Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Melbourne, Australia : Text Pub., c2012.
Description
John Morgan and his wife can barely contain their excitement upon arriving as the new teachers in a Yup'ik Eskimo village on the windswept Alaskan tundra. Lured north in search of adventure, the idealistic couple hope to immerse themselves in the ancient Arctic culture. Their move proves disastrous when a deadly epidemic strikes and the isolated community descends into total chaos. When outside help fails to arrive, John's only hope lies in escaping. His thousand-mile trek across the Alaskan wilderness grows more unlikely to succeed when he encounters a blind Eskimo girl and an elderly woman. The two need his protection from those who would harm them, and he needs their knowledge of the terrain and their companionship to survive. The harsh journey and constant danger push him beyond his limits as he discovers a new sense of hope and the possibility of loving again.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Barbara_Ell
I received this Advanced Reader Copy via Good Reads.
When first year teachers look toward the Alaskan Bush for adventure to start their career, they find it. But what has caused the plague, is it natural or man-made?
This tale delves into Yup'ik culture, history and folk lore. I enjoyed reading this
This story is a true page-turner. You have the urge to find out what has happened before the plague, how the survivors of the village managed during the plague, and how it will all end. Or will it?
When first year teachers look toward the Alaskan Bush for adventure to start their career, they find it. But what has caused the plague, is it natural or man-made?
This tale delves into Yup'ik culture, history and folk lore. I enjoyed reading this
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book, because it helped to explain why they act the way they do. Also, it doesn't whitewash the problems that Natives have in the modern world.This story is a true page-turner. You have the urge to find out what has happened before the plague, how the survivors of the village managed during the plague, and how it will all end. Or will it?
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LibraryThing member imjustmea
In The Raven's Gift, John and Anna, both teachers, take jobs in a small Eskimo village in the Alaskan Tundra. They're both seeking adventure and John is hoping to learn more of the Yup'ik culture he may have come from.
Once they arrive to the small village, John and Ana seem content enough even
Then a flu epidemic hits the region causing massive deaths and a breakdown of societal rules. John, after waiting in vain for help to arrive, decides to escape. On his way, he comes across a young blind girl and an older woman who share his will to survive. Together they must face the inclement weather, the “outcasts”, and the mysterious white hunter.
The story is told from John’s point of view and from different points in time. I was confused at first but then I realized that I was asking myself the same questions going through John's mind: How did the virus start? Was is a natural occurrence or was it released intentionally? Are they the only ones affected? Why was no help sent?
With The Raven’s Gift, Mr. Rearden provides us with a chilling and attention-grabbing story that deals with the best and worst of human nature. I highly recommend this book for its riveting story line and the value of the lessons that can be gleaned from it.
Once they arrive to the small village, John and Ana seem content enough even
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though they come face-to-face with the harsh reality that affects these small native communities: lack of jobs, inadequate health care, loss of culture, and high suicide rate. Then a flu epidemic hits the region causing massive deaths and a breakdown of societal rules. John, after waiting in vain for help to arrive, decides to escape. On his way, he comes across a young blind girl and an older woman who share his will to survive. Together they must face the inclement weather, the “outcasts”, and the mysterious white hunter.
The story is told from John’s point of view and from different points in time. I was confused at first but then I realized that I was asking myself the same questions going through John's mind: How did the virus start? Was is a natural occurrence or was it released intentionally? Are they the only ones affected? Why was no help sent?
With The Raven’s Gift, Mr. Rearden provides us with a chilling and attention-grabbing story that deals with the best and worst of human nature. I highly recommend this book for its riveting story line and the value of the lessons that can be gleaned from it.
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LibraryThing member MBels
The cover of The Raven's Gift declares that it is "A gripping post-apocalyptic Alaskan nightmare...". Gripping is right. From the moment I picked up this book, I was held captive by the story. Details of a life in the Alaskan tundra, that I will never experience, was equal parts fascinating and
The story jumps to different points in time a fair bit. Normally, this is not a technique that will endear me to a book, however, in the case of The Raven's Gift, I think it worked. The glimpses of the past help to give the reader a bit of reprieve from the survival struggle of the present, as well as remind us just how much was lost.
