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Waiting for Deliverance
In 1783, orphaned fourteen-year-old Livy and her cousin Ephraim are taken in by a woodsman and his family, including a young Seneca man who changes Livy's attitudes toward the Indians she was raised to hate and fear.
186 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 7, 2021
i read this when I was a kid. my sister really liked it &then she recommended it to me.
I liked the setting of the book. and it was a rlly unique storyline. I've never read another like it. &I wish there were more books like this out there!
I liked the little bit of romance in here. &how her feelings of the Seneca changed.
Reread Jan 2015:
-The first time I read this I thought the name Gideon described a fat, unclean man. That smelled bad. I didn't have a good image at all of him. reading it again, my image of him and of his relationship with his wife completely changed. I realized it was really sweet.
I was surprised when Gideon all of a sudden calls Deliverance “Livy.”
A few weeks into living with them, Livy all of a sudden throws out that the first Sunday they lived there Gideon read from the Bible.
I know it’s true to the time period, but I don’t like these weird views. Rising Hawk said “they have no respect at all for a women’s power.” &Livy thinks it sounds like witchcraft.
What kind of name is “Cold Keeper.”
‘a thin, bluish streak ran down his cheek.’ What was it??
“Oniata, the Dry Hand.” Why didn’t we hear Rising Hawk tell Livy that story? you cant reference something we don't know.
Livy seemed to have a great knowledge on what was going on in the world, like what different tribes of N.A.’s were doing, and treaties being signed, etc. I appreciated that, but the knowledge was almost beyond her years.
Ephraim telling those miners about the Seneca was rlly annoying.
“it was your Seneca did it.” Livy never talked like that.
The eyeball thing was just tragic and terrible. &so unnecessary. Poor Gideon!
The children were annoying at times. Like how they were scared of how Gideon looked with his bandages, and to soothe them Polly put them in bed with him and let them hold his hand. Annoying!
Her kissing him was totally uncharacteristic of her. I thought she was shy and uncomfortable with stuff like that. It was annoying how she stopped him, because she thought it was fornication. I wished she was a bit older &didn’t care what society thought. Then after she’s all nonchalant saying I shouldn’t have kissed you. As if it was just a dalliance. Saying that they could never marry. That she’d never marry an indian. I thought she was better than that.
I remember the first time reading it, thinking it was terrible that everyone said she wasn’t pretty at all. Literally almost everyone made remarks on it. I bet if the children could talk, they’d comment on it too. I mean it’s pretty bad when ppl accuse you of witchcraft just because a handsome guy is attracted to you and no one sees why. Im now wondering why he is. It’s not fun reading about a character that no one thinks is pretty, even the guy.
Sometimes a character would say something and you’d wonder what they meant, but it wouldn’t be explained. That happened several times. Or someone would reference something that we didn’t really know. Like Livy said –“I’m never getting married. To you or anyone. It’s not safe.” What did she mean?
They went from not even being that friendly to kissing and mentioning marriage. It was a lil overwhelming.
Lawson said he’d move east &marry a widow. Why a widow?
She totally lost my respect when she said Rising Hawk could have two wives. Sassafras for babies, and her for companion. Someone should have smacked her.
‘livy would have to shift for herself.’ what?
“is it true what they say about them Seneca bucks? Can they really…” OMG!! How can u not say the rest? If you’re going to mention it, then you need to say it through. That is the most infuriating thing authors can do. As readers, you have to tell us everything. It makes me wonder if the author even thought of something.
Lawson heard the Seneca were prudish. Apparently not, since Rising Hawk has had goodness knows how many lovers.
Also, I know obviously the circumstances warranted it, but when Rising Hawk was shot &Livy turns all cold and commanding to Lawson, that was so unlike her. She needed more of that spunk throughout the book.
Some of the characters were just really annoying in here. Livy says “he did not. That man is a liar.” &Mr. Wilkes is like “Did the Indian threaten Mr. Lawson, or didn’t he?” She just said he didn’t!
I hated that they skipped over Rising Hawk leaving. &that he had said he would get married&bring his wife&kids there to see her. we should get to hear their last conversation.
The GD’s were unnecessary.
Polly asking Livy to take care of her children if something went wrong was too much! Livy doesn’t need that burden.
I cant believe Livy thought Gideon was gunna accost her: ‘when the silence had grown uncomfortable &she had the fleeting ridiculous thought that deprivation was about to drive him to an improper amorous advance.’
Again, the characters say things that don’t really make sense. When Rising Hawk goes to leave, she’s like-“it’s not enough. But I cant help it. I can’t, and I don’t care anymore. I don’t care.”
Sometimes Livy was just incredibly annoying. She didn’t have much of a personality, and only laughed or joked a few times throughout the whole book. I don’t like such a gloomy, serious, and not charming character. She was also annoying in her refusal of Rising Hawk. Not just that she was too self-righteous to kiss him, etc. I understand she was too young and not married to him yet. But when he tries to pull her towards him from the porch and she doesn’t budge, I just really don’t understand her.
