Friday Book Pick: BURNING SKY by Lori Benton

“What I have seen, what I have done, it has changed me. I am the place where two rivers meet, silted with upheaval and loss.”

The opening prologue of Burning Sky sets the tone for this beautiful frontier novel by debut author, Lori Benton. I was instantly captured by the truth of these words. What we experience changes us and how we view the world–not to mention how the world views us. 

I had the joy of meeting Lori Benton last year when we traveled together to a writing retreat in California. I still remember sitting in the car, listening to her talk about the upcoming novel. Her face lit up and her words danced, as if the story had somehow consumed her. I knew I couldn’t wait to read it. 

Set on the frontier of New York, Burning Sky opens with the return of Willa Obenchain, a woman carried off as a captive by the Mohawk twelve years before. After the loss of her Mohawk family, Willa travels back to her childhood home, now claimed by a man whose heart has been twisted by war. Torn between two peoples, but not fully accepted by either, Willa discovers a wounded Scottish botanist, Neil MacGregor, and feels obliged to care for him until he is strong enough to leave. 

When her Mohawk brother arrives to beckon her “home,” Willa must determine her own path–return to the Mohawk, or stay to fight for her land? And as she grows closer to Neil, could it be God has an all-together different plan for her future? Does she have the courage to face it? 

Ever since I was a child, devouring books like Caddie Woodlawn and Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison, I have been enthralled with stories of our frontier. Lori Benton’s Burning Sky is no exception. Her dazzling descriptions and well-developed characters pulled me into the story immediately and I found myself struggling alongside Willa as she made her choices. 

What I loved most about this book was how Lori Benton didn’t shy away from the cultural practices of the time period. She deals head-on with issues of slavery and cultural biases between the races. She allows her characters to face these problems honestly, and she resists the temptation to interject our modern-day mindset. Rather than apologizing for the mistakes of our past, she splashes them across the page and trusts the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. 

I can’t wait to read more by this amazing author! The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn, set in 1787 Western North Carolina, is set to release in the Spring of 2014. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah for the purpose of review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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