Set Me Free

by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

Elliot Barrow is a man of ideals. The founder of Ponderosa Academy, a school for Native Americans, he is a paragon of virtue. But when he is critically injured in a horrific fire, his family, colleagues, and friends begin to unravel the devastating catastrophe at the heart of his life.

SET ME FREE is full of those who love Amelia, his sixteen-year-old daughter, who has never imagined the violent, tragic truth behind the legacy of her dead mother; Helen, Elliot?s first wife, visiting the academy to direct a production of The Tempest; and Cal, Elliot?s closest friend and bitterest rival. Then there is the matter of Willa Llewelyn, hurtling across the country in a wheezing Volvo. She has never heard of Ponderosa Academy or Elliot Barrow. But she is vital to the great, beguiling mystery haunting Amelia, Helen, and Cal.

In its frank depictions of friendship, fatherhood, race, class, love, and devastation, SET ME FREE is moving, incisive, and above all, wise.

Genres: Fiction

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

I love to meet with book clubs, especially via Zoom. Please email me: mirandabeverlywhittemore@gmail.com and we can work something out!

I write novels, and most of those novels have to do with secrets. My fifth book, FIERCE LITTLE THING, will be out from Flatiron Books on July 27, 2021.

Set in the backwoods of Maine, FIERCE LITTLE THING has been described as "The Girls" meets "The Interestings." It's about a woman who is blackmailed into returning to Maine and the cult of her youth when someone threatens to reveal the terrible deed she committed with her childhood friends.

My other novels include JUNE and New York Times bestseller BITTERSWEET.

Check out more about me and my work at MirandaBW.com, on Instagram: @MirandaBW1 and Twitter: @MirandaBW.

Reviews

[Rhuddem Gwelin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite being based on a school production of 'The Tempest', there is surprisingly little Shakespeare here. At the same time it has the flavour of Shakespearean absurdity with all the tangled love stories, unlikely drama and quick ending involving SPOILER identical twins. I read this book once before when I hadn't yet become a Shakespeare freak so I thought it would be worth reading again when I borrowed it by mistake from the library. It was indeed but while I enjoyed the novel, it felt contrived and the narration method was at times confusing. So is that a recommendation or not? You decide.

[Melanie B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great novel about the healing and destructive powers of truth, both in keeping the truth hidden and in finally revealing it.

It's set in the desert of Eastern Oregon next to a Native American reservation and focuses on the lives of two fathers, two daughters, and four friends. A production of Shakespeare’s Tempest is part of the story, and the author also modeled some of the narrative structures and themes on the play.

By the end of the story, almost all of the secrets are revealed. I had figured them out by that point, and most people will probably have them figured out way before I did, but it’s still a good read and you’ll enjoy sorting things out and getting to know the interesting characters.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was only ‘ok’. There were too many characters and too many storylines, to make this an enjoyable read, for me personally. The book felt muddled, as if the author were trying to stuff many ideas into one novel.

The ending was odd and, while I didn’t mind it, it wasn’t totally satisfying; the ending felt somewhat rushed considering how the rest of the book played out.

Also, the injection of various ‘stories’ into the story was annoying (for me). I would have preferred that the author just incorporate all information into the actual storyline, rather than having these separate ‘stories’ as you went along.

I would completely recommend the author’s other two books, but not this one.

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book has an interesting premise -- among others -- to weave The Tempest into a modern story, to consider racial politics and leftist politics. Unfortunately not all aspects of the novel rise to this level. I found the characters too similar. I couldn't tell one from the other. The time frames of various sections aren't well-delineated by language or description. The voice of the narrator is not compelling. I couldn't really even tell you how many there were. One? Six? The overall plot is contrived and obvious, and it's wrapped up at the end by saying no one will be able to understand the key character's motive. That's convenient for the author. I felt like the author was telling the story from a very long way off--it was descriptive on the surface but not emotionally compelling.

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am amazed at Miranda Beverly-Whittemore's scope as a novelist. This is the third book I've read of hers, and each is so different from the one before.

Set me Free is my second favorite, and I especially liked how all of the stories tied up together at the end. I wish we had more closure between the young girl and the Native American boy (can't remember their names now, as I'm writing this several months after finishing).

I would recommend this book, but there is a latent political undertone which can become a bit heavy-handed at times.

[Linconter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look at the efforts of a white educator to "bring education" to the rez (which is a fictional one). If you read it in conjunction with CALEB'S CROSSING you get an even wider look at the issue. and then read "The Tempest", which is the play that the educator brings to the school for its students to put on with the help of an off-Broadway director. Some minds take hundreds of years to change.... The novel kind of grows on you..

[Mary Ellen Wagner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting into this book because there are so many characters and it was difficult to keep track of them all. Once I became familiar with the characters, I was drawn into the story and did not want to stop reading. Unfortunately, the story never really delivered. I felt the resolution didn't really resolve much, and I was disappointed that it didn't involve the Native American characters at all except in supporting roles.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

$.50 cent special from Big Lots. Very slow starting and I wasn't that crazy about the main narrator but eventually it got my interest and I enjoyed it. Oh I forgot - I had trouble with the cultural references - I believe this was set in the 1980s? but it read like the teens in it were living today with catch-phrases, etc. That bugged me.

[Heidi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have read other books by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore and found them very entertaining and easy reads. This book was very difficult to follow, with changing time lines, numerous narrators and no clear constant thread to connect them all. I started and stopped 3 times before giving up halfway in.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I do love this author's style and most of the subject matter. It's really enjoyable reading!

The ending of Set Me Free was not only surprising, it was not believable.

I do plan to give her another chance.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

was good, different

[Outnumbered09 · Rating 3 out of 5]

My mom raved about his book, but I wasn't too thrilled by it. I thought the story was way too disjointed, and jumped back and forth way too much.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me awhile to get into it, but about half-way through, I began to enjoy it! I loved the character development. This is one that will stay with me awhile.

[Kimberly Chenoweth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A confusing but good book. I haven't really read a lot of books about native American life from their perspective. Interesting but lacking and slow in some parts.

[Diane]

recommended by Robbie, AAUW Nov 2012 book