The ending could have been better. I think that after all the crap Livy put him through, she needed to talk in detail about her fears and how she was sorry she turned him down and all that. Instead, all she does is say some stuff that doesn’t say her feelings at all, and then he turns and all is forgiven. It shouldn’t be that easy. &she never even told him that she loved him!! I get being torn about whether or not to marry him &have children. but this not knowing your feelings was really annoying. even though she called him back, I felt like she still didn't know her own mind. &how do we know those feelings would last? by the end of the bk, you should know 100% that u wanna be together. she didn't know until the very end.
Reading this again, for the 2nd or 3rd time-idr which-I realized that the title makes sense. &actually fit the story. Because Rising Hawk waited, and waited, and waited on Lizy to come to her senses.
I also realized that Livy never explained her home life, or seemed to be real sad that she lost her uncle, aunt&cousins in the river. She did in the beginning of the book, but that was it. We never heard in any detail about her mom, or dad.
The ending wasn’t really concluded to me. I’d like to hear of their wedding, and where they live, and how their lives will be. &if Livy ever got over her fear of kids, and if they had kids themselves. You can’t leave things hanging in the air!
I like the story, the setting, and I thought the author captured the time period very well. However, sometimes Rising Hawk didn’t sound like a Native American would have back in that time. At times, he sounded like a white guy. &the author wasn’t great at describing what things looked like. I only pictured the Wilkes’ home, and the mill. I never got a sense of what the town looked like.
also, the breaks and spaces she had in the book were kinda weird.
this is a story that you just get into. you wanna see what's gunna happen.
I like how at the end of the book the author gave us the definition of historical names, ppl, and places. I was rlly surprised that the ppl were real, especially Simon Girty! I thought he was a name they threw out just to add to the story.
I liked the setting of the book. and it was a rlly unique storyline. I've never read another like it. &I wish there were more books like this out there!
I liked the little bit of romance in here. &how her feelings of the Seneca changed.
Reread Jan 2015:
-The first time I read this I thought the name Gideon described a fat, unclean man. That smelled bad. I didn't have a good image at all of him. reading it again, my image of him and of his relationship with his wife completely changed. I realized it was really sweet.
I was surprised when Gideon all of a sudden calls Deliverance “Livy.”
A few weeks into living with them, Livy all of a sudden throws out that the first Sunday they lived there Gideon read from the Bible.
I know it’s true to the time period, but I don’t like these weird views. Rising Hawk said “they have no respect at all for a women’s power.” &Livy thinks it sounds like witchcraft.
What kind of name is “Cold Keeper.”
‘a thin, bluish streak ran down his cheek.’ What was it??
“Oniata, the Dry Hand.” Why didn’t we hear Rising Hawk tell Livy that story? you cant reference something we don't know.
Livy seemed to have a great knowledge on what was going on in the world, like what different tribes of N.A.’s were doing, and treaties being signed, etc. I appreciated that, but the knowledge was almost beyond her years.
Ephraim telling those miners about the Seneca was rlly annoying.
“it was your Seneca did it.” Livy never talked like that.
The eyeball thing was just tragic and terrible. &so unnecessary. Poor Gideon!
The children were annoying at times. Like how they were scared of how Gideon looked with his bandages, and to soothe them Polly put them in bed with him and let them hold his hand. Annoying!
Her kissing him was totally uncharacteristic of her. I thought she was shy and uncomfortable with stuff like that. It was annoying how she stopped him, because she thought it was fornication. I wished she was a bit older &didn’t care what society thought. Then after she’s all nonchalant saying I shouldn’t have kissed you. As if it was just a dalliance. Saying that they could never marry. That she’d never marry an indian. I thought she was better than that.
I remember the first time reading it, thinking it was terrible that everyone said she wasn’t pretty at all. Literally almost everyone made remarks on it. I bet if the children could talk, they’d comment on it too. I mean it’s pretty bad when ppl accuse you of witchcraft just because a handsome guy is attracted to you and no one sees why. Im now wondering why he is. It’s not fun reading about a character that no one thinks is pretty, even the guy.
Sometimes a character would say something and you’d wonder what they meant, but it wouldn’t be explained. That happened several times. Or someone would reference something that we didn’t really know. Like Livy said –“I’m never getting married. To you or anyone. It’s not safe.” What did she mean?
They went from not even being that friendly to kissing and mentioning marriage. It was a lil overwhelming.
Lawson said he’d move east &marry a widow. Why a widow?
She totally lost my respect when she said Rising Hawk could have two wives. Sassafras for babies, and her for companion. Someone should have smacked her.
‘livy would have to shift for herself.’ what?
“is it true what they say about them Seneca bucks? Can they really…” OMG!! How can u not say the rest? If you’re going to mention it, then you need to say it through. That is the most infuriating thing authors can do. As readers, you have to tell us everything. It makes me wonder if the author even thought of something.
Lawson heard the Seneca were prudish. Apparently not, since Rising Hawk has had goodness knows how many lovers.
Also, I know obviously the circumstances warranted it, but when Rising Hawk was shot &Livy turns all cold and commanding to Lawson, that was so unlike her. She needed more of that spunk throughout the book.
