Spirit Bow

The Saga of Sean O'Malley

Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
300 Pages
Reviewed on 08/24/2019
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

“A nice-sized buck lay in the snow just above the wounded Indian’s head, a red-feathered arrow protruding from its side. It is obvious to Sean what happened. The young Indian had just lifted the buck to his shoulders when Sean saw the antlers and fired. He can see the lifeblood oozing out of the small bullet hole in the Indian’s buckskin shirt. As Sean steps closer, the wounded boy’s eyes suddenly open wide and he reaches a hand up to him." In November of 1819, 11-year-old Sean O'Malley fatally shot an Indian teen after mistaking him for a deer. Prompted by his grandfather to keep the Indian's bow and quiver, that fateful day haunts him and sealed a future that would be filled with tragic consequences.

Spirit Bow: The Saga of Sean O’Malley by James L. Lettis excellently depicted the atmosphere of life in early 19th century America. The harshness of the wild and tense relationship between the generations of settlers and the Native Americans is felt especially when the protagonist lost his family. Spirit Bow is a gritty and unflinching novel that focuses on the human will to survive, whether by fighting each other or working together. Lettis deftly captures the rawness and anxiety of the characters in his narrative which will definitely evoke a myriad of emotions from readers. I appreciated the helpful notes at the end of the novel which shed light on the people, places, things, and events of the time period. All in all, Spirit Bow is a moving and substantial read from Lettis.