Where the Broken Heart Still Beats: The Story of Cynthia Ann Parker

by Carolyn Meyer

At the age of nine, Cynthia Ann Parker was captured in an Indian raid and taken to live as a slave with the Comanche. Twenty-four years later, she is the wife of a chief and the mother of a young warrior destined to become the great chief Quanah Parker. But in 1861, Parker and her infant daughter are recaptured and returned against their will to a white settlement. This moving story is a riveting examination of the conflicts between Native Americans and white settlers.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Native American, Historical, School, Civil War

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Carolyn Meyer is as versatile a writer as you will find. Along with historical fiction and realistic novels for young adults she has written nonfiction for young adults and books for younger readers on topics as diverse as the Amish, the Irish, Japanese, Yup'ik Eskimos, a rock band, rock tumbling, bread baking, and coconuts. And ten of her books have been chosen as Best Books for Young Adults by the American Library Association. In her most recent historical novels she has dealt with the young lives of Mary Tudor, Princess Elizabeth, Anastasia, and Isabel of Castilla, Spain.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been fascinated with the story of Cynthia Ann Parker ever since I was a girl and my mom gave me Ride the Wind to read. It was wildly over-romanticized, but still I loved it. So when I run across another book about her, I almost always give it a try. This effort was so-so. It is aimed at young adults, and only really attempts to cover the extraordinarily sad period of time after Parker was forcibly returned to her Texas family and prevented from returning to her Comanche husband and sons. I know the author doesn't agree with the sentiments that she had some of her characters make ("only good Indian is a dead Indian" "filthy savage" etc.) but it still troubled me to read it. One of those things I hate being reminded of--that I belong to a society descended from one in which such sentiments were too common and Parker's forcible and devastatingly cruel "repatriation" made perfect sense.

[Challice · Rating 4 out of 5]

With little details and conflicting reports on what facts are to be had, Carolyn Meyer weaves a possible tale of the heartbreaking story of Cynthia Ann Parker, and her cousin Lucy.

I thought Meyer did a great job illustrating the depth that this women had to endure from being born a white person, to being raise by the Comanche, or The People, and then thrust back into white society as a mom of a warrior, and with the raising of her daughter in a different culture.

It is written more for the younger generation. It is cleaned up but still told in a raw way. I was very moved by this story and have added it to a permanent shelf in our home.

[Jessin Stalnaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

“…life often takes away from us the thing we love best, and if we’re lucky, we get something to take its place. I think your grandfather and everyone else meant well by bringing Cynthia Ann and Prairie Flower here. But they weren’t meant to be among us.”

[Bea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been interested in the American Indian culture. So when I picked up this book, I was captured immediately by Cynthia Ann's plight and Lucy's sympathy. Although I believe that the rest of the Parker family's attitudes were common in that time due to fear and misunderstanding, I was a bit dismayed at the women's attitude. Couldn't they reach out more to this lost member of their family and try to understand her plight?

I could not put this book down. I know that it is a historical fiction and that little is known of Cynthia Ann Parker, but it read like truth.

[Cherokee Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

What drew me in to this story is the fact that not only was Cynthia Ann captured at a young age by Indians but then was forcefully taken AGAIN by the U.S. Marshalls. Like I didn’t know that was a thing?! This poor woman. Even if we may never know what truly happened to her, it’s easy to infer that she was strong and endured much in her 37 years of life.

[Justine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and heartbreaking. This is a book geared towards young readers, but I would recommend it to adults too. It captured well the difficulty of trying to shift back and forth between two cultures.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carolyn Meyer has a gift at drawing the young reader to historical topics these middle school aged readers may not otherwise read at all. It is also an easy, quick read for adults who want to read with interest on an airplane - and not just a yawning time killer.

[Lacey Yoder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a beautiful True story!! About Cynthia Ann who is captured By the Indians when she was just a little girl! she lived with them for many years, and then her uncle found her again, but by then, she was married to the chief, and had a sweet baby girl named Topsannah,and 3 sons and did not want to return with the white man !!The story is touching and sad!!! 🥹🥰4.5 ⭐️ definitely recommend!!!♥️

[Deborah Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

No matter how many times I read this book, and it has been quite a few, what with teaching it periodically, I still mourn for Cynthia Ann Parker.

[John Kaufmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cynthia Ann Parker was captured by the Comaches as a child and lived with the tribe for 25 years, bearing two children, one a son who grew up to be the chief and fierce Comanche warrior Quanah. This book is the story of her return to her living American relatives on the Texas frontier, her attempted escapes to return to the Comanches, and her struggle to adjust to American culture and fit in. The story is told, in alternating chapters, through her eyes and through the eyes of her cousin who befriended her. It is a tragic story that keeps one turning the pages. Through her reflections and yearining to return to the Comaches, one gets a glimpse of what her life with the tribe was like. a Young Adult book -- short and sweet; very readable, and quite interesting. 3-1/2 stars.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was hoping for more details regarding Cynthia Ann Parker, as I recently found out we are distant cousins. This was an enjoyable read, but not as educational as I had expected. Next up I will be reading about her son, Chief Quanah - hoping to learn more!

