Ashana

by E.P. Roesch

It is the 1790s, and the old ways of Alayeksa are perishing, crushed by a collision of cultures. Russian fur traders are claiming the rich Alaskan wilderness for imperial Russia, and forcing the proud Native Americans into slavery.

Beautiful Ashana, torn from her young husband to be the mistress and servant of the captain of the invaders, turns for help to the ancient spirits who have always guided her people. In the magical spirit world of the raven, in the memory of the husband she believes to be dead, in the force of her unremitting rage. Ashana finds the wisdom and power to challenge her cruel destiny.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical

414 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 29, 1990

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the 1700’s Russian fur traders were expanding their territory into the fur-rich territory we now know as Alaska. This is a story that is based on a real Athabaskan woman named Ashana. She was taken hostage from her tribe to be the mistress of a Russian commander, Alexander Baranof. Torn from her family and her husband, she lived as a captive for many years and even bore Baranof two children. Through the years, Ashana tried to hold on to her culture and her dreams of reuniting with her husband. This book is an interesting mix of Russian and Alaskan history. While the language is sometimes hard to get through (because of pronunciations), I got so invested with the story and folklore I could not put this book down. By the time I was through reading, I felt like I knew the characters inside and out and had lived a whole lifetime with Ashana. The last few chapters of the book are what really made me bump this from a 4 star to 5-star book. I loved this strong courageous woman and the heartbreaking story of her people.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brilliantly detailed and filled in with fantastic Alaskan wilderness descriptions, but terribly depressing! The plight of the Native Americans in Alaska was wonderfully rendered with great emphasis on the evils of the Western Europeans who took over and settled there. Unfortunately, there was not much positive imagery for the Colonists and the telling is very one sided. Truthfully good story telling, I just would have looked for something a bit more positive and uplifting in the end or at least towards the end of the book.

[Shasha · Rating 1 out of 5]

My review does not reflect badly on the writing.

Rather, my rating is how I felt reading this book and how I felt afterwards. There is so much graphic rape and other abuse that I can only recommend this book to those need to know how badly the natives were treated.

The heroine does make the best of a bad situation but to me it wasn't enough.

Mature content

[Jessica DeYoung · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hard book to read, but a history that must be known. Even having a BA in social work and learning a lot about our forgotten history and the hardships the natives faced. I did not know the Russian and American fur traders kept natives as slaves to hunt furs and also stole native women to rape. This was like how Japanese kept comfort women and those women would be repeatedly used by several men a day and the women would have a short life expectancy from disease and physical abuse. I had no idea that was what also happened to lots of natives during the fur trapping era. My husbands has ancestors that were fur trapper married to natives from Canada, makes me wonder what their lives were really like and if they were actually willing relationships. I also have native ancestry and this is a history I never knew effected natives. They were not only massacred, but enslaved and raped. Most people in the pnw have ancestors who were native Americans and yet this isn’t talked about.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking. Crude. Honest. Macabre.

The story is well-written, the characters deep and well done, the history thoroughly researched and woven in.
The plot twisted and turned... I didn't know what would happen. My secret hopes.... my heart lifted and crashed like the sea. I can't...

The book is not for the faint of heart. It's hard, brutal. But, if you're willing... I don’t regret the read.

The note at the end is worth reading.

CW: Rape
Sex
Swearing/cursing
General horrible things, people, and events.

[George/Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

George: Incredible accomplishment. One of the most memorable books I've ever read.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

It touched me.
Reading this kept me on my seat. I felt extreme feeling about the people and what happened. This book tore at my heart. Extremely well written, and incredible pace.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

great historical research by author

[D.L. Atha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and haunting historical fiction novel. I reread it every few years.

[Maja Miljković · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a shorter version of the book, but was still shocked with the story and the narration is so good.