in 1870s Texas, at the end of the Civil War. We follow the journey and the developing friendship
between Captain Kidd, an aging war veteran, and his charge, a rebellious wild angry 10 year old
girl, Johanna. The girl has spent the last 4 years living with the Kiowa Indians who captured her.
Captain Kidd is in charge of returning Johanna to her nearest relatives, 400 miles away. This
is historical fiction, this is a Western filled with Indians, horses, good guys and bad guys. Thus far,
I have read half of the book and am highlighting writing snippets here as follows:
- "She had no more expression than an egg."
- "My name is Cicada. My father's name is Turning Water. My mother's name is Three Spotted. I want to go home." (An unhappy 10 year old Johanna.)
- "My name is Ay-ti-Podle, the Cicada, whose song means there is fruit ripening nearby."
- "The Kiowa words in all their tonal music lived in her head like bees."
- "She lost a shoe running. She had gray eyes. They were the color of rain. Her hair was curly." (Captain Kidd recalls that first meeting with his wife, long long ago.)
- "The milk smelled like cow, the vanilla scent of the white brush that the milk cows loved to eat on the banks of Calamares Creek." (Our pasteurized milk from the grocery store doesn't smell like this....)
- "What is the use of winning a battle without loot? You overwhelm them and take their stuff - military basics." (1847)
- "They wanted some wisdom, some advice. You can get hit and not know it, he said. So could the man next to you. Take care of one another." (Captain Kidd's advice to several Texas Rangers encountered on their journey.)
- "She had been laced into a thing that she could only imagine was for magical purposes, meant to confine her heart and her breath in a sort of cage to hold her forever like a shut fist that would never open." (Johanna encounters the civilized world of women's fashions.)
- The earth rolled loose on either side as if it had been released from the confinement of towns." (I love a good descriptive phrase.....)
- "You can come out now, Johanna. You can reappear like the flowers in May."
- "He was a careful listener and cocked his head like a titmouse, which he did now."
- "He turned and looked down at her. If the officer had reached for her he had no doubt she would have cocked the revolver and shot him point-blank. He said, Your relatives are going to be so happy to get back their sweet precious lamb."
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