[Nelda Zamir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cynthia Ann Parker was a real girl who was captured by the Comanche Indians and taken as a prisoner. Several family members were killed in front of her eyes. She slowly acclimated with the Comanche speaking the Comanche language and forgetting English and her own history. She married a Comanche chief with whom she had three children--one son becoming the famous Quanah Parker She was later captured by Texas Rangers in a violent raid and returned to surviving white family members along with her young daughter. This book tells of the time period following her return to white society through the eyes of her young niece, Lucy, and through her own. The impossibility of re-adjusting to white society is a heart-breaking read.

It's a tragic story. My grandfather would tell us about Cynthia Ann. He grew up in that area and knew her story well. I found this perspective of her story told mainly through the journal of her sympathetic niece very moving.

[Kenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars rounded down

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cynthia Ann Parker is abducted by Indians when she is nine years old. Twenty-five years later Cynthia Ann and her daughter are taken back from the Indians and returned to live with her Uncle and his family. The family tries to re-teach her the ways of the white man and how to live as such but, she has lived with the Indians for so long, she believes she is one.

The cultural differences between white men and Indians are explored when the main character remembers the details about her life as an Indian. She recalls the way they hunted, made clothing, and even they way they prepared their food for storage. The lifestyle of the white man are also given in detail as others in the story try to teach Cynthia Ann how to behave and live like them.

[Sonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the real-life story of Cynthia Ann Parker who, as a child, was captured by the Comanches and lived with them until the age of 34 when Texas Rangers "recaptured" her and reunited her with the Parker family. Chapter 14 is especially moving - it tells of Cynthia Ann's "dream" where she actually remembers what happened in the attack that led to her capture as a child - things that she had tried to forget so she could survive. This is a very sad book. It's hard to believe that the Parker family could not admit that she was miserable with them and not return her to her Comanche husband and children she missed so badly.

[Tomoko · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was interesting to learn about the culture of Comanche Indian people. It was really sad when Topsannah passes away........ I wish Cynthia Ann had more good time happily with Lucy but she missed her sons too much.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sensitive description of abducted child forcibly returned to the white world as an adult. Living in a area where Indian abductions of children were not uncommon, this fictional story concurs with the local historical accounts I have read.

[*Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty Interesing! I'd reccomed to anyone who is looking for a book on the conflict between Indians and settlers :)

[Shells · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book many years ago but remember really liking it then. Definately named a few dolls "Topsannah" after the girl in the book.

[Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed, I cried, I sighed. This is an inspiring book about how priceless love is. I will always hold a spot in my heart for this book.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compared to Ride The Wind, this book is very tame. If Ride The Wind is a wild mustang, this book is a pony for zoo rides. It is light, written from Lucy's POV and 3rd person, giving accounts of Cynthia's life after returning to the white people, and flashbacks of her life with the Comanche and before her capture. This book gives the Comanche a stoic image. Just doing and saying (no accounts of them talking, though) whats important. It seems this book takes away all of the emotional bits in Comanche life. No love, no care, just work,just do, no drama. While the whites have all of the drama. Their hatred toward the Indians, doesm't accept Cynthia. It truly makes me sad. Lucy is fictional though, but I do hope that Cynthia makes friendship with anyone after she is back to the whites in real life. It is really tragic.

I also think that this book gives a message that because we do not understand, or refuse to understand, we make other people suffer. It goes to both party. Indians and whites. What is actually a good intention becomes bad because they do not understand the real reason for it. Why do they raid? It is wrong. Why do they take captives ? Why do they destroy the land? Why do they kill the buffaloes? Why do they dress like this? Why do they use buckskin ? Why do they use fabric ? And all other questions.

[Mary Bronson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was an interesting story about Cynthia Ann Parker. I did not know anything about her until I read this book. I have not read many books about early Texas and what happened. This story is about a real woman who was captured by Native Americans at the age of 9 and lived with them for many years. She was at first their slave, but then became a member of the tribe. She than married a well respected man of the tribe who would later be the chief. She had two boys with him and a baby girl, but then one day at 25 some white people found out who she was and took her away from the home she grown to love to bring her back to her family. This was a very on everyone. The one person who understood was her cousin Lucy, who also shared part of the narrative. Some chapters were from Cynthia Ann's point of view and others were from Lucy's diary she kept during that time. It was hard to read sometimes on how the white people treated Cynthia and her daughter. What was also a different read for me was how Texas took part during the Civil War. I don't read much about the states out west during that time.

