A review of
Sacred Wilderness
, a novel by
Susan Power, a member of the
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe:
In the opening scenes of this delightful novel, Gladys Swan is marveling at the mansions on St. Paul’s Summit Avenue. She has just taken a job as a housekeeper for the very well-to-do Candace Jenssen, who lives in one of these imposing homes.
Candace is rich in material goods but suffers from an impoverished spirit because of the disconnect she feels from her husband and her Mohawk culture. Candace doesn’t know it, but Gladys, an Ojibwe elder, sees it as her mission to heal Candace by putting her in touch with her ancestors. Gladys’ co-conspirator is the magnificent Maryam, who just happens to be the Virgin Mary.
Maryam appears to Candace, who dismisses her as a hallucination brought about by a brain tumor. But when Maryam appears to Gladys, she embraces Maryam as a sister who can work with her to help Candace. The plot, you’re thinking, sounds quite far-fetched, but Power, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, is a writer with amazing gifts.
Get the Story:
REVIEW: 'Sacred Wilderness,' by Susan Power
(The Minneapolis Star Tribune 6/14)
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