Some of the characters were just really annoying in here. Livy says “he did not. That man is a liar.” &Mr. Wilkes is like “Did the Indian threaten Mr. Lawson, or didn’t he?” She just said he didn’t!
I hated that they skipped over Rising Hawk leaving. &that he had said he would get married&bring his wife&kids there to see her. we should get to hear their last conversation.
The GD’s were unnecessary.
Polly asking Livy to take care of her children if something went wrong was too much! Livy doesn’t need that burden.
I cant believe Livy thought Gideon was gunna accost her: ‘when the silence had grown uncomfortable &she had the fleeting ridiculous thought that deprivation was about to drive him to an improper amorous advance.’
Again, the characters say things that don’t really make sense. When Rising Hawk goes to leave, she’s like-“it’s not enough. But I cant help it. I can’t, and I don’t care anymore. I don’t care.”
Sometimes Livy was just incredibly annoying. She didn’t have much of a personality, and only laughed or joked a few times throughout the whole book. I don’t like such a gloomy, serious, and not charming character. She was also annoying in her refusal of Rising Hawk. Not just that she was too self-righteous to kiss him, etc. I understand she was too young and not married to him yet. But when he tries to pull her towards him from the porch and she doesn’t budge, I just really don’t understand her.
The ending could have been better. I think that after all the crap Livy put him through, she needed to talk in detail about her fears and how she was sorry she turned him down and all that. Instead, all she does is say some stuff that doesn’t say her feelings at all, and then he turns and all is forgiven. It shouldn’t be that easy. &she never even told him that she loved him!! I get being torn about whether or not to marry him &have children. but this not knowing your feelings was really annoying. even though she called him back, I felt like she still didn't know her own mind. &how do we know those feelings would last? by the end of the bk, you should know 100% that u wanna be together. she didn't know until the very end.
Reading this again, for the 2nd or 3rd time-idr which-I realized that the title makes sense. &actually fit the story. Because Rising Hawk waited, and waited, and waited on Lizy to come to her senses.
I also realized that Livy never explained her home life, or seemed to be real sad that she lost her uncle, aunt&cousins in the river. She did in the beginning of the book, but that was it. We never heard in any detail about her mom, or dad.
The ending wasn’t really concluded to me. I’d like to hear of their wedding, and where they live, and how their lives will be. &if Livy ever got over her fear of kids, and if they had kids themselves. You can’t leave things hanging in the air!
I like the story, the setting, and I thought the author captured the time period very well. However, sometimes Rising Hawk didn’t sound like a Native American would have back in that time. At times, he sounded like a white guy. &the author wasn’t great at describing what things looked like. I only pictured the Wilkes’ home, and the mill. I never got a sense of what the town looked like.
also, the breaks and spaces she had in the book were kinda weird.
this is a story that you just get into. you wanna see what's gunna happen.
I like how at the end of the book the author gave us the definition of historical names, ppl, and places. I was rlly surprised that the ppl were real, especially Simon Girty! I thought he was a name they threw out just to add to the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2021
This is one of those books whose story seems to wander like a lost soul looking for a home. I'm honestly a bit amazed it was classified as juvenile fiction. We've got a rather detailed childbirth scene (and a main character who has vowed never to marry due to fear of dying in childbirth like her mother did)...we've got a man getting his eye gorged out...discussion on carnal thought and fornication (well, that's the terms they used in 1793)...and some randy remarks I won't quote here. Oh, and one character (age 15) claiming she slept with a man and was pregnant. I don't think grade schoolers would enjoy this book. I didn't. I didn't even like Livy (Deliverance). The only redeeming character was Rising Hawk, who at least had a level head and a sense of humor.
March 27, 2010
Orphaned at birth, Deliverance "Livy" Pelton has lived all of her fourteen years with her aunt, uncle, and cousins. When her uncle decides to move the family west in 1793, Livy just wants to stay in New England. Her fears are justified: her aunt, uncle, and all of her cousins except for one drown in a river accident. She and her cousin, Ephraim, who is a few years younger than her, are bound out as indentured servants to a homesteader raised by Indians. Livy is supposed to help out his wife and care for the children. But she ends up being sent to educate a village of Indians, the ones that raised her master, how to spin cloth. As the time passes, she begins to wonder if she is falling in love with nineteen-year-old Rising Hawk, her master's brother by adoption. Livy is determined never to marry - her mother died birthing her. But she may have to listen to her heart instead of her head for once. And when her survival depends on it, she may have to trust her life to Rising Hawk. A romantic novel set during a period of history rarely written about in young adult historical fiction.
October 24, 2012
I have cherished this book and held it dear to my heart. This book is amazing! When I first read it I went back and read it again. I know its weird but I have read this book about 15 times maybe more!
I highly recommend it!
I highly recommend it!
September 28, 2008
an amazing story of the bond between an indian boy and a white girl. you wont want to put the book down
September 3, 2016
I've had this book for years, but I never read it until 2010. I love Native American stories, and even though I was skeptical about this book, I did enjoy it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews