A Yellow Raft in Blue Water by Michael Dorris-Paperback

A Yellow Raft in Blue Water by Michael Dorris is a powerful and emotionally charged novel that spans three generations of Native American women, each struggling with their own set of hardships, secrets, and complex relationships. The story is told from the perspectives of three different narrators: Rayona, a young girl trying to navigate the challenges of adolescence and her mixed heritage; Christine, Rayona's mother, whose troubled past and emotional scars influence her difficult relationship with her daughter; and Ida, Christine's mother, whose own pain and unresolved history cast a long shadow over her family.

Throughout the novel, these women are bound by the inescapable ties of kinship and their shared Native American heritage, even as they face the difficulties of identity, betrayal, and generational trauma. The narrative explores themes of love, guilt, and the enduring bonds of family, set against the backdrop of the American West and the complex lives of indigenous people. As each woman confronts her own past and her relationship with the others, they must learn to reconcile their anger, their sense of loss, and their need for connection.

Through vivid storytelling and poignant character development, Dorris crafts a narrative that is both deeply personal and culturally significant, reflecting the complexities of life for Native American women and the enduring strength they find in their familial ties despite the challenges they face. The novel is a meditation on resilience, memory, and the intricate layers of history that shape individual lives.

 

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grand Central Pub (January 1, 1987)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 372 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0446387878
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0446387873
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.75 x 8 inches
• Condition: Used-Very Good

 
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