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Ceremony
by Leslie Marmon Silko
A young Native American man seeks salvation in Leslie Marmon Silko's moving and sobering novel.
A young Native American man must find a way to overcome his personal demons on Laguna Pueblo Reservation. Haunted by tormenting memories of war and Japanese prison camps, Tayo also faces the added challenge of resisting the fate of so many of his peers–alcoholism and despair. As a half-Laguna, half-white, Tayo feels like an outsider no matter where he goes. Unable to find his place in the white man’s world, he returns home, but faces isolation from the Laguna because of his white heritage. Unwilling to lose himself to alcohol, as his friends do, Tayo embarks on a quest for peace and purpose. When he reconnects with the land of his ancestors, Tayo discovers the importance of ritual and growth in order to survive.
Silko weaves Native American myth and culture into Tayo’s journey. The young man’s search for peace and spiritual healing carries him beyond the harsh, violent modern world and allows him to reconnect to his heritage. There are strong elements of violence, despair, and anguish, which make for a sobering read. But Silko still manages to inject a note of hope and beauty into the too-often tragic Native American experience, all without sounding preachy.
Title: Ceremony
Author: Leslie Marmon Silko
Publisher: Penquin
ISBN: 0140086838
Review written by: Jess Boettger
Reviewer's Rating:8.5
Reader's Rating: 0
Reader's Votes: 0
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