Review will be posted on 9/13/23
Crow Mary was inspired by the real-life Crow Mary, a brave woman who lived during the 1800s in Montana. As a member of the Crow tribe, she lived a quiet life until her betrothed was killed and she was to marry a white man, Abe Farwell, instead. Abe is a fur trader and is much older than her; however, in exchange for their marriage, he will supply her people with guns to use for protection against their many enemies. During the wedding ceremony, he changes her name to Mary, and now she must assimilate into his culture, while never forgetting her customs or her family. Crow Mary is only sixteen, so this is a big change. She leaves her family behind for Fort Benton so Abe can partake in some trading. While there, she makes friends, but also encounters many people who make her skin crawl, not to mention don't respect her. As time passes, she does have feelings for her husband and their marriage seems to be a solid one, except for Abe's tendency to drink too much. While on another trading mission to Canada, something horrible happens to the Nakota people. 40 are slaughtered and some women are taken against their will. No one will help the women but Crow Mary is determined and decides to take it upon herself as she has a ton of bravery and is a good shot. Kathleen Grissom's story of Crow Mary will stay with readers long after they finish the novel. It's a story of survival, of two cultures, and of bravery.

I really enjoyed Crow Mary from the start. How could I not? Could you imagine being sixteen years old, getting married to a much older man, assimilating into a different culture, and moving away from your family? It must have been extremely hard, but she did it with a lot of grace. Crow Mary has a ton of grit and I really enjoyed her story. Abe on the other hand was a real bore. At times I thought he was somewhat nice, but overall, I found him to be a gigantic disappointment. I realize he is an alcoholic and that obviously is a major problem; however, I wanted him to get cleaned up and take care of his family. So, my patience with Abe was really running thin.

Grissom, just like in The Kitchen House, truly highlights how Crow Mary is stuck between two cultures. Grissom covers this with a lot of sensitivity and respect while also highlighting how horribly settlers treated Indigenous people. There were some tough scenes to read in Crow Mary, but it's important to remember what truly happened.

If you enjoy historical fiction, Crow Mary shouldn't be missed. I look forward to what Grissom writes next! So, let me know in the comments if you are a fan of Grissom and if this book is on your TBR list.

Crow Mary's story will stay with the reader for a long, long time. Kathleen Grissom has done a thorough job of researching Goes First's story and honoring the Crow people.

Goes First, the daughter of a Crow chief, sits at her grandfather's knee and hears his stories. He tells her no one lives without fear and she does not think this possible.

Set in Montana in the 1800s, Goes First, age 16,marries a white fur trader. The minister decides to do away with her Indian name and Crow Mary is what ends up written on the marriage license. Crow Mary moves with Farwell to Canada to a trading post beyond civilization. Farwell loves her and cares for her, but it is the clash of cultures they deal with each and every day. She deals with rough trappers who see her only as a squaw. She rescues four indigenous women, saving them from the trappers.

Eventually moving back to Montana and building a ranch on Crow land, the clash of cultures grows stronger and harder to deal with. Crow Mary deals with Farwell's alcoholism, her children's removal to Indian boarding schools and the dissolution of her Crow culture. Throughout her whole life she is able to maintain her sense of humanity and the value of each person in the world.

The Kitchen house is one of my absolute favorite novels so new I had to check out her newest novel!!

Goes first is Crow Mary’s original Crow name before she decides to marry Abe Farwell fur trader after losing her first love before they could marry. Crow Mary has many challenges in her life, based on true events. Difficult circumstances are written beautifully and you go through all the emotions with the characters. Loved the writing, wasn’t as good as the kitchen house but definitely would recommend!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

All you women out there who love fierce female protagonists… this book is for you! And if you enjoyed Grissom’s The Kitchen House or Glory Over Everything, this one is sure to hit the right spot, too.

I learned so much about indigenous culture and rituals, and I was gobsmacked, once more, by the fortitude and strength of yet another woman nearly lost to the historical record. This is yet another reason to love historical fiction!

As always, I have such a deep respect for Native American reverence for nature. Grissom does a fantastic job of showing us the respectful relationship between wildlife/Earth/the spiritual world and Native belief. I often wonder how much healthier our Earth might be today if not for colonial expansion, or if settlers had tried to respect/accept/embrace cultural differences (this is a theme within the book).

And, of course, this book had memorable, flawed characters at its heart – the fierce Crow Mary and her heroic acts; her friend Jeannie; her wonderful grandfather, Red Fox; her brave brother, Strong Bull; and her children. This novel does what good historical fiction is supposed to do: it introduces readers to pieces of history that meld seamlessly into the narrative. No blatant history lessons, no sanctimonious stances – just great storytelling allowing the reader to put it all together for herself.

There were many fabulous lines worthy of call-out, but these, in particular, spoke to me:

“No one is without fear. There will be times in your life when you will be very afraid, maybe as afraid as you were with your grandmother. But the brave take action in spite of that fear.”

“It is the brave who tell the truth.”

“Remember why you wear this. You have three mothers. You have me, you have your tipi, and you have Mother Earth."

Grissom, a white woman, did so much research in writing this book; she even had the blessing of Crow Mary’s great granddaughter and worked with countless Crow elders, sensitivity readers, and others to give this story the accuracy and voice it deserved. And it showed. Everyone in our book club loved it. That was absolutely a first for us.

I found one discussion question online from Reading Group Guides that still has me thinking. It reads:

Janet Skeslien Charles, the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library said that while reading Crow Mary, she couldn’t help thinking of “the debt we owe women who came before us.” Discuss this debt with your group. What can we, as readers, do today to repay this debt?

It’s a fantastic question!

Crow Mary is only 16 when she leaves her family and culture to marry an older white fur trader in the mid 1800's. The couple set off on a lengthy journey to Canada, where her husband, Abe Farewell, intends to build a successful Trading Post, or Fort. Along the way she grieves her Crow life and family but makes friends and learns to embrace the ways of the Yellow Eyes (aka white people). That is, until she witnesses the brutal massacre and assault of dozens of natives from another tribe and is devastated when her husband stands by and does nothing. This sweepingly beautiful and tragic novel underscores how horrifically native peoples were treated and how they fought for justice and the right to continue to respect our earth and their cultures.

WOW. I could not put this down and was enchanted by Crow Mary from page one. She was strong yet fragile, serious yet funny (the scene where she effortlessly kills the mountain lion in order to trade her husband for dried apple slices made me literally laugh out loud), absolutely one of my favorite protagonists I've read in a long time. Grissom is an incredible storyteller who places the reader right inside the lives of her robust characters. Without giving too much of the plot away, the tension and conflict were either a constant threat or a real danger and yet Mary continued to endure and build strength are a true testament to how resilient and vulnerable people had to be in that time period just to survive. My heart broke over and over knowing that while this was fiction, the mistreatment and brutality of this time was absolutely real. To know how far white men would go to wipe out natives was hard but important. Crow Mary, both the book and person, I will remember for a long time.

If you like The Kitchen House, Where the Lost Wander, or One Thousand White Woman, you surely will also love Crow Mary. What a masterpiece.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher, this was incredible.

This was my first Grissom book and I loved the writing, the amount of research, the characters were all believable and Crow Mary was an inspiration. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical story and I look forward to reading more from this author. A good book club selection.

Inspired by true events, Crow Mary is the latest novel by Kathleen Grissom. If you have read and enjoyed her other two books: The Kitchen House and Glory Over Everything, you know what this author can do with words. Beautiful writing, well-researched characters, and wonderfully detailed. I highly recommend.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Crow Mary is a fascinating story based on the woman who lived in the 1870s and her life, family and courage. Crow Mary was married to a white fur trader and had 3 children. She was separated from her Crow family at the time when the Indians were being forced onto reservations. Mary had a few good friends and a few enemies, but she was brave and fiercely protected her family and their traditions. The book provides an in-depth look at the interaction between the white man and Native Americans at that time, which was mostly sad and cruel,. But it is amazing to learn about Crow Mary’s strength. And I loved reading about some of their endearing traditions and ways of looking at life and nature.

I was really looking forward to Crow Mary and it did not disappoint.. Goes First has only known her way of life among the Crow. However, following a tragedy she receives an offer of marriage from a white settler-Abe Farwell- who has done business with her tribe previously. Young Goes First agrees to the marriage and sets off on her new life with Abe at a trading post far from home. Now named Crow Mary she tries to adjust to this new world and her new husband but all hell breaks loose between a band of unsavory whiskey traders and members of the Nakota tribe and Mary is really tested. I loved how this story unfolded-the clash of cultures, the relationships between Mary and her husband and also Mary and the women in her life. It was a great read.

This story of Mary’ captured me in the very beginning.. The author did an amazing job in her research and writing to portray the life of Goes First. I learned a great deal about her people.
Many thanks to Atria and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved The Kitchen House by Grissom, so when this book became available, I had to read it, and boy, was it good. In true Grissom fashion, she told an amazing story of the Crow tribe and how their way of life was disrupted. It addressed this and brought to life how the females who married the "yellow" men were treated and what their lives were like once leaving their tribes. Crow Mary was an absolute bad#** and did not take any crap from anyone. I loved the way Grissom wrote her character. I will be recommending this book to everyone. Thank you, NetGalley, for the eARC. 5 stars.

Crow Mary leaves her family to marry a fur trader who is going to build a trading post in Montana. She becomes a legend with her gun but still finds herself at the mercy of her husband and other men. The story is the white men’s way of life vs. the Crow’s way of life

Crow Mary
Author Kathleen Grissom
Available now!

Thank you, @atriabooks, for my gorgeous #gifted copy of this moving historical fiction novel!

The Kitchen House has been sitting on my tbr for quite some time. Obviously, I need to now prioritize Grissom's previous novel!

Crow Mary is inspired by the real- life events of Crow Mary, an indigenous young woman in 19th- century North America, who bravely lives between two cultures. This novel was wise, intimate, and unforgettable.

As a young woman, Crow Mary already stands out among her people - talented, independent, and outspoken. A Crow Native woman, she marries Abe Farwell, white fur trader, as her tribe hopes to keep relationships and trade with the white men peaceful. Before long, the newly married couple leave everything Mark knows behind to set up a trading post in Canada.

Through beautiful storytelling of the natural world, travel by land across the continent, growing friendships, and a blossoming marriage, Crow Mary learns so much about herself, her husband, and where she belongs in the world.

Both a heartbreaking and heartwarming story, Crow Mary is a brave and inspiring story of a strong native American woman who fought for her people, her family, and for her survival. Both well- researched and beautifully told!

CW: violence, rape, alcoholism

Crow Mary, the title character, was a (real life) Native American teenager named Goes First when she agreed to marry a white fur trader. This changes her life dramatically as she becomes trapped between two worlds, not really fitting in with either.
I loved the research Kathleen Grissom uncovered and learning more about this amazing woman and her tribe. I did feel an uncomfortable connection with this book because I have a 3 times great grandfather that worked as a sheriff (I think?) outside a reservation.

I’ve read everything that Kathleen Grissom has written. She has a way with words and storytelling that pull you in, educate you, and give you a memorable experience. Crow Mary is no different. I went in not knowing anything about the subject and have walked away not only with this knowledge, but characters that will stay with me for a long time. Kathleen’s books are works of art. Do not miss this one.
Thank you Kathleen Grissom, Atria Books, and Netgalley for this opportunity.

An amazing look into the life of one Crow woman. I could not put this book down. I loved the way the author portrayed Crow Mary and showed many of the aspects of her life, while respecting the Crow nation. A beautifully told story of love and heartache.

Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom. Pub Date: June 6, 2023. Rating: 5 stars. Whatever you do, just go read this novel. I have loved everything this author has written and this book is no exception. Set during a time period where Native Americans lives were being forced out of their territories and the white settlers were invading, this is the story of a strong female who wishes to remain true to her Native American roots but is ultimately bound to her marriage with a white trader. The story takes the reader on the journey of this woman and her trials and tribulations of how to handle adversity, change, identity, motherhood and grief. I found this book to be a beautiful homage to Native Americans and learned a lot about this time period. Such an important book! I can not recommend this novel enough. Pick this up if you love historical fiction! Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #netgalley #crowmary

This was well researched. I really enjoyed this story and agree with the five star reviews. This is a must read.

This was a great book! I was so excited to be able to read this one after Reading The Kitchen House! Crow Mary is well researched and well written. A moving and fromidable story that will keep you turning the page. I love historcal books that look at times and places not overly written about...it feels like I'm learning something new! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I have read the previous novels written by Kathleen Grissom, so I was thrilled to be able to read her new novel, I was not disappointed. The story of Mary Crow, Abe Farwell, how they met, married and created a life together was a heartbreaking, heartwarming, inspiring, interesting story. I thoroughly enjoyed this story learning some history of the Crow Indians, and other tribes that were living in the Northwest area in the United States in the years following the Civil War. I feel that this book was one of the best books that I have read so far this year, I highly recommend this story.