thinking, I can see how including him was important to show the impact he had on the lives of all those then and now. While he died that day (this isn't a spoiler, this news is over a century old), he and his men played a central role in Little Wolf's development and story line.

There are brief moments of happiness and warmth in this novel. There is power, and strength and resolve. There are moments that made my heart ache deep inside my chest where I had to go back after I finished the novel and re-read to make sure that how I read it was accurate (and to hopefully change the outcome that I read, let's be honest - reader it did not change). This story is so powerful and raw. I really recommend it. It's poignant and tells this widely known story and era from a different perspective. It's a perspective that Custer, his men, the government, would have wanted silenced. They would never have imagined a time when their Manifest Destiny would fail and the descendants of those they tried to eradicate or forcibly assimilate would be able to tell their stories. Again, I think this is a novel that more should read. My only critique was that I wished we had more from Nancy's perspective. I didn't do a 1:1:1 comparison, but it felt that the story very heavily leaned on Little Wolf and Custer, and then Nancy did not get woven in as much as I would have liked for how impactful her story line was on the repercussions of the lives lived so long ago. 5/5 really would recommend even with that critique.

Please be advised I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Brittany]

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

Sha softly whispers to me, her hand on the side of my head. “I have always wished for a time, before they came, when the earth, she gave us everything we needed. When we gave our people everything they could want. I wished we could stay in the Black Hills and hear the wind call the trees and the trees answer with their song. And the magic of wasun called to us undisturbed.

One note about this book: I wish the chapters opened with the name of whomever’s POV we were given because yes, eventually I could figure out whose chapter I was reading based on setting, characters, and context. However, that time/energy I spent wondering whose POV I was reading could have been better spent fully investing and staying present in each chapter.

You get three first-person, present-tense POVs in this book:
-General Custer
-Little Wolf (who is in the same time as General Custer, which is 1876 before the Battle of Little Bighorn aka Custer’s Last Stand)
-Nancy, who is a descendant of Little Wolf in 1976

It is extremely difficult for me to get fully invested in plots that follow war/battles, so I was most invested in Nancy’s chapters. I actually would have loved a bit more time with her, her dad, her sons, and Joshua. I felt like I got to know Nancy but I would have appreciated more depth and growth from her sons especially.

Little Wolf and General Custer’s chapters were interesting, but I found myself least interested in General Custer’s POV-color me shocked lol. I don’t want to give any spoilers away but overall, this book ripped my heart out. The title is appropriate and yall should take care while reading.

I love the author’s bio so I’m copying & pasting it here:
ANGIE ELITA NEWELL belongs to the Liidlii Kue First Nations from the Dehcho, the place where two rivers meet. Trained as a historian and holding degrees in English literature, creative writing, and history, a mother to daughters as they wander the world, always listening to stories, honoring the ancestors, revering the truth that we are all connected, every plant, being, and creature; the only thing that will ever matter is love.

[Steph (starrysteph) · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 ⭐) All I See Is Violence lives up to its title – this is a heart-wrenching piece of historical fiction that tracks the ripple effects of evil and ongoing cycles of violence that Indigenous Americans have faced.

We follow three connected perspectives 100 years apart, all filled with pain and loss. Two of the narrators are women, and they both are fighters in their own way - they explore their feelings of justice and righteousness, and also motherhood.

Little Wolf is a Cheyenne hunter, and she grapples with the morality of becoming a warrior and taking lives to protect her people. Nancy Swiftfox is her descendant and a history professor, navigating her legacy and bearing the burden of violence on her family.

The third perspective is General Custer, who is ruthlessly leading the charge to wipe out Native Americans and feels certain of his victory. This narration is definitely the most laborious to read – I had to push through my disgust.

Little Wolf and Nancy witness the violence of all the men in their lives, and how folks with the best intentions are forced to attack to protect those they love. Nancy in particular witnesses the ongoing impact of hatred, and her storyline and the attitudes of people she encounters don’t always feel so far from 1876.

There’s a beautiful throughline of determination to remember all that would be lost and carrying it with you. To know that you are your people and you are in charge of your own legacy.

I did wish for a bit more distinctness within the narrative voices. They all had vastly different wants and needs and thought processes, but their narration felt very similar - to the point where it wouldn’t have been obvious who was speaking without the context.

There was also a bit of an abrupt ending – I felt like there was more to say here, but I drifted away from this read a little shell-shocked by grief.

CW: war, genocide, racism, colonization, death (parent/child), gun violence, suicide, rape, animal death, hate crime, body horror, grief, misogyny, pregnancy, infidelity, infertility, vomit

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(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

All I See is Violence tells a story about intergenerational trauma. While its plot is important and I love an own voice indigenous author, I struggled to not DNF because the writing style and I didn’t particularly jive.

The novel consists of three perspectives: The first belongs to Little Wolf in 1876, a Lakota young woman who is drawn to the gatherings of people to resist resettlement. The second belongs to General Custer himself and his weird infatuation with his own golden curls. Lastly, in 1972, Nancy attempts to raise her boys and live her life on the Lakota reservation. Both Custer and Little Wolf’s stories culminate in the epic Battle of Little Big Horn.

The editor’s blurb strikes again, providing misleading information. Nancy’s life may be happening at the same time as the Occupations of Alcatraz and Wounded Knee, but it doesn’t affect her whatsoever—except that her oldest, estranged son participates therein. And based on how that storyline goes, I don’t think the author appreciated AIM all that much—or at least thought them doomed to fail from collective inherited trauma.

As a story about inherited, intergenerational trauma leading to violence (hence, the title), this story works. And the sentence that includes the actual title is incredibly powerful. However, overall, I found the story to be incredibly boring. Custer’s POV was redundant. Without it, Little Wolf’s and Nancy’s stories could have been better fleshed out, with better overall character development and more sympathetic romantic relationships versus instalove. I also disliked how each character’s chapter sounded exactly like the other’s, and at each chapter break, there is no indication as to whose perspective we’ll be getting next. Instead, you have to rely on context clues, and sometimes, they were difficult to determine. I’d say this was symbolic, but the Custer addition negates this.

Minor Spoiler: I know Nancy’s end is a part of said titular violence, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that her murder occurs after willingly aligning herself with a white boyfriend, no matter how woke he was.

Overall, I’d love to read a detailed story about Little Big Horn, but unfortunately, this novel was just okay.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have two main complaints about this book that I want to get out of the way before I highlight what I liked:

1. This book would benefit greatly from a few more rounds of editing. There are some grammatical errors I caught, but perhaps the most glaring oversight is the repeated usage of certain phrases like “grin” and “smile”. In one chapter it was especially egregious, with “smile” and “smiling” appearing every other paragraph and at times every other line! It was alarming, painting a horror movie-like scene of actors trapped in a play being forced to smile through the pain. Or maybe that’s just me suffering through that chapter.

2. I do not see the point of Custer’s POV except for maybe towards the very end. It only detracts from the alternating perspectives between Little Wolf and her descendent Nancy. If we got more time with the two women in this book, I think it would have improved the seemingly insta-lovey relationships that form in both timelines.

Now…with all that being said, I do think this is a meaningful exploration into the legacy of violence. Historical fiction being used in this way is powerful, especially when those who have been silenced from sharing their side get to do it. I’ve found it to be a new favorite genre of mine. It creates characters for us to witness history through a personal lens, and this book shows us both the act and the generational impact our government’s forced relocation and exploitation of Native American lands has caused. Newell writes a grim reminder that history will continue to haunt us if we never reckon with it.

While the writing was not my favorite, the story and perspective it shares is compelling. I found myself Googling the story of Monahsetah and Custer, of which there are a few comments regarding them in the book. It was chilling to learn about this side of history I’d never been taught. What also struck me was seeing the date of Monahseta’s death - it was the year my grandparents were born.

History is never as far behind us as we’d like to think. While All I See Is Violence is far from a perfect book, I’d say it accomplished what it set out to do (despite the overwhelming need for an editor, omg!).

[Byron F · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's 1972, we open in a kitchen with ugly green linoleum, we're on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Nancy is worried about her son Timothy, who has returned from Vietnam. Violence changes people. Timothy isn't ready to learn from his Grandpa's experiences in war. He is, however, ready for the American Indian Movement. From the occupation of Alcatraz to the occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973, Timothy knows how the world works for people like him.

We cut in time back to 1876 but we stay in the same area. Little Wolf, a Cheyenne warrior, is admiring her Spencer Carbine she got for 20 deer hides. She is interrupted by the presence of a large man. His name is Standing Bear and it fits. He is spreading the word that all Indians are to turn themselves in to the agency or they will be taken and starved. The White Chief wants the land, “You come in nice, and they'll give you bacon and sugar; you come in mean, and they'll give you blood.”

We shift again, this time to Custer himself. He's living what seems like a mostly normal life. It looks normal but it's smoke, screams, and blood that he remembers and thinks about. He was born for the fight, lives for the battlefield, normal isn't for him. Whatever ideas others have for him, he's the master of his own fate and he gets what he wants.

All I See Is Violence is a powerful exploration of what could be called The Indian Experience here on this continent. Angie Elita Newell masterfully weaves these three stories together as she leads us to a conclusion that leaves us breathless.

This is ultimately a story of being or becoming. Who we are and how we came to be who we are. I don't know how we are supposed to move forward but I think the book offers clues: sometimes we have to go backward to go forward.

Nobody can come out of this book unchanged. You should pick it up and see what it does to you.

[Sharon Dene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book How the author tied things together through the past and the present.. The title says it all. The beginning of the book Nancy who lived on Pine Ridge reservation. It was raising four more inspire yourself because her husband was in jail. The oldest one went off to Vietnam and lost his arm and he became part of the Indian movement . They talk about wounded KNEE. In the seventies. She falls for a man who's not native America. This Brings problems to the family especially to her husband In jail. They go to a bar and they end up having a fight because she was Native american. The people did not want her in there and they were forced to leave. And then it went back to 1876 in the book. Cheyenne Warrior named Little Wolf Was a fighter because she did not want custard to kill her people because they refuse to go to the reservation. So be prepared to fight custard. They also talk about the calvary who are involved with this, and some of the native americans are also scouts for the army. And it was interesting how they had a really interesting society and how they were We're Prosecuted by army. They did their Sundance to get courage to fight. And this was really amazing because they were promised t Black hills. Maybe american government growth that treaty. So they decided to fight. To talk about the fort where the army was based. It's a really interesting book. Because then it goes back to the present and how everybody was dealing with different issues at that time. Nancy Move her boyfriend to the reservation. This cause trouble and the oldest son just stormed off. She was also pregnant just like Little wolf who ended up fighting With custards men. I I like how the author parallels these two women's lives through the century. I The violence is there throughout the book. But it's so subtle It's WAV. E! Through The book. The ending is kind of tragic

[Seamus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not expecting this book to be so very powerful.

It's the Native American experience from the 1870s (and beforehand) to the 1970s told through three intertwining and alternating viewpoints - Little Wolf, a woman Cheyenne warrior and General Custer in the 1870s and Nancy Swiftfox, an indigenous woman living on a South Dakota reservation and teaching in a school three hours away, to and from which she drives daily. The 1870s storyline sees the Native people being ordered into the agencies and many of them resisting which culminates - in this novel - with the Battle of Little Bighorn. The narrative structure for that part of the book sees Little Wolf and Custer coming closer and closer - figuratively and literally - to the climatic part of that story, the famous battle that saw Custer and his soldiers wiped out but Little Wolf and her husband, Swift Fox, and their contemporaries know it's a temporary victory and that ultimately they'll be forced onto reservations. In the 1970s at the height of the American Indian Movement, Nancy Swiftfox, a descendent of Little Wolf and Swift Fox, lives with the consequences of the battles and policies of the US government in the 1870s. She's living with the ongoing racism that exists as she tries to raise a family, maintain a relationship with her jailed husband, her disabled Vietnam veteran oldest son, her supportive father-in-law, and her new, white boyfriend.

The writing is beautiful and compelling and the entire story is heartbreaking. You just wish for a time machine to go back and try to have the European world leave these beautiful people alone.

[Jifu · Rating 3 out of 5]

In All I see is Violence, Angie Newell divides the book into two narratives - one set in the 1870s, and another a hundred years later. The former is centered largely around Little Wolf, a warrior of the Cheyenne who is swept up in the harsh post-Civil War policies of the US government that sought to break the power of the western indigenous nations and shuttle them onto meager reservations. The latter focuses on Nancy Swiftfox, who while striving hard to balance the stresses of reservation life, raising her several boys (one of who has returned injured after serving in Vietnam), and the challenges that inevitably arise from being a functionally single mother and a native woman in 1970’s America, finds herself caught up in the American Indian Movement.

Each plot could have stood separately, and in my opinion quite successfully on its own as an illustration of a particular form of violence wrought upon the nation’s indigenous peoples at different points in the US’s stained history. However by intertwining them together, Newell very effectively tells a larger, stronger, and more important story on several levels. First, it's a grander story that that highlights the multi-generational trauma that has been wrought upon the original peoples of what is now the United States and the long-lingering effects of systemic injustice. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly. (at least in my opinion) it's a story that highlights the oft-forgotten fact that no matter the era, or the tragic losses that were experienced, indigenous resistance has always been there as well in some fierce shape or form.

[Lauren Gebhard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew this was a must read for me the minute I heard about this book. An Indigenous historical "fiction" story parallel to a modern Indigenous experience--allowing the reader to literally read the effects of colonization, racism, and land stealing that persisted hundreds of years, and continue to persist today, this book was really well done. I really enjoyed the perspective of Little Wolf, a warrior who experienced the violence first hand and who battles with the notion of what is inevitable, and fighting anyway. Her journey was incredible, inspiring, and horrific. I also enjoyed the perspective of Nancy, a single mom of 4 sons living on the reservation in the 1970's. It seamlessly and devastatingly demonstrated the persisting effects of what was occurring in Little Wolf's life, and to Indigenous people, 100 years prior. The only point of view I did not enjoy was Custer's. I can see how his point of view demonstrated the theme of violence and the way that even the people perpetrating the violence, rape, and destruction are affected by it, and how differently they view what they are doing, but I found his sections difficult to get through. The way the book ends and ties the stories together is amazing, but completely heartbreaking. This book will stick with me for a long long time. I think anyone interested in historical fiction (although a lot of this is true in one way or another), Indigenous stories, and sociological literature should read this book. Fan's of Tommy Oranges "There, There" (a must read) should definitely pick it up. Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC!

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free Kindle version of this book from goodreads Giveaway.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre - what I mostly read - so I was excited to win a review copy of this book.

The author used three different first-person POVs to tell a story of two Native American women - Little Wolf, a young Cheyenne woman coming of age during the time leading up to the Battle of Little Big Horn & Nancy - Little Wolf's modern day descendant and General George Armstrong Custer.
I gave the book 3 stars because there were things I really liked about the story - mainly the timeline/story of the Cheyenne young woman Little Wolf. Her culture, her family and her experiences kept me reading the book. The chapters of Nancy's story were also interesting sadly her story just wasn't developed enough to form a strong connection to the character. As for Custer - I understand the motivation to include him but I think the book would have been just as powerful without him.
There were a couple of basic editing/writing missteps - such as referring to characters (mainly Custer) with multiple names - too confusing. Also while some of the descriptive language was very good, there were some places where more description would have helped convey emotion or a stronger feeling in the a passage. Sometimes the description was too basic or matter of fact.
I am glad I read the book - but it isn't one that I would strongly recommend.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m torn about this book. First it was the book of the month for my Horror Book Club. And, while there is plenty of horrifying stuff in this book, made more horrifying because it is real, it wasn’t what I classify as horror. It could have benefited from a bit more editing, but overall captured the way our government mistreated the native living on this land and continues to mistreat the current day natives of this land. I freely admit that I get a huge chuckle out of native owned casinos milking the fools who gamble there. I hope that they laugh while they enjoy their wealth, leached from stupid whit folk. So, I did enjoy it, if enjoy is the right word. Let’s say that I got a lot out of the book. It wasn’t a “horror book” because horror is supposed to be something that couldn’t really happen, like finding puppets in your walls, or becoming a werewolf. The horror here actually happened, at least in general terms. So this is more of a historical fiction.

Maybe I really want to give it 3.75 stars. I also want to give the author a huge hug, it couldn’t have been easy writing this. I’d also like to apologize to all native people from this land, including my native ancestors, for what my arrogant white ancestors did. Aaand some of my family is still doing it.
This book is recommended for those with a strong constitution, a soft heart, and an open mind. The rest of you should read it anyway.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every so often, a book comes along that is just amazing. The story takes place in two different timelines and follows three different perspectives. One is Nancy, an indigenous woman in the 1970s. She is a French Revolution historian teaching at a university, her husband is in prison, and she is raising her three sons alone on a reservation. Little Wolf is an indigenous woman in the late 1800s. Her family was massacred by US troops, and she is now alone and the only hunter for her community. Then, there is General Custard continuing the genocide project embarked on by the US government.

All three perspectives are strong and incredibly compelling. Yes, even Custard is written in a complete and compelling way. However, the brilliance comes from the depiction of the lives of Nancy and Little Wolf. The constraints on their lives and agency, but their determination to keep exercising that agency. Their stories are marked by violence but also a lot of love. So much love that we get the most romantic declaration of love that I have ever read. I say this as someone whose most read genre is romance.

There are layers of pain and beauty here that are too complex for this review but that I think will enrich every reader and will take many readings to unpack.

Content Warnings: Suicide, off-the-page rape, genocide, decapitation, dismembering of bodies

[Shangread-La · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel begins with Professor Nancy Swiftfox, a single mother on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1972 during the American Indian Movement. Flashbacks to 1876 leading up to and including the Battle of Little Bighorn follow Nancy's ancestor, Cheyenne warrior Little Wolf, leading up to and including this catastrophic event in American Indian history. Nancy and Little Wolf's stories are told alongside General Custer's zealous pursuit of the native people of North America and explore the generational repercussions of this campaign of subjugation and extermination.

I was born in the 1970s, and Nancy's story feels particularly visceral and recent. Little Wolf's bravery and determination to preserve the land and her community in the face of such hostility is heartwrenching, as we all know how the battle ends and the ensuing fallout. Newell's weaving of the narratives from different points in time illustrates how the trauma of such an event carries through generations, and it is devastating.

The chapters from Custer's point of view were the most difficult for me even though I understood their importance. Whether it was due to the military and political minutiae or the fact that I just plain hated what he was doing is hard for me to distinguish, and I often had to push through those to get on with the story. But if reading about military strategy and battles is your jam, this shouldn't be an issue for you.

Historical fiction readers should pick this one up. It's an important and insightful own voices story of an unfortunate period in American Indian and colonial history that should not be forgotten.

[LilyRose · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I See is Violence by Angie Elita Newell is a striking and powerful work of fiction. The novel interweaves thee different but linked narratives: Little Wolf a Cheyenne woman warrior who is fighting to maintain her people’s land and heritage, the ruthless General Custer who is in charge of a devastating campaign against American Indians and killing anyone who refuses to voluntarily relocate to a reservation, and a century later Nancy Swiftfox a woman raising four boys with her father in law and dealing with the social and economic fallout of this violent legacy. The Indigenous author brings a vital spotlight to the true story of the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn and parallels this with the social upheave, that occurred on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1972 during the American Indian Movement. The book explores this history but also highlights the echoes of actions that transcend time and across generations. The prose is simple but beautiful and the scenes of war felt visceral and dramatic. The three interwoven perspectives helped to create a dynamic and broad image of the time period and the emotional landscape of the story was heightened. An important and impactful read for fans of literary, historical fiction 4 Stars ✨.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback.

[Lori Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Greenleaf Book Group, NetGalley, and Angie Elita Newell for the opportunity to read All I See Is Violence. This book is a multigenerational, own voices story retelling one woman’s family’s experiences from the time of the Battle of Little Bighorn all the way through until the early 70’s during the American Indian Movement. Little Wolf, a female warrior goes up against General Custer who is on a mission to kill anyone not willing to relocate to the Red Cloud Agency in South Dakota. 100 years later Little Wolf’s ancestor Nancy Swiftfox is trying to raise her four boys on the same reservation. The author did a good job of showing how much violence and intimidation and pain that the people involved went through. My only criticism was that sometimes in going back and forth between timelines it got confusing to me. It was a good book and addressed some issues that I felt like I needed to know more about. I’m glad to have read the book and learned more about what happened from the perspective of a family during a rather traumatic life experience. If you want to learn more about American history and how our government treated the Native Americans (honestly speaking it was not very nice) I recommend you read this book.