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enraging. While the story of John's struggle for survival, after the world he knows is ending, was edge-of-my-seat exciting.The story jumps to different points in time a fair bit. Normally, this is not a technique that will endear me to a book, however, in the case of The Raven's Gift, I think it worked. The glimpses of the past help to give the reader a bit of reprieve from the survival struggle of the present, as well as remind us just how much was lost.
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LibraryThing member KAzevedo
This story of post-epidemic survival on the Alaskan tundra came with masterful characterization and storytelling using three different timelines and much native Eskimo culture and mythology. The format was great with short altering timeline pieces that pulled me in, jacked up the tension and made
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me crazy for more. A very realistic picture was drawn of what occurs with marginalized, indigenous peoples in our modern world. The story has an ambiguous ending with lots of questions remaining but some hope for a future for John and "the girl". Keep and re-read. Show Less
LibraryThing member dallenbaugh
This is a compelling story of a winter trek for survival as three people make their way out of an area in southwestern Alaska devastated by a lethal flu type disease that has killed almost the whole population.
John and Anna, a newly married couple, have decided to come to an isolated village in
When John makes the decision to leave in search of help he begins an arduous and dangerous journey with the guidance of a blind Yup'ik girl and an elderly Yup'ik woman. There are a few weak moments in the story but overall it is a gripping read or as the book cover says it "A riveting thriller set on the windswept Alaskan tundra".
The premise of the novel is based on true events in the lives of the Yup'ik people who have too often encountered death from disease and famine as they struggle for survival. What the author finds most disconcerting is that the wisdom of the Yup'ik people is not taught to the young. He says of their stories "They provide clues not just about how to survive the elements but about how to live on this planet as human beings."
John and Anna, a newly married couple, have decided to come to an isolated village in
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Alaska to work as teachers to the Yup'ik children where they find they need to learn more than they teach in order to understand this ancient way of life. Partly a subsistence culture trying to survive in a changing world, the Yup'ik people gradually accept the couple as John and Anna try to adapt to the isolation and cultural differences they encounter. That all changes when a bird flu like disease begins to spread through the villages overwhelming the sparse resources of the communities and cutting them off from outside help in the form of food and medicine. It is never clear how far the epidemic has spread or why no one from other areas in Alaska comes to help.When John makes the decision to leave in search of help he begins an arduous and dangerous journey with the guidance of a blind Yup'ik girl and an elderly Yup'ik woman. There are a few weak moments in the story but overall it is a gripping read or as the book cover says it "A riveting thriller set on the windswept Alaskan tundra".
The premise of the novel is based on true events in the lives of the Yup'ik people who have too often encountered death from disease and famine as they struggle for survival. What the author finds most disconcerting is that the wisdom of the Yup'ik people is not taught to the young. He says of their stories "They provide clues not just about how to survive the elements but about how to live on this planet as human beings."
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LibraryThing member Krishigan
First, a confession- I love post-apocalyptic, dystopian fantasies. I read almost anything I can get my hands on when it involves zombies, pandemics, global war ending life as we know it. Ultimately, they are stories of survival and I love seeing the different ways that (in the author’s mind
If I could give any note, it would be that the transitions between the past and the present were somewhat aggravating at times. I would have appreciated even a different font or italics to designate between the two. ..but that’s just my own preference.
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anyway) humans can adapt and carry on. They are usually dark, as you would expect from the end of the world as we know it, but there are kernels of hope and human spirit within. This book is no different. Of all the stories like this that I’ve read, there really are no stories quite like this. This felt a bit more intimate, and really, really human. I could almost feel the desolation and chill of the Alaskan landscape and the vast loneliness that the characters felt… even when they were together it lingered. It was very effective and very moving.If I could give any note, it would be that the transitions between the past and the present were somewhat aggravating at times. I would have appreciated even a different font or italics to designate between the two. ..but that’s just my own preference.
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LibraryThing member bnbookgirl
A husband and wife take a job in Alaska teaching the Yup'ik Eskimos. Things go well for awhile as they try to acclimate themselves to this unknown territory. Soon things begin to change as people in the village start getting sick. Soon a few are fighting for their lives. This book is the story,
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told in three different time segments, of that event. This is the story of the survivors, the harsh landscape that is Alaska, and how trying to survive can bring people together. The Yup'ik culture is and it's history is also studied in this book and I found it quite intersting. I could not put this book down. I read it in one sitting. I think Don Reardon has a true gift. His story telling techniques amazed me. I felt like I was on the Alaskan tundra with these people. A thrilling story that explores so much of the human heart and soul. Show Less
LibraryThing member cathyskye
First Line: He crawled on his stomach through the snowdrift and lifted his head over the edge of the riverbank, just enough to see the first few houses, charred black and dislodged from the wood blocks and tall steel pilings meant to hold them off the tundra's permafrost.
John Morgan and his
They've barely become acclimated to their surroundings when a deadly plague strikes and everything turns to chaos. There is absolutely no help from the outside. John's only chance for survival is a thousand-mile journey across the bitterly cold, snow-covered Alaskan wilderness to get help. Along the way, he encounters a blind girl and an elderly woman. Both Yup'ik women need his protection, and John needs their knowledge of the weather and terrain for them all to survive. In a land of brutal cold, no food, and an epidemic, all three will be pushed to their limits.
The plot of this book meanders a bit, but it's perfect since it mimics the wavering path of a freezing, starving, almost hallucinating person lost in the snow. As John slowly makes his way through the unforgiving landscape, he remembers he and his wife being newcomers to the village, their learning how to teach the children, making friends, and learning the food and customs of the people they were living among. These flashes of memory occur between perilous encounters with other survivors who seem to have lost all their humanity. As the blind girl and then the old woman join him, their knowledge is invaluable to the survival of all three-- and the two women's presence very gradually brings a feeling of hope and possibility back to a man who's all but given up.
This book succeeds on so many levels. As a commentary on geography and culture, it's first-rate. As a thriller, you can hardly wait to see what happens next-- and you want to know what caused this disaster to fall upon people you've come to know and to care about. As a character study of how decent people survive when thrust into unthinkable circumstances, The Raven's Gift is alternately heartwarming, humorous, chilling, and hopeful. Ultimately this book transcends all these labels and becomes something very special indeed.
John Morgan and his
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beloved wife are thrilled to be traveling to a remote Yup'ik village on the Alaskan tundra where they will be teachers. For John, it will be getting in touch with a part of his heritage and the part of him that loves hunting and wild places. More importantly, both of them feel that they can make a difference in the world.They've barely become acclimated to their surroundings when a deadly plague strikes and everything turns to chaos. There is absolutely no help from the outside. John's only chance for survival is a thousand-mile journey across the bitterly cold, snow-covered Alaskan wilderness to get help. Along the way, he encounters a blind girl and an elderly woman. Both Yup'ik women need his protection, and John needs their knowledge of the weather and terrain for them all to survive. In a land of brutal cold, no food, and an epidemic, all three will be pushed to their limits.
The plot of this book meanders a bit, but it's perfect since it mimics the wavering path of a freezing, starving, almost hallucinating person lost in the snow. As John slowly makes his way through the unforgiving landscape, he remembers he and his wife being newcomers to the village, their learning how to teach the children, making friends, and learning the food and customs of the people they were living among. These flashes of memory occur between perilous encounters with other survivors who seem to have lost all their humanity. As the blind girl and then the old woman join him, their knowledge is invaluable to the survival of all three-- and the two women's presence very gradually brings a feeling of hope and possibility back to a man who's all but given up.
This book succeeds on so many levels. As a commentary on geography and culture, it's first-rate. As a thriller, you can hardly wait to see what happens next-- and you want to know what caused this disaster to fall upon people you've come to know and to care about. As a character study of how decent people survive when thrust into unthinkable circumstances, The Raven's Gift is alternately heartwarming, humorous, chilling, and hopeful. Ultimately this book transcends all these labels and becomes something very special indeed.
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LibraryThing member BookDivasReads
John and Anna Morgan are happy and excited about moving to rural Alaska to work as teachers. They both are hopeful that John will be able to connect with his native Alaskan ancestry. They both know that this year isn't going to be easy. They'll be living without running water, no indoor toilet per
Mr. Reardon has crafted an engaging post-apocalyptic thriller with The Raven's Gift. The Yup'ik people are accepting of John and Anna and strive to include them in most village events and celebrations. John and Anna initially have their hands full just trying to engage their students, but as time passes they realize that teaching in rural Alaska can't be approached the same way as it is the Lower 48. John and Anna deal with a lot of uncertainty and difficulty as a result of being so far away from larger towns or villages. Those difficulties pale in comparison to what they must deal with when the sickness arrives. Without medicine, medical care, communication access to the rest of Alaska or transportation the village literally becomes a ghost town as it is decimated by this sickness.
John is one of the few survivors and after a few months of hiding from looters, he decides to try to trek to the closest town. Before his journey has begun, he comes across a blind Yup'ik girl in one of the village homes. He "rescues" her and takes her along on his trek. They eventually come across another village and an older Yup'ik woman. Unfortunately John also comes across a mysterious hunter in white that appears to be traveling from village to village. The journey to safety is fraught with danger as this unlikely trio must cover harsh terrain by foot. The question raised throughout is what caused this sickness? How did it spread so quickly from village to village? Why are there so few survivors? Why hasn't any help arrived? Who is this mysterious hunter and why is apparently bent on killing any survivors?
I found The Raven's Gift to be a fast-paced read that kept my attention from the beginning to the very end. I was literally on the edge of my seat as I read about John's trek. I enjoyed the inclusion of Eskimo folklore into the story. The characters were very well developed and quite realistic. I enjoyed the notion that the blind girl was able to "see" things that John literally couldn't see. Her extrasensory perception might have been due to her closer affinity to nature and acceptance of folk traditions. Both the blind girl and older woman wind up teaching John a lot more he could ever realize. If you enjoy reading thrillers mixed with folk lore, and post-apocalyptic survival adventures then you definitely want to read The Raven's Gift. I look forward to reading more from Mr. Reardon in the future.
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se, no local grocery stores, no local pharmacy or medical personnel, and brutal weather conditions. They'll also need to adapt to no cellular service, no home phone service, and purchasing their foods long-distance and having it flown into the village. Little do they know that these limitations are easy compared to what horrors they'll face in the Alaskan tundra.Mr. Reardon has crafted an engaging post-apocalyptic thriller with The Raven's Gift. The Yup'ik people are accepting of John and Anna and strive to include them in most village events and celebrations. John and Anna initially have their hands full just trying to engage their students, but as time passes they realize that teaching in rural Alaska can't be approached the same way as it is the Lower 48. John and Anna deal with a lot of uncertainty and difficulty as a result of being so far away from larger towns or villages. Those difficulties pale in comparison to what they must deal with when the sickness arrives. Without medicine, medical care, communication access to the rest of Alaska or transportation the village literally becomes a ghost town as it is decimated by this sickness.
John is one of the few survivors and after a few months of hiding from looters, he decides to try to trek to the closest town. Before his journey has begun, he comes across a blind Yup'ik girl in one of the village homes. He "rescues" her and takes her along on his trek. They eventually come across another village and an older Yup'ik woman. Unfortunately John also comes across a mysterious hunter in white that appears to be traveling from village to village. The journey to safety is fraught with danger as this unlikely trio must cover harsh terrain by foot. The question raised throughout is what caused this sickness? How did it spread so quickly from village to village? Why are there so few survivors? Why hasn't any help arrived? Who is this mysterious hunter and why is apparently bent on killing any survivors?
