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Tears in the Grass
At ninety years of age, Elinor, a Saskatchewan Cree artist, inveterate roll-your-own smoker, and talker to rivers and stuffed bison, sets out to find something that was stolen almost a lifetime ago. With what little time she has left, she is determined to find the child taken from her when she, only a child herself, survived a rape at a residential school.
It is 1968, and a harsh winter and harsher attitudes await Elinor, her daughter, and her granddaughter as they set out on an odyssey to right past wrongs, enduring a present that tests their spirit and chips away at their aboriginal heritage. Confronting a history of trauma, racism, love, and cultural survival, Tears in the Grass is the story of one woman's unflagging search for her lost child and her courage to open her heart to a world that tried to tear it out.
It is 1968, and a harsh winter and harsher attitudes await Elinor, her daughter, and her granddaughter as they set out on an odyssey to right past wrongs, enduring a present that tests their spirit and chips away at their aboriginal heritage. Confronting a history of trauma, racism, love, and cultural survival, Tears in the Grass is the story of one woman's unflagging search for her lost child and her courage to open her heart to a world that tried to tear it out.
312 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2016
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853 people want to read
About the author
Lynda A. Archer
1 book41 followersBorn and raised on the Canadian Plains, a landscape that resonates deeply with her, Lynda writes novels and short stories that are often set in that part of the world. She enjoys both forms equally, and is usually moving back and forth between a short story, and the next draft of a novel. Having worked as a clinical psychologist for over thirty years, her books and stories always have a strong psychological component. The wonder and mystery of the human condition never ceases to fascinate her. When she's not writing, Lynda bakes and hikes, delights in watching the flickers and pileated woodpeckers at the suet block in her garden, or hearing the call of an eagle at the ocean shoreline.
Lynda has an MFA in Fiction from Spalding University, KY. And a Ph.D. in Psychology from McMaster University, ON.
Lynda has an MFA in Fiction from Spalding University, KY. And a Ph.D. in Psychology from McMaster University, ON.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
March 21, 2016
An aged Cree woman, an artist , wanting to find a daughter born to her after being raped and lost to her as a baby, wanting to bring her home, not really home to Saskatchewan but to her heritage, to know where she came from . The daughter would be in her 70's now as Elinor is now 90 years old. It's so very sad that this woman has carried this burden for her whole life , numb to doing anything about it until she elicits the help of her daughter and granddaughter to find her first born, wanting to do so before she dies.
Alice , her granddaughter is trying to deal with her own secrets , hiding who she is from everyone, especially her mother Louise . Louise, Elinor's daughter , having run away from the "rez" as a teenager and separated herself from her mother and her heritage, is now an attorney and has a secret of her own.
This is not just Elinor's painful story of abuse and loss at the Indian boarding school, or just about a wise old woman who wants to bring both of her daughters home. This story also speaks to the hardships of the past life on the reserve and ongoing problems facing Native Americans in the current day which in this story is 1968 . It's about a people, their hardships, the injustices but yes it's about mothers and daughters.
I seem to be taken with stories of elderly people on a journey and this reminded me in a way of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Etta and Otto and Russell and James. Perhaps more so with the latter which has a talking coyote named James. Elinor's story is interspersed with the thoughts of a bison behind glass in a museum who sees the aged Indian woman who has come to the museum to sketch him. She calls him Big Brown. Sounds a bit odd but it didn't feel that way at all so don't let that keep you from reading this book. It is beautifully written, sparse yet descriptive , and this bit of magical realism , this bison ,served as a powerful symbol of the diminishing stance of the Indian. The ending of this sad but hopeful story was perfect.
Thanks to Dundurn Press , NetGalley and Edelweiss.
Alice , her granddaughter is trying to deal with her own secrets , hiding who she is from everyone, especially her mother Louise . Louise, Elinor's daughter , having run away from the "rez" as a teenager and separated herself from her mother and her heritage, is now an attorney and has a secret of her own.
This is not just Elinor's painful story of abuse and loss at the Indian boarding school, or just about a wise old woman who wants to bring both of her daughters home. This story also speaks to the hardships of the past life on the reserve and ongoing problems facing Native Americans in the current day which in this story is 1968 . It's about a people, their hardships, the injustices but yes it's about mothers and daughters.
I seem to be taken with stories of elderly people on a journey and this reminded me in a way of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Etta and Otto and Russell and James. Perhaps more so with the latter which has a talking coyote named James. Elinor's story is interspersed with the thoughts of a bison behind glass in a museum who sees the aged Indian woman who has come to the museum to sketch him. She calls him Big Brown. Sounds a bit odd but it didn't feel that way at all so don't let that keep you from reading this book. It is beautifully written, sparse yet descriptive , and this bit of magical realism , this bison ,served as a powerful symbol of the diminishing stance of the Indian. The ending of this sad but hopeful story was perfect.
Thanks to Dundurn Press , NetGalley and Edelweiss.
April 3, 2016
Eleanor is a survivor. She has seen much, experienced unmeasurable grief and finds joy in simple things. As a woman of the Cree nation, she has encountered unadulterated prejudice and outright cruelty. As a child she is sent from the reservation to a school whose sole purpose was to wipe out any trace of the Indian culture, from their language to their traditions. At this school she is cruelly treated and raped by a teacher. She will bear a child that is taken from her, her daughter's fate unknown.
Now at ninety, the past has rushed forward blending in with the present and she wants nothing more than to find this daughter before she herself can peacefully pass. This is Eleanor's story but it encompasses much more, mother daughter relationships, the hard life and poverty on the reservation, the cruelties of prejudices and trying to maintain one's traditions and beliefs in the face of serious opposition. At times I questioned whether it was conceivable forma very old and ill woman to do why she does, and I decided that possibly this could happen. Love and determination have a way of giving strength allowing for the impossible.
One of my biggest gripes in fiction is when an author takes a stirring situation and dramatizes it to the point of absurdity, wringing emotions from the reader. Thankfully this author did not do that, it is told in the stoic voice of Eleanor, the feelings given are the reader's own. A little magical realism is used by giving a stuffed bison in a museum a voice, chronicling the downfall of his herd aligned with the loss of freedom taken from the Indian Nation. Very effective, I thought.
A wonderful story, a strong message and some amazing characters all dealing with scars from the past, that they need to give voice to before moving on and fully living their lives.
ARC from publisher.
Now at ninety, the past has rushed forward blending in with the present and she wants nothing more than to find this daughter before she herself can peacefully pass. This is Eleanor's story but it encompasses much more, mother daughter relationships, the hard life and poverty on the reservation, the cruelties of prejudices and trying to maintain one's traditions and beliefs in the face of serious opposition. At times I questioned whether it was conceivable forma very old and ill woman to do why she does, and I decided that possibly this could happen. Love and determination have a way of giving strength allowing for the impossible.
One of my biggest gripes in fiction is when an author takes a stirring situation and dramatizes it to the point of absurdity, wringing emotions from the reader. Thankfully this author did not do that, it is told in the stoic voice of Eleanor, the feelings given are the reader's own. A little magical realism is used by giving a stuffed bison in a museum a voice, chronicling the downfall of his herd aligned with the loss of freedom taken from the Indian Nation. Very effective, I thought.
A wonderful story, a strong message and some amazing characters all dealing with scars from the past, that they need to give voice to before moving on and fully living their lives.
ARC from publisher.
January 22, 2021
A frail ninety-year-old Cree woman, her daughter, her granddaughter: Elinor, the grandmother, still lives on the reserve in Saskatchewan. Louise, her daughter, ran away from home as a teen, eventually went to law school, and is now married with children and a grandchild. Alice, Elinor’s granddaughter, is a teacher. These three women share the bond of blood, of heritage – decades of history as Native women – joined as family, yet apart. In Lynda Archer’s Tears in the Grass, these women question and confront their differences. They search their hearts to find answers to the questions that have put distance between them.
Each has a secret. Elinor’s home, where she lives alone, is small. She spends her days in her rocking chair sipping her tea, smoking unfiltered cigarettes, and tending her garden. She paints. Sometimes she goes to the museum, where she sketches the stuffed bison, speaking to him as she draws. She calls him Big Brown. Her secret? As a child, she was called Red Sky at Moring until she was sent to a school run by nuns. “White Necks”, the children called them. There, she was raped by a teacher and later gave birth to a girl, whom she named Bright Eyes. But a nun took the child away, and she never saw her again. Now Elinor longs to find her daughter before she dies. She assigns this task to Alice.
Alice enlists the help of her mother. Louise and Elinor have been on the outs ever since Louise left home. Louise is a successful attorney, but that has not made her immune to harassment as a woman and as an Indian. Is Louise ashamed of her heritage? She seems to want to deny who she is, even though her husband, a Caucasian, is very accepting and supportive of her. As the book goes on, we get the sense that Louise is hiding a deeper, darker secret.
Alice, too, has things that she cannot share with her parents. She’s not even totally comfortable with them herself – who she is, who she loves. Some First Nations cultures, including the Cree, have words to describe “two-spirit people”, and they are welcome, even cherished among some Native societies. This story takes place in the 60s during the Vietnam War, so it was a little early for the gay pride movement. Alice is teetering on the cusp of accepting herself but not ready to be open with others. (This book was nominated for the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction.)
It is Elinor’s quest that brings the women together. She has a remarkable spirit. She’s strong-willed and determined with an intuitive nature. Somehow, she is confident that Bright Eyes is alive. Although Alice and Louise do their best, Elinor grows impatient. Her health is failing. She must lay eyes on her daughter before she dies. The plausibility of the plot gets a little dicey, but I enjoyed the adventure – and the outcome!
Tears in the Grass is, at times, heart-rending. There is a lot of sadness in these pages. While it is fiction, we know that the events on the reservation, the school, and in the cities that affect these three women have likely happened to many Native people for more than a century. It is not without hope, however. Secrets can be shared. If not shared openly, they can at least be acknowledged privately and accepted. Relationships matter, and if they matter, they can be mended. The past is not, and should not be forgotten. It can be a lesson and a bridge to a better future. Thank you, Lynda Archer, for this beautiful book, and congratulations on this debut novel.
4 stars
Each has a secret. Elinor’s home, where she lives alone, is small. She spends her days in her rocking chair sipping her tea, smoking unfiltered cigarettes, and tending her garden. She paints. Sometimes she goes to the museum, where she sketches the stuffed bison, speaking to him as she draws. She calls him Big Brown. Her secret? As a child, she was called Red Sky at Moring until she was sent to a school run by nuns. “White Necks”, the children called them. There, she was raped by a teacher and later gave birth to a girl, whom she named Bright Eyes. But a nun took the child away, and she never saw her again. Now Elinor longs to find her daughter before she dies. She assigns this task to Alice.
Alice enlists the help of her mother. Louise and Elinor have been on the outs ever since Louise left home. Louise is a successful attorney, but that has not made her immune to harassment as a woman and as an Indian. Is Louise ashamed of her heritage? She seems to want to deny who she is, even though her husband, a Caucasian, is very accepting and supportive of her. As the book goes on, we get the sense that Louise is hiding a deeper, darker secret.
Alice, too, has things that she cannot share with her parents. She’s not even totally comfortable with them herself – who she is, who she loves. Some First Nations cultures, including the Cree, have words to describe “two-spirit people”, and they are welcome, even cherished among some Native societies. This story takes place in the 60s during the Vietnam War, so it was a little early for the gay pride movement. Alice is teetering on the cusp of accepting herself but not ready to be open with others. (This book was nominated for the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction.)
It is Elinor’s quest that brings the women together. She has a remarkable spirit. She’s strong-willed and determined with an intuitive nature. Somehow, she is confident that Bright Eyes is alive. Although Alice and Louise do their best, Elinor grows impatient. Her health is failing. She must lay eyes on her daughter before she dies. The plausibility of the plot gets a little dicey, but I enjoyed the adventure – and the outcome!
Tears in the Grass is, at times, heart-rending. There is a lot of sadness in these pages. While it is fiction, we know that the events on the reservation, the school, and in the cities that affect these three women have likely happened to many Native people for more than a century. It is not without hope, however. Secrets can be shared. If not shared openly, they can at least be acknowledged privately and accepted. Relationships matter, and if they matter, they can be mended. The past is not, and should not be forgotten. It can be a lesson and a bridge to a better future. Thank you, Lynda Archer, for this beautiful book, and congratulations on this debut novel.
4 stars
May 2, 2016
In the late 60's, Elinor, a Cree woman and 90 years of age, feels that she won't be part of Earth for too long anymore. Before she goes though, she needs to make right things gone wrong in the past. Her secret kept for all those years, a child born out of rape had been taken from her by the same school were it all went wrong. And now she wants to see her before she goes to the other side. In this quest she will need the help of her daughter and granddaughter who both have their own issues with their respective mothers and their Cree heritage.
Underlying themes are mother/daughter relationships and the role of First Nations people in society. The author weaves history throughout the characters' lives and we learn of the struggles the Cree faced and are still dealing with. How they lost their freedom by being forced to abandon their traditions and beliefs and had to adapt to 'white' culture. With a touch of magical realism, this theme is strengthened in the side story of the bison in the museum who tells his tale of the nearly eradicated bisons.
I loved Elinor's feisty and stubborn character, even though she had to deal with so much grief in her life.
A very determined woman, she made me smile at times, and shake my head when pulling another stunt.
This is a wonderful debut by Lynda A. Archer.
3.5*
Review copy supplied by publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a rating and/or review.
"Everyone had a secret. Dogs hid their bones, squirrels buried their nuts. Birds tucked away treasures."
Underlying themes are mother/daughter relationships and the role of First Nations people in society. The author weaves history throughout the characters' lives and we learn of the struggles the Cree faced and are still dealing with. How they lost their freedom by being forced to abandon their traditions and beliefs and had to adapt to 'white' culture. With a touch of magical realism, this theme is strengthened in the side story of the bison in the museum who tells his tale of the nearly eradicated bisons.
I loved Elinor's feisty and stubborn character, even though she had to deal with so much grief in her life.
"Elinor sighed against the tears in her heart. There had been so many tears. Tears on her chest and in her tea. Tears in the kitchen sink and in the outhouse. Tears in the grass."
A very determined woman, she made me smile at times, and shake my head when pulling another stunt.
This is a wonderful debut by Lynda A. Archer.
3.5*
Review copy supplied by publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a rating and/or review.
February 5, 2016
Tears in the Grass is the story of Elinor, a 90 year old Cree woman, and her quest to find the child that was taken from her as a newborn while she was living in a residential school. The child, a girl named Bright Eyes, was born after Elinor was raped by a man at the school. The year is now 1968 and more than 70 years have past. Elinor has never forgotten her beautiful daughter. She never told her late husband, or any other family member about this child, keeping the feelings of guilt and sorrow to herself. She knows her time is growing short and enlists the help of her daughter, Louise, and grandaughter, Alice.
Both Louise and Alice also have a secret. There is more focus on Louise's though I'm not sure it really added much to the story. While I get the "everyone's got a secret" theme, it felt a little gratuitous; a convenient commonality to connect Elinor and Louise after a difficult past relationship.
While I enjoyed many aspects of Elinor's character, including her tenacity, wisdom and connection to nature, this book was a bit flat for me overall. I finished the book without really feeling connection or attachment to any of the characters. It wasn't terrible; I just couldn't get excited about anything.
My rating: 2.75 stars
www.litwitwineanddine.com
Thanks to Dundurn Press via NetGalley for providing me with a free e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Both Louise and Alice also have a secret. There is more focus on Louise's though I'm not sure it really added much to the story. While I get the "everyone's got a secret" theme, it felt a little gratuitous; a convenient commonality to connect Elinor and Louise after a difficult past relationship.
While I enjoyed many aspects of Elinor's character, including her tenacity, wisdom and connection to nature, this book was a bit flat for me overall. I finished the book without really feeling connection or attachment to any of the characters. It wasn't terrible; I just couldn't get excited about anything.
My rating: 2.75 stars
www.litwitwineanddine.com
Thanks to Dundurn Press via NetGalley for providing me with a free e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2015
"It frustrated her how stories and experiences that had been so important to her at one time couldn't be retrieved from her mind, while other things, memories that she wanted to be free of, remained permanently stuck, entrenched like a badger in its hole."
Regardless of our age, we too can often feel the ugly memories are living creatures that won't let us out of their clutches. Elinor has clung to her culture, her daughter Louise abandoned said life for the white man's world and as life is a circle Elinor's grandchild Alice longs to embrace what her own mother discarded. But Elinor has needs of her own, she has to make it right.Elinor has a demand for Alice, "Bring her back. That's simple enough."
But Alice is shocked to learn her grandmother was raped in residential school when she was a young girl, that nuns took her child. That her mother has a sister somewhere out there. The child is named Bright Eyes.
If she finds her child Bright Eyes, after all this time, how could she fit? How will she feel learning that she is Indian? Alice has her own secrets, and shame in who she loves, afraid to share the truth of her romantic leanings. Louise had her reasons for running from the reservation and it may be time to tell. There are big things to face when it comes to her own guilt that adds to the great distance between Elinor and Louise. "Not speaking the truth is also a terrible thing. It always corrupts. It's like a worm burrowing in a tree, making things rotten in the core."
The women are a tangle, caught in each other and the only way to be free is to come together. They must find Bright Eyes and in doing so everything between them will come out.
