Product Description

War Woman, a brave, headstrong, clever Cherokee, is believed by many in her town to be a witch. Having heard stories about the Spanish, and believing there is great profit to be made by trading with them, she leads a small band of youths on the treacherous road to La Florida. This journey, blessed with success and marred by terrible tragedy, marks the beginning of War Woman's own personal journey as she leads her people by example and by guidance through terrifying times.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1050363 in Books
• Published on: 2001-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 357 pages

From School Library Journal
YAAThe early history of the encounter between the Real People, or Cherokee, and Western Europeans is vividly imagined in this latest saga by a prolific Cherokee writer. Using a few isolated but historically supported discoveriesAthe use of guns by Cherokees during the early European-American invasion, the ruins of an old Spanish gold mine in Cherokee country, the building of a Cherokee town on the site of an abandoned village near Jamestown, VAAthe author creates a fast-moving novel of how these things might have happened. It is told from the view point of War Woman, a name Whirlwind achieves through her extraordinary skills and abilities during each of the various events. This history parallels Whirlwind/War Woman's development from girlhood to maturity and eventually death. Cherokee beliefs, traditions, and way of life are interwoven throughout the story as the Real People come face to face with the beliefs, traditions, and customs of the invading peoples. This is an excellent novel that features strong female protagonists; there are also love interests and fierce battle scenes. It presents a Native American viewpoint of early American history and offers alternative explanations for some of the archaeological discoveries still not explained completely.ADottie Kraft, formerly at Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
Conley (Mountain Windsong, 1992, etc.) continues to recreate and celebrate the history of the Cherokee people in fiction with this episodic, speculative story of War Woman and her adventures in the colonial period. Young Whirlwind becomes a witch in order to compensate for the ridicule she receives because her father was a Spaniard. She demonstrates her supernatural prowess by taming rattlesnakes and tornadoes. On a self-motivated expedition to open trade between her village of New Town and the Spanish colonists in Florida, she establishes relations with a benevolent commandant; but then her people are attacked by a wicked Spanish captain and his henchmen. Whirlwind proves her war-like abilities and is soon renamed War Woman. Twenty quiet years pass, and then the Spanish, in search of gold, arrive in New Town. The peaceful Cherokee cooperate reluctantly in the quest. Their fear of prolonged contact with the Europeans seem borne out when some of their young men, including Little Spaniard, War Woman's twin brother, fall helplessly into alcoholism. In the meantime, however, War Woman marries one of the Spanish traders, and the two peoples maintain a wary peace. The plot jumps forward again, to the moment when War Woman, now very old, uses her powers and wisdom to help her people struggle against the encroachment of English colonists from Jamestown. Though their victories are satisfying, they are not permanent, and the fate of the Cherokees seems sealed. Throughout the book, characterization lags behind a plodding plot, wooden dialogue, and little convincing historical detail. The Cherokee are universally brave, strong, handsome, noble, moral, and honest; the Europeans are avaricious, lecherous, crude, insensitive, cowardly, and criminal. There's much idealization here, but very little compelling description. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About the Author
Robert J. Conley is the author of ten novels in the Real People series. A three-time winner of the Spur Award and Oklahoma Writer of the Year in 1999, Conley was inducted into the Oklahoma Professional Writers Hall of Fame in 1996. He was named Writer of the Year by the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers & Storytellers in 1999. He lives in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

Customer Reviews

A real page-turner....
I absolutely loved this book and couldn't bring myself to put it down for long while I was reading it. I'm a big fan of historical fiction and I feel this book is a great example. Being a wilderness instructor in SC, we used to camp at a site called War Woman and so that is how the title was of interest to me in the first place. This book goes into great detail of War Woman's life and I feel does a good job of not glorifying her as well as demonizing her. Conley writes about Native Americans without bias and is very descriptive which allowed for me to visualize the novel while reading it. I'm looking forward to reading more of "The Real People" series in the future.

Worthwhile Historical novel - Gripping story
The story of Whirlwind, a dynamic Indian woman who becomes War Woman and a leader of her people. The book chronicles her long life and achievements. A little redundant in parts, but well worth the read. I especially liked it because I can relate to the area, especially Dahlonaga, a neighboring town. I recommend this book to anyone interested in Indian history.

Fascinating historical novel-a real gem
In 1580, Whirlwind, a sixteen year old Cherokee with one-quarter Spanish blood, decides she wants to meet the Europeans. She convinces her brother and a friend to escort her to Florida where she trades for firearms to help the Real People. When she returns home, her bravery is rewarded by her people who rename her War Woman. Two decades later, gold has been found on the Cherokee land. War Woman is one of the key negotiators with the perfidious Spanish, who want all that glitters in return for nothing. Still War Woman helps her people obtain a decent deal.

In 1654, War Woman leads her people into Virginia where they move into an abandoned English village. When the British return, War Woman helps her people defend their very lives against the hostile English.

WAR WOMAN, A NOVEL OF THE REAL PEOPLE is an interesting historical fiction that brilliantly chronicles three events that the author feels impacted the way of life of the Cherokee Nation in the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. All three events are folded around an intrepid woman, who turns the story into a moving chronicle. Robert Conley, a winner of three Spur Awards, has written his best work to date with this classic novel.

Harriet Klausner