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Book Review

Publisher's Note:

In Amanda Skenandore’s provocative and profoundly moving debut, set in the tragic intersection between white and Native American culture, a young girl learns about friendship, betrayal, and the sacrifices made in the name of belonging. On a quiet Philadelphia morning in 1906, a newspaper headline catapults Alma Mitchell back to her past. A federal agent is dead, and the murder suspect is Alma’s childhood friend, Harry Muskrat. Harry—or Asku, as Alma knew him—was the most promising student at the “savage-taming” boarding school run by her father, where Alma was the only white pupil. Created in the wake of the Indian Wars, the Stover School was intended to assimilate the children of neighboring reservations. Instead, it robbed them of everything they’d known—language, customs, even their names—and left a heartbreaking legacy in its wake. The bright, courageous boy Alma knew could never have murdered anyone. But she barely recognizes the man Asku has become, cold and embittered at being an outcast in the white world and a ghost in his own. Her lawyer husband, Stewart, reluctantly agrees to help defend Asku for Alma’s sake. To do so, Alma must revisit the painful secrets she has kept hidden from everyone—especially Stewart. Told in compelling narratives that alternate between Alma’s childhood and her present life, Between Earth and Sky is a haunting and complex story of love and loss, as a quest for justice becomes a journey toward understanding and, ultimately, atonement.…

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Between Earth and Sky

by Amanda Skenandore

Reviewer: Rachel
Genre: Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 21+

Overall Book Review:

Between Earth and Sky is a riveting work of historical fiction. Author Amanda Skenandore writes this thought-provoking story from an oft-forgotten time during American history. The plot is steady in pacing and intriguing in concept, with mystery and heartbreak along the way. Main character Alma is a complex creature, haunted by her past and struggling to find a place to belong. Readers will enjoy learning about the Native American cultures featured in the book. Skendandore should be commended for her extensive research and use of multiple Native American languages. Between Earth and Sky would make an ideal book club read, as there is much to ponder, process, and debate. Discussion questions are even included, so grab a copy (and a friend to share it with) today!

Review of an Advance Reader Copy

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Kensington Publishing


Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  4 religious exclamations; 5 mild obscenities.

Violence/Gore:  Several secondhand reports of violence including murder, scars indicating physical beatings, and talk of massacres; several brief incidents of violence including characters slapping other, fistfights, one man throwing another down, a character is tied up and beaten; a character is involved in an accident including blood and gore; a brief scene of intense violence includes a lynching. 

Sex/Nudity:  Several incidents of kissing; a brief non-sexual depiction of nudity involving bathing; a sexual reference and reported incident of sexual activity; a brief incident of sexual activity without explicit detail between minors. 

Mature Subject Matter:

Forced assimilation, drinking, corruption, racism, illegal arms trading, embezzlement, massacre, murder, dysfunctional relationships, hanging, amputation. 

Alcohol / Drug Use:

A few characters are referred to as “drunk”; drinking occurs throughout the novel; several characters smoke. 

Overall Book Rating
Profanity/Language
Rating:
2
10
Violence/Gore
Rating:
6
10
Sex/Nudity
Rating:
6
10

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About the Reviewer

Rachel
My mother was the one who sparked my love of books. Long before school instruction, she sat me down and taught me to read. My childhood was filled with trips to the library and bookmobile to find great books. My first loves were The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Pippi Longstocking series by Astrid Lingren. Now as a mom and speech pathologist, I am constantly looking for good, clean books to use at home and in therapy. I enjoy reading many different genres, but my favorites are usually historical fiction. I married my best friend, the “boy next door”, and we have a beautiful little girl who we often find sprawled out on the floor, flipping through picture books. Together our family likes to swim, run and play tennis. Besides reading, I also love to bake, garden and travel.

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