Is it any wonder Elinor has fiercely clung to her beliefs and never trusted those of the white man's when they were the cause of so much of her suffering? This fierce 90 year old Cree woman is the strength of the novel. It is an exploration of holding on to a culture that is being ripped apart, trying to continue on in spite of the horrors that occur. It is about cultural identity, about the wrongs committed when cultures clash. This is not a light fiction, it is heart-breakingly heavy. By the end, the reader will understand the how and why of every choice made by everyone. Well done.
Regardless of our age, we too can often feel the ugly memories are living creatures that won't let us out of their clutches. Elinor has clung to her culture, her daughter Louise abandoned said life for the white man's world and as life is a circle Elinor's grandchild Alice longs to embrace what her own mother discarded. But Elinor has needs of her own, she has to make it right.Elinor has a demand for Alice, "Bring her back. That's simple enough."
But Alice is shocked to learn her grandmother was raped in residential school when she was a young girl, that nuns took her child. That her mother has a sister somewhere out there. The child is named Bright Eyes.
If she finds her child Bright Eyes, after all this time, how could she fit? How will she feel learning that she is Indian? Alice has her own secrets, and shame in who she loves, afraid to share the truth of her romantic leanings. Louise had her reasons for running from the reservation and it may be time to tell. There are big things to face when it comes to her own guilt that adds to the great distance between Elinor and Louise. "Not speaking the truth is also a terrible thing. It always corrupts. It's like a worm burrowing in a tree, making things rotten in the core."
The women are a tangle, caught in each other and the only way to be free is to come together. They must find Bright Eyes and in doing so everything between them will come out.
Is it any wonder Elinor has fiercely clung to her beliefs and never trusted those of the white man's when they were the cause of so much of her suffering? This fierce 90 year old Cree woman is the strength of the novel. It is an exploration of holding on to a culture that is being ripped apart, trying to continue on in spite of the horrors that occur. It is about cultural identity, about the wrongs committed when cultures clash. This is not a light fiction, it is heart-breakingly heavy. By the end, the reader will understand the how and why of every choice made by everyone. Well done.
December 29, 2015
This is Red Sky in the Morning‘s story that she tells in her ninth decade of life. She is a Cree Indian woman who was born on a reservation in the late 1800’s. Red Sky was given the name Elinor when she was a young girl after being dropped off at a Catholic orphanage by her father in an attempt to give her a better life. Unfortunately this was not what occurred. Elinor, like many other Indians, was treated very poorly by the white people in the orphanage. Elinor became a gifted artist who had a special place in her heart for the buffalo that the European settlers almost eliminated to extinction.
Elinor lived her entire life keeping a secret that she felt compelled to share with her daughter and granddaughter as she approached the end of her life. She was compelled to find her fist born child who was stolen from her soon after giving birth. So much injustice, cruelty and racism were imposed upon our Native Americans during these times. The traditions and beliefs of the Cree Indians were well depicted in this story of one woman’s struggles to survive in the white world. Elinor’s daughter, Louise, also has her own secret and Elinor wishes their relationship was better and that that Louise could unburden what has made her so distant throughout the years. Elinor does have a special bond and love for her granddaughter Alice, but she too is burdened with a secret.
I think what made this book so enjoyable is the fact that as a reader I felt the same emotions and distress that Elinor felt. I could relate to her sadness and desire to share her secret and to find her lost child. I would certainly recommend this book to all who enjoy a good story about family connections and historical fiction.
Elinor lived her entire life keeping a secret that she felt compelled to share with her daughter and granddaughter as she approached the end of her life. She was compelled to find her fist born child who was stolen from her soon after giving birth. So much injustice, cruelty and racism were imposed upon our Native Americans during these times. The traditions and beliefs of the Cree Indians were well depicted in this story of one woman’s struggles to survive in the white world. Elinor’s daughter, Louise, also has her own secret and Elinor wishes their relationship was better and that that Louise could unburden what has made her so distant throughout the years. Elinor does have a special bond and love for her granddaughter Alice, but she too is burdened with a secret.
I think what made this book so enjoyable is the fact that as a reader I felt the same emotions and distress that Elinor felt. I could relate to her sadness and desire to share her secret and to find her lost child. I would certainly recommend this book to all who enjoy a good story about family connections and historical fiction.
February 11, 2016
A well written story that revolves around a beautifully spirited 90 year old woman who had a daughter while in a boarding school. The daughter was taken away and now Elinor would like to meet her daughter before she dies. The history of Canadian Indians is very interesting as are the relationships between the characters. At times the story moves very slowly and there is some repetition. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
October 21, 2016
I found myself deeply invested in TEARS IN THE GRASS right from the beginning – pulled into a world of family secrets that felt deeply familiar, and into Cree culture that was fresh and new to me. Eighty-year-old Elinor Greystone’s landscape is compelling, she lives alone in a threadbare cabin on prairie land and keeps company with wild creatures that drift by, ones she seems to know. Elinor’s determination to deal with her troubled past requires her to solve a very old mystery and enter unknown territory, risking her own safety. As her struggle unfolds it envelopes her daughter and granddaughter and forces the family to negotiate the layers of secrets that have spanned generations. The reconciliation here is earned, the wisdom and insight feel like natural outcomes of the story and through it all, my worldview has been wonderfully expanded.
November 19, 2015
This richly beautiful book tells the multigenerational story of three women, Elinor, her daughter Louise, and her granddaughter Alice. Set in the late 1960s in rural Saskatchewan Province, Tears in the Grass at its core is a story of secrets and searching, with both internal and external searches of great depth. It also is a story of relationships, abuse, disappointments, and great joy, all set within the context of the clash and meshing of First Americans and "whites. This novel could have slipped easily into trite "women's fiction" had it not been for Archer's masterful storytelling and her gorgeous language. Brava!
December 5, 2015
Not often do I come across a novel that speaks to my heart the way this one did.
I fell in love with Elinor, feisty and ninety, who is determined to find the daughter who was taken from her when she, Elinor, was a fifteen-year-old Indian child in a Canadian prairie school run by unholy nuns and priests.
There are good times and sad times and secretive times and homecoming times and coming home times in this book, and, taken all together, they add up to some of the most enjoyable pages I have had the pleasure to read.
I read this EARC courtesy of Dundurn Press, Edelweiss and the author.
I fell in love with Elinor, feisty and ninety, who is determined to find the daughter who was taken from her when she, Elinor, was a fifteen-year-old Indian child in a Canadian prairie school run by unholy nuns and priests.
There are good times and sad times and secretive times and homecoming times and coming home times in this book, and, taken all together, they add up to some of the most enjoyable pages I have had the pleasure to read.
I read this EARC courtesy of Dundurn Press, Edelweiss and the author.
September 21, 2015
Beautifully poetic, multi generational novel set in Saskatchewan.
January 19, 2016
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I did not get into this book at first. BUT. It grew on me--mostly due to the language that framed the story. Often the language is beautifully descriptive of nature, Other times, of emotions. I highlighted many sentences where the relatively simple language struck a chord as evocative of so much more.
This novel unfolds slowly --a lovely portrayal of Elinor, a Native American woman sho senses the end of her life [as she senses so many other things]. Elinor decides it's time to find the child taken away from her as a teen--when she was raped at her school run by nuns and priests. This is only a small part of her story. It is a multi-generational matriarchal tale of family. All three women have a secret to hide [though Elinor reveals hers]. Elinor's daughter, Louise finally reveals hers to her mother. Elinor knows that Louise hid her scars and that they "were on the inside." Louise's daughter, Alice, [the grandchild closest to Elinor] keeps her secret. All the women have dimension.
"Where I'm going, everyone knows everything and everyone is speechless"--Elinor says of her impending death. [just one of the sentences I admired.]
This novel unfolds slowly --a lovely portrayal of Elinor, a Native American woman sho senses the end of her life [as she senses so many other things]. Elinor decides it's time to find the child taken away from her as a teen--when she was raped at her school run by nuns and priests. This is only a small part of her story. It is a multi-generational matriarchal tale of family. All three women have a secret to hide [though Elinor reveals hers]. Elinor's daughter, Louise finally reveals hers to her mother. Elinor knows that Louise hid her scars and that they "were on the inside." Louise's daughter, Alice, [the grandchild closest to Elinor] keeps her secret. All the women have dimension.
"Where I'm going, everyone knows everything and everyone is speechless"--Elinor says of her impending death. [just one of the sentences I admired.]
March 10, 2016
90 year old Elinor, who is Cree, is on a quest to right the wrong that was done to her while she was living in a residential school. Elinor was raped and as a result of that rape she had a child that was taken from her. She has kept that secret from her family all these years and now the guilt and grief are more than she can bear as she reaches her twilight years. She asks her daughter and granddaughter to help her find the child. Elinor and her daughter Louise have had a difficult relationship while Louise was growing up and Louise left the reservation as soon as possible. Alice, her granddaughter would like to embrace more of her heritage but she has secrets of her own as well. Now the 3 women, each with their own secrets, must come together and chance that when they find their lost daughter, sister, aunt, their own secrets will reunite them and heal old wounds. Great read. I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.
January 31, 2016
Loved this for the character studies even more than the story. We meet three generations of women in a Cree family, all shaped in some way by the experiences of 90 year old Elinor, living in her rustic cabin and living her simple life following a traumatic experience in aboriginal schools. We can all hope to be like Elinor some day with her stamina, determination and ability to look out for herself even as a frail older woman. I like to think that something like this could occur...a long haul trucker would really pick up an old woman just escaped from the hospital hitchhiking on the side of the road, the only way she can think of to travel a long distance in order for her to put closure to the one aspect of her life still unfinished in her mind. This appeals to my interest in the mystical aspects of life. I received an advanced readers copy from edelweiss for an honest review.
February 11, 2016
Really wonderful multigenerational story. I especially liked the opportunity to learn more about the native American population in Canada, even if it was not all pleasant. I had not read Archer before but I'll look for her again. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. Recommend this to anyone interested in something more substantial but well written and plot driven.
June 25, 2016
I simply thoroughly enjoyed this books, and reluctantly left left Elinor and company when I finished it. There is so much humanity, humour, and insight in this tale - not to mention the suspense; this is a page turner. Underlying forces are pushing and pulling, steering the characters towards a beautifully crafted resolution.
January 2, 2016
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This novel is about three generations of Native American women, each with her unique secrets and struggles, which are to some degree being worked out throughout the story. The description of the book caught my eye, as typically I really enjoy stories like this, in which family dramas unfold in the context of greater struggles in society, in this case the challenges of Native Americans in Canada since the late 19th century to mid 20th century. This story, however, fell a bit flat for me. I did not particularly like any of the characters, and their struggles, while real and profound, at times did not come through with the appropriate emotional weight you would expect of people facing their challenges. I also thought the (somewhat) resolutions to Elinor and Louise´s issues were anticlimactic, not particularly interesting, and somewhat unbelievable. There were also moments the author jumps to a memory or first person description of something that can be abrupt and confusing.
All that said, I do think that this story is worth reading, and to some tastes it may appeal and engage more than it did for me. Despite what I did not like about it, there is much beauty in it as well. Also, it was interesting to be taken into the shoes of women who have lived the challenges and horrors of Native Americans in this time period, and, as an educator in particular, I would want students to read this to have a better understanding of the unjust history of these people. I am interested to read more historical fiction about Native Americans after reading this.
This novel is about three generations of Native American women, each with her unique secrets and struggles, which are to some degree being worked out throughout the story. The description of the book caught my eye, as typically I really enjoy stories like this, in which family dramas unfold in the context of greater struggles in society, in this case the challenges of Native Americans in Canada since the late 19th century to mid 20th century. This story, however, fell a bit flat for me. I did not particularly like any of the characters, and their struggles, while real and profound, at times did not come through with the appropriate emotional weight you would expect of people facing their challenges. I also thought the (somewhat) resolutions to Elinor and Louise´s issues were anticlimactic, not particularly interesting, and somewhat unbelievable. There were also moments the author jumps to a memory or first person description of something that can be abrupt and confusing.
All that said, I do think that this story is worth reading, and to some tastes it may appeal and engage more than it did for me. Despite what I did not like about it, there is much beauty in it as well. Also, it was interesting to be taken into the shoes of women who have lived the challenges and horrors of Native Americans in this time period, and, as an educator in particular, I would want students to read this to have a better understanding of the unjust history of these people. I am interested to read more historical fiction about Native Americans after reading this.
March 19, 2016
It is 1968. Elinor Greystone is a 90+-year-old Cree woman living in the Qu’Appelle Valley in Saskatchewan. As she nears the end of her life, she feels an urgent need to find her first daughter, Bright Eyes, the result of a rape at a residential school. Elinor enlists the help of Alice, her granddaughter, and Louise, her daughter, to find Bright Eyes, the child forcibly taken from Elinor over seven decades earlier.
Red Sky in the Morning, a.k.a. Elinor, is a character the reader will come to love and admire. She has not had an easy life, as she herself admits, having “’survived residential school, the theft of my first-born, the loss of babies, the murder of my husband.’” Yet she retains a stamina and tenacity that belie her years, and she sees beauty in the natural world around her. Her wisdom and her connection to nature especially make her a memorable character; she speaks to animals, even a stuffed bison in a natural history museum which she visits regularly.
This is the first novel I have read which is written from the perspective of a residential school survivor. What makes the novel’s message powerful is that we see the treatment of Indians from a personal perspective. This book could very well have become a political diatribe about the horrors of residential schools, but the author merely touches on some of what happened, and that is enough to convey the horrors of that experience. Elinor’s comment that the school was “a canker, sucking life from all that entered” is an effective description.
It is not just Elinor who emerges as a round character. Her daughter Louise and her granddaughter Alice are also developed. Each of these women has secrets because “shame holds secrets like a banker’s vault” but “Secrets are like pods of the milkweed. They always burst open.” Each woman is also compelled to examine herself to acquire a better sense of who she is, especially in terms of her relationship with her Native heritage. Louise escaped the reservation on which she lived and has long been alienated from her culture; Alice wants her heritage to inform her life.
This book is definitely a worthwhile read. It has a strong, memorable character and it addresses an aspect of Canadian history of which we should all be aware. The novel speaks to both the mind and the heart.
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
Red Sky in the Morning, a.k.a. Elinor, is a character the reader will come to love and admire. She has not had an easy life, as she herself admits, having “’survived residential school, the theft of my first-born, the loss of babies, the murder of my husband.’” Yet she retains a stamina and tenacity that belie her years, and she sees beauty in the natural world around her. Her wisdom and her connection to nature especially make her a memorable character; she speaks to animals, even a stuffed bison in a natural history museum which she visits regularly.
This is the first novel I have read which is written from the perspective of a residential school survivor. What makes the novel’s message powerful is that we see the treatment of Indians from a personal perspective. This book could very well have become a political diatribe about the horrors of residential schools, but the author merely touches on some of what happened, and that is enough to convey the horrors of that experience. Elinor’s comment that the school was “a canker, sucking life from all that entered” is an effective description.
It is not just Elinor who emerges as a round character. Her daughter Louise and her granddaughter Alice are also developed. Each of these women has secrets because “shame holds secrets like a banker’s vault” but “Secrets are like pods of the milkweed. They always burst open.” Each woman is also compelled to examine herself to acquire a better sense of who she is, especially in terms of her relationship with her Native heritage. Louise escaped the reservation on which she lived and has long been alienated from her culture; Alice wants her heritage to inform her life.
This book is definitely a worthwhile read. It has a strong, memorable character and it addresses an aspect of Canadian history of which we should all be aware. The novel speaks to both the mind and the heart.
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
July 30, 2016
Set in Saskatchewan in 1968, TEARS IN THE GRASS is a beautifully written, nuanced story of three generations of Cree women who have chosen different paths to find their place in the world. (They call themselves Indian; the term 'First Nations' has not yet evolved.) The story reaches back to the time before Indian reserves, as 90-year-old Elinor remembers her early childhood living on the open prairie. The story recalls pre-settler days through another character, a stuffed museum bison, who remembers his youth running free in a vast herd. Big Brown feels a special empathy with the old Cree artist, Elinor, who comes to draw him.
Elinor, her daughter Louise, and her granddaughter Alice each carry a painful burden that they have not been able to reveal. Knowing that her time is limited, Elinor finds the courage to share her secret and ask for help. Through Elinor's unrelenting determination and her family's commitment, this secret unravels to a poignant and satisfying conclusion. While assisting Elinor, Louise and Alice each wrestle with their own secret guilt and fear. Finally Louise tells her mother of the terrible event from years ago and finds peace in Elinor's love. Interestingly, the reader knows Alice's issue but she cannot share it with her family during the course of the book.
Having lived in Saskatchewan for many years, this book resonated with me on many levels. The author, a Saskatchewan resident herself, evokes the power and beauty of the prairie landscape and the comfort of natural spiritualism. With honesty and grace, Lynda Archer weaves examples of racism and residential school abuses into the story, so that the reader feels the pain of these offenses along with the characters.
Elinor, her daughter Louise, and her granddaughter Alice each carry a painful burden that they have not been able to reveal. Knowing that her time is limited, Elinor finds the courage to share her secret and ask for help. Through Elinor's unrelenting determination and her family's commitment, this secret unravels to a poignant and satisfying conclusion. While assisting Elinor, Louise and Alice each wrestle with their own secret guilt and fear. Finally Louise tells her mother of the terrible event from years ago and finds peace in Elinor's love. Interestingly, the reader knows Alice's issue but she cannot share it with her family during the course of the book.
Having lived in Saskatchewan for many years, this book resonated with me on many levels. The author, a Saskatchewan resident herself, evokes the power and beauty of the prairie landscape and the comfort of natural spiritualism. With honesty and grace, Lynda Archer weaves examples of racism and residential school abuses into the story, so that the reader feels the pain of these offenses along with the characters.
November 3, 2016
Ms Archer has set herself a challenging task in thisTears in the Grass, her first published novel. It is a compelling read, and I turned the pages well into the night. The characters inhabited my days while I was reading, and have stayed with me for weeks afterward. The narrative centers around women, and introduces themes of tragedy, loss and revenge, the hard choices we all must make in life, and the tension between traditional values and contemporary life confronted by indigenous people. The misery, dislocation and abuse of the boarding schools set up for Native American children in the past century has been well documented, but the human cost of this system is powerfully portrayed in this book.
Yet the strength of the instinct to survive, the fallout of inter-generational grief and subsequent healing that can occur is the focus of the book. Though much of the story is grim, there are flashes of beauty and kindness throughout. The character of an American bison, whose spirit lives though his body is on display in a dusty museum case, is magically real, and connects the present to the past. The portrayal of the prairie itself is almost another character in the book. The challenges of old age and approaching death are explored.
The secrets we carry, and the cost we pay in carrying them is another profound theme. The hopeful end of the book, and a surprise revelation near the end brought the story to a satisfying conclusion. This book would make for an excellent book group discussion, and at 314 pages, is not a daunting choice. The descriptions are at times so vivid I could imagine the movie that will be made of this story one day.
Yet the strength of the instinct to survive, the fallout of inter-generational grief and subsequent healing that can occur is the focus of the book. Though much of the story is grim, there are flashes of beauty and kindness throughout. The character of an American bison, whose spirit lives though his body is on display in a dusty museum case, is magically real, and connects the present to the past. The portrayal of the prairie itself is almost another character in the book. The challenges of old age and approaching death are explored.
The secrets we carry, and the cost we pay in carrying them is another profound theme. The hopeful end of the book, and a surprise revelation near the end brought the story to a satisfying conclusion. This book would make for an excellent book group discussion, and at 314 pages, is not a daunting choice. The descriptions are at times so vivid I could imagine the movie that will be made of this story one day.
October 19, 2016
Having lived in Saskatchewan most of my life, and having known, worked with, and taught many Aboriginal people, and above all, having attended the hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, I found that the author of this book truly captures the life, culture and struggles of many of the Cree people who have lived on the prairies and suffered the outcomes of residential school life. The author's descriptions of the prairie landscape, the culture, the thoughts and hardships of these people is vividly depicted. At times while reading this novel, I actually felt like I was right there in the Qu'Appelle Valley listening and watching it all happen. The three main characters of this novel are very distinctively developed and their stories are interwoven in such a way as to create an interesting, colourful tapestry. There is no doubt that the author is well steeped in the knowledge of the setting and the life stories of the Cree people. I highly recommend this novel as a great read, not only to come to know the beauty of the prairies, but to come to a greater understanding and appreciation for the Cree people and their struggle to overcome the hardships endured in residential schools. I appreciated the mystical overtones woven throughout the book whenever the elder visited the buffalo at the museum. It added a sense of mystery and intrigue to a very human experience of love, loss and restoration.
July 5, 2016
This debut novel was definitely written by someone with a love and personal connection with the Canadian prairie. I think her descriptions were so impeccable it was like coming home. Elinor herself was not only an interesting character, but also so true to life. I love multi-generational stories, and these Cree women with their secrets had the makings of being memorable. Unfortunately, other than Elinor, I really didn't feel connected to Louise or Alice. Elinors struggles, from living in the residential school, her affinity to the bison, her longing for a secret she's kept for so long was well written, heartbreaking and interesting. Somewhere along the way, the novel became bogged down. Perhaps it was a bit too long, and again, Louise and Alice certainly were not fleshed out like they should have been. It fell a bit flat for me.
October 6, 2016
I had the title catch my eye at the local library and after reading the preface I had to read it. 90 year old Elinor reminded me so much of family that has passed on, particularly my Mom and maternal Granny. They were very tough women who had it hard, especially Granny growing up and living in dirt poor rural Kentucky. She and Mom passed on a respect for nature and being satisfied with what you have. Elinor has a deep wish for her daughter and granddaughter to follow the Cree traditions and be one with nature, and to find her daughter who was stolen from her when she was a young girl. I didn't want the story or the search to end! I hope my family will remember the ways of our ancestors and the love they left/are leaving us.
May 4, 2016
The author's love of the Canadian Prairies is evident throughout the novel. Elinor is 90+years old, feisty and determined, and with a tragic secret from her life in a residential school in Saskatchewan. Her story is told with clarity and compassion, but the strength of her spirit to overcome her past and her dark secret is even more evident. The author weaves Elinor's tale with respect and care, revealing the impacts of First Nations culture, family dynamics, guilt, secrets, and love. A delightful, thought-provoking read. I look forward to reading Lynda's next novel.
March 19, 2016
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Heartfelt and beautifully written, this is the story of Cree woman Red Sky in the Morning, later called Elinor, and her life story is compelling. Through three generations, Elinor stays in touch with her native roots, and struggles to find a lost child. She is feisty, she is stubborn, she is powerful and she is endearing. Highly recommended.
Heartfelt and beautifully written, this is the story of Cree woman Red Sky in the Morning, later called Elinor, and her life story is compelling. Through three generations, Elinor stays in touch with her native roots, and struggles to find a lost child. She is feisty, she is stubborn, she is powerful and she is endearing. Highly recommended.
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January 30, 2021I absolutely loved this novel. The characters are wonderful, the story highly interesting, having the bison added another layer. It was fabulous, including the ending. I stayed up too late finishing it. Lynda Archer is a talented Writer. More please...
Trish
Trish
March 26, 2016
Tears in the Grass!!! First things first: I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley.
The book is already out and it's worth checking out.