I found The Raven's Gift to be a fast-paced read that kept my attention from the beginning to the very end. I was literally on the edge of my seat as I read about John's trek. I enjoyed the inclusion of Eskimo folklore into the story. The characters were very well developed and quite realistic. I enjoyed the notion that the blind girl was able to "see" things that John literally couldn't see. Her extrasensory perception might have been due to her closer affinity to nature and acceptance of folk traditions. Both the blind girl and older woman wind up teaching John a lot more he could ever realize. If you enjoy reading thrillers mixed with folk lore, and post-apocalyptic survival adventures then you definitely want to read The Raven's Gift. I look forward to reading more from Mr. Reardon in the future.
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LibraryThing member AnastaB
"The Raven's Gift" is a story about survival, hope and finding love when you least expected it. This book takes you on a adventure, adventure of life and death. This is a dark read, that evolves a lot around death. You will find yourselves questioning if something like this can really happen. This
The Plot. I was not as excited to read this book at first. I never really read a book that involves around illness, but I always wanted to read a book of this genre. I was really surprised at how much I liked this book. The plot was just so good. The story of Anna and John was amazing. Its the kind of book that leaves you wanting more. With every chapter it opens a new view on characters and everything that you thought you knew. With this book you just start to question things. I loved that the book was set in Alaska, I mean you don't see a lot of books written in Alaska and it feels like a lot of people forgot about Alaska. This book really shows you the hardship of people living there and the amazing culture.
The Characters. The characters in "The Raven's Gift" were so realistic. It was really easy to connect to John and Anna and their new experiences. As you read it, at times it might feel like you are there with them. The way Don Rearden developed his character was amazing. John was the main character and a really strong one. You can see from the beginning to the end how his character changes and how differently he starts to handle things. You observe his growth as a person. The other characters, like the blind girl and the old woman that travel with him were also really captivating. I just loved reading their stories of their culture and traditions.
The Writing. The writing style to this book was really unique. At fist we see John's move with his wife Anna, later in a chapter it jumps to his journey with a blind girl, then it goes to earlier before he met the blind girl. So the story just jumps from the beginning of his move and his time with his wife and before the illness broke out to his midway journey with blind girl to the future. At first it can be really confusing but it is easier to get used to it, because the writing is a big part of the book that makes the story so much more interesting to follow.
The End. Honestly in the end I felt like some of my questions throughout the story wasn't answered and it left me hanging. Like I really wanted to know what happens to John after what happened in the end(don't want to spoil). So I didn't like the end as much as I wanted to.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. Not only it was a wonderful story but it was also an amazing lesson. "The Raven's Gift" is a debut novel by Don Rearden, and I think he did a wonderful job writing his first novel! I would definitely recommend it to the people who like reading about disease break out and people fighting and trying to survive hardships.
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book is also a lesson. You will learn a lot about Yup'ik culture, as well as some history of Native people.The Plot. I was not as excited to read this book at first. I never really read a book that involves around illness, but I always wanted to read a book of this genre. I was really surprised at how much I liked this book. The plot was just so good. The story of Anna and John was amazing. Its the kind of book that leaves you wanting more. With every chapter it opens a new view on characters and everything that you thought you knew. With this book you just start to question things. I loved that the book was set in Alaska, I mean you don't see a lot of books written in Alaska and it feels like a lot of people forgot about Alaska. This book really shows you the hardship of people living there and the amazing culture.
The Characters. The characters in "The Raven's Gift" were so realistic. It was really easy to connect to John and Anna and their new experiences. As you read it, at times it might feel like you are there with them. The way Don Rearden developed his character was amazing. John was the main character and a really strong one. You can see from the beginning to the end how his character changes and how differently he starts to handle things. You observe his growth as a person. The other characters, like the blind girl and the old woman that travel with him were also really captivating. I just loved reading their stories of their culture and traditions.
The Writing. The writing style to this book was really unique. At fist we see John's move with his wife Anna, later in a chapter it jumps to his journey with a blind girl, then it goes to earlier before he met the blind girl. So the story just jumps from the beginning of his move and his time with his wife and before the illness broke out to his midway journey with blind girl to the future. At first it can be really confusing but it is easier to get used to it, because the writing is a big part of the book that makes the story so much more interesting to follow.
The End. Honestly in the end I felt like some of my questions throughout the story wasn't answered and it left me hanging. Like I really wanted to know what happens to John after what happened in the end(don't want to spoil). So I didn't like the end as much as I wanted to.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. Not only it was a wonderful story but it was also an amazing lesson. "The Raven's Gift" is a debut novel by Don Rearden, and I think he did a wonderful job writing his first novel! I would definitely recommend it to the people who like reading about disease break out and people fighting and trying to survive hardships.
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LibraryThing member LynnGW
This book is very suspenseful. I had a hard time putting it down.
The story takes place in the Alaskan Tundra in a small Yup'ik Eskimo village miles from nowhere.
Two married schoolteachers move here to teach at the village school. Having just barely settled into their new home, tragedy strikes. A
Combining modern and traditional Yup'ik storytelling and culture, Don Reardon had me mesmerized.
The story jumps back in forth in time giving just enough clues to keeps the reader guessing.
The two main characters John and "the girl" are noteworthy. Although, "the girl" is a main character and the two are mutually dependent John does not know her name throughout most of the story.
This device helps to demonstrate how dire their circumstances are.
The descriptions of the people and their land are quite vivid.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The story takes place in the Alaskan Tundra in a small Yup'ik Eskimo village miles from nowhere.
Two married schoolteachers move here to teach at the village school. Having just barely settled into their new home, tragedy strikes. A
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horrible epidemic is sweeping the area and perhaps the entire world.Combining modern and traditional Yup'ik storytelling and culture, Don Reardon had me mesmerized.
The story jumps back in forth in time giving just enough clues to keeps the reader guessing.
The two main characters John and "the girl" are noteworthy. Although, "the girl" is a main character and the two are mutually dependent John does not know her name throughout most of the story.
This device helps to demonstrate how dire their circumstances are.
The descriptions of the people and their land are quite vivid.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
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LibraryThing member orangewords
A very solid book. I wasn't so sure I'd enjoy it, based, honestly, on the ARC cover, (seemed a bit tacky), but this book was a very good read. Well-written and compelling, I enjoyed it. That said, I felt that the ending was incredibly rushed, and so the novel as a whole fell a bit flat for me.
LibraryThing member shayrp76
*This is from an ARC copy I got through Librarything*
5 Stars
John and Anna Morgan are looking for adventure and to make a difference when they take jobs teaching in a Yup’ik Eskimo village in the Alaskan tundra. Not long after arriving however, a fatal epidemic spreads and without any help near
In the beginning the formatting was annoying and I was sure it would be problematic throughout. Four stars was a pretty firm rating until I realized I didn’t notice the format anymore and it turns out that it was exactly how the story needed to be told. The depth of the relationships and meaning of the story line would have been lacking if it would have been told in another way. That is this reader’s opinion anyhow. Speaking of which, the characters are amazing. These are characters I would want to walk across the tundra with. The plot is as great as the characters. A story that teaches me something new or makes me want to learn something new is always the best kind. Those are the type of books that stay with me forever.
Of course I will recommend this one and pass it on.
5 Stars
John and Anna Morgan are looking for adventure and to make a difference when they take jobs teaching in a Yup’ik Eskimo village in the Alaskan tundra. Not long after arriving however, a fatal epidemic spreads and without any help near
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chaos soon erupts. Fearing the other survivors’ hunger John fleas in the hopes of finding somewhere safe. Along his journey he finds companionship with a young blind Eskimo girl and an elderly woman who will help him in ways he couldn’t have imagined.In the beginning the formatting was annoying and I was sure it would be problematic throughout. Four stars was a pretty firm rating until I realized I didn’t notice the format anymore and it turns out that it was exactly how the story needed to be told. The depth of the relationships and meaning of the story line would have been lacking if it would have been told in another way. That is this reader’s opinion anyhow. Speaking of which, the characters are amazing. These are characters I would want to walk across the tundra with. The plot is as great as the characters. A story that teaches me something new or makes me want to learn something new is always the best kind. Those are the type of books that stay with me forever.
Of course I