[Tom Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fictionalized story of a real life. Carolyn Meyer gives us a well researched and entirely possible story of the story of Cynthia Ann Parker. There are a lot of holes in our historical knowledge of Cynthia Ann Parker, so Meyer takes advantage of that to create a very good work of historical fiction.
I have to saw that this was as sad as any story I've ever read. It's the story of a woman who was torn away from her family not once, but twice, and that was probably just too much for her to bear. There have been some instances in history when cultures which are incredibly different have encountered each other. If you've ever seen the photo of the visit of Native American leaders who visited the Lincoln White House in 1863, you get an idea of just how wide the gulf was between those cultures. In fact, the gulf was just too great to be overcome and as a result, some terrible stories like that of Cynthia Ann Parker took place.
It is, in my opinion, a book that's worth reading. It's written for youth and would certainly encourage them to think about the things that went wrong and how they could have turned out differently.

[Elizabeth Gunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to rate a book based off of someone's life and real events. It makes it difficult to accurately critique the characters and plot, because when wanting to be faithful to reality, you can't change facts. But that being said, I believe Carolyn Meyer wrote a beautiful story based off of delicate subject. Cynthia Ann's story is so heartbreaking, and creating a novel with her voice, describing what she might've felt, gave her story so much more raw emotion. I loved how Meyer portrayed both sides, Cynthia Ann and Lucy, and created details where history left gaps. I wish I had read this story earlier, as rarely are stories like this taught in high school history.

Overall, I really recommend looking into Cynthia Ann's story. The only complaint I have with this book is that I wish it had more details and read more maturely than a middle grade. But despite that, I have been inspired to research more about Cynthia's story and I'm so glad Meyer's book had the ability to create such a strong impression.

[Kat (kvcatnip) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went on a hunt to find this book last Summer, with very little information. I read it at age 9 or 10, and unlike other books from my childhood - I remember this one clearly. When I told my Mother about this book, even she remembered me reading it and telling her about it as a child. Eventually, I was able to track it down to buy a used copy.

I’m so glad that I did! Child me was fascinated with the tenacity of Cynthia Ann while also being overwhelmed to learn about such possibilities. Adult me as able to understand the grief Naduah was trying to convey to a world that didn’t understand her. I appreciate that the author explains at the end of the story the lack of solid historical documentation there is on this woman’s life. That she created a story with what little facts there are to paint for us a snapshot of who history has made her to be.

My favorite thing about this book and Naduah’s story is the understanding that family is not always blood, but people that choose you.

4.5 🌟

[Jennifer Elbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written for middle school readers, this book provides such good insight into lives of settlers in Texas in the 1800's, as well as conflicts with Native American tribes. It's historical fiction, based on the true story of the recapture of Cynthia Ann Parker in 1836. I first read this book about 25-years ago and I remember not liking it. My own children were in elementary school and I thought it was too sad for children that age to read. (Little did I know that in sixth grade, they would be studying the holocaust most of the year.) Now I re-read it so I could discuss it with a 12-year-old immigrant child who has limited background with Texas history. This time, I found the book chock-full of fascinating details and a wealth of information so helpful for young students. Of course it's also great for helping kids learn empathy for different people and cultures.

I usually avoid YA books but really appreciate this one! Hats off to Denton author Carolyn Meyer!

[audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was so amazing. the story of cynthia ann parker is so fascinating to me. it’s such a tragic story about a young girl who was taken from her home in texas to live with the comanche tribe. for around twenty-five years she stayed with them until texas rangers found her and her daughter, topsannah, at a river and took them back to her “home” in texas. the journal entries cynthias cousin, lucy, writes in the story are so beautifully crafted and carolyn meyer does such a great job making the reader feel connected to the story. i would recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in history, and to be honest i would recommend this book even if you aren’t interested. i’m not a huge fan of reading history, but i was not disappointed. so i recommend this book to everyone!

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, based on actual events in Texas in the mid 19th century tell the story of a raid in a village of white settlers in which 9 year old Cynthia Ann Parker is abducted and raised by a Comanche tribe. She became acclimated and as an adult married a young brave who became a chief. She had three children the oldest of which were teenage sons who left to go hunting with their father. Cynthia Ann and her toddler daughter were captured by the Texas Rangers and brought to her Uncle Isaac’s house. She is befriended by her young cousin Lucy but she immediately tries to escape and get back to her family. In the midst of her struggles the Civil War breaks out and Texas joins the Confederacy. Cynthia Ann is painted as a strong, resilient woman but her trials are heartbreaking.

[Laraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I read this book I remembered I read it in middle school. Now that we are homeschooling, I choose a bunch of “women captured by Indian books” for my students to explore what life was like just before the War of Unpleasantness and at the end of Indian attacks in the West. Even reading as an adult, this book does not disappoint.
Back in 1864 when the Indians were searching the plains for Buffalo to eat and keep them warm, the white people were searching and farming land and staking their property.
This book will make you think about a lot of things. Without spoilers it’s a must read again in adulthood.

[The Reading Countess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical fiction, by its very definition, should have told me not to buy the bit about Cynthia Ann's child cousin, Lucy, in this book. I was dismayed to read at the end, though, that she was a fictional character and saddened for Cynthia Ann that she didn't have such a ferocious advocate for her. The truth is that she was tossed around from family member to family member, a prisoner often locked away so that she did not attempt to flee back to the only family she ever knew-the Comanche tribe.