The book is about "story of three generations of Cree women — Elinor, Louise, and Alice — setting out to uncover a long-buried secret that will change all of their lives. Set in the Qu'Appelle Valley and prairies in the late 1960s, the novel confronts the trauma of residential schools, and the long, dark shadow they cast over the present."
It took me a while to get really into the book and I wasn't sure if the book was for me. But I kept going cause the story just really interested me. And it was so worth it.
The writing is really great and just beautiful when it comes to descibing the world around these three characters.
The characters were wonderful. Elinor was a bit rude at times but that just what comes with age, she's 90-something, people at that age don't waste their times and tell you just how they see things. She reminded me of both my grandma's in that way. I loved reading her story. What I loved about the book was that Louise and Alice weren't just the daughter and granddaughter that were helping Elinor to find her first born child but that they had their own stories too. I love how things went for them. That they grew closer through all of this.
It didn't get a five star raiting for me cause it took me so long to really get into it and because some of the parts felt really drawn out. Still it's a really beautiful story.
The book is already out and it's worth checking out.
The book is about "story of three generations of Cree women — Elinor, Louise, and Alice — setting out to uncover a long-buried secret that will change all of their lives. Set in the Qu'Appelle Valley and prairies in the late 1960s, the novel confronts the trauma of residential schools, and the long, dark shadow they cast over the present."
It took me a while to get really into the book and I wasn't sure if the book was for me. But I kept going cause the story just really interested me. And it was so worth it.
The writing is really great and just beautiful when it comes to descibing the world around these three characters.
The characters were wonderful. Elinor was a bit rude at times but that just what comes with age, she's 90-something, people at that age don't waste their times and tell you just how they see things. She reminded me of both my grandma's in that way. I loved reading her story. What I loved about the book was that Louise and Alice weren't just the daughter and granddaughter that were helping Elinor to find her first born child but that they had their own stories too. I love how things went for them. That they grew closer through all of this.
It didn't get a five star raiting for me cause it took me so long to really get into it and because some of the parts felt really drawn out. Still it's a really beautiful story.
April 20, 2016
Fascinating story, shame about the execution.
This story is about 3 generations of women who have suffered; rape, prejudices and stolen children. The journey of Elinor, Louise and Alice is ostensibly to find a lost child, the product of a rape who was stolen by a nun, but in fact it is a journey to find their true selves ... blah, blah, blah. The idea is sound and in many places the narrative is beautiful, but overall it's just too much, too clever. A good book transports you to another world and involves you in someone else's story so much you gasp or cry or jump. This book felt like work, like reading it was a job. The language, while very creative and occasionally interesting, is just too forced. It's like a graduate student decided to write a proper book that people who really understand the mechanics of writing will love. I didn't study literature past 18 so perhaps I'm just not educated enough for this book. Maybe you need a degree and little interest in reading for pleasure.
The real shame of it is that there is so much potential here; Elinor is a wonderful character but you can't really feel with her because you keep getting torn out of the story by the 'worthy' bits. The other characters are frankly a little boring and too obviously a plot device. I wanted so much to love this book based on its description, I suspect if my expectations had been lower I may have enjoyed it more. Unfortunately, it just left me alternately bored, frustrated and annoyed.
Lucy
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
This story is about 3 generations of women who have suffered; rape, prejudices and stolen children. The journey of Elinor, Louise and Alice is ostensibly to find a lost child, the product of a rape who was stolen by a nun, but in fact it is a journey to find their true selves ... blah, blah, blah. The idea is sound and in many places the narrative is beautiful, but overall it's just too much, too clever. A good book transports you to another world and involves you in someone else's story so much you gasp or cry or jump. This book felt like work, like reading it was a job. The language, while very creative and occasionally interesting, is just too forced. It's like a graduate student decided to write a proper book that people who really understand the mechanics of writing will love. I didn't study literature past 18 so perhaps I'm just not educated enough for this book. Maybe you need a degree and little interest in reading for pleasure.
The real shame of it is that there is so much potential here; Elinor is a wonderful character but you can't really feel with her because you keep getting torn out of the story by the 'worthy' bits. The other characters are frankly a little boring and too obviously a plot device. I wanted so much to love this book based on its description, I suspect if my expectations had been lower I may have enjoyed it more. Unfortunately, it just left me alternately bored, frustrated and annoyed.
Lucy
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
October 29, 2018
Seduced by a talking buffalo and a feisty 90-year-old Cree woman, I was swiftly and skillfully pulled into the very fabric of Lynda Archer’s tale. The threads of time, secrecy, culture, and relationship are woven into this beautifully written debut novel. In working so many universal themes, TEARS is a poignant and deeply rich story, difficult to hear on many levels, yet welcomed in its necessary telling.
There are a few stumbles in pace and perhaps a sluggish transition or two, but overall, Archer is an extremely gifted word crafter. She strengthens her unique story line with skillful use of conflict and suspense, interior characterization and dialogue, along with expert application of flashbacks. And she does it all consistently well using four primary points of view ~ her three Cree women and a museum-encased bison. Above all, however, Lynda Archer is a master of descriptive language. She especially captures a sense of place as well as any writer I’ve read recently. Even though she was born and raised in the presence of the Saskatchewan prairie, it still necessitated genuine talent to have captured its core essence ~ and that she has done! KUDOS to a new novelist from a reader who trusts there is much more to come.
There are a few stumbles in pace and perhaps a sluggish transition or two, but overall, Archer is an extremely gifted word crafter. She strengthens her unique story line with skillful use of conflict and suspense, interior characterization and dialogue, along with expert application of flashbacks. And she does it all consistently well using four primary points of view ~ her three Cree women and a museum-encased bison. Above all, however, Lynda Archer is a master of descriptive language. She especially captures a sense of place as well as any writer I’ve read recently. Even though she was born and raised in the presence of the Saskatchewan prairie, it still necessitated genuine talent to have captured its core essence ~ and that she has done! KUDOS to a new novelist from a reader who trusts there is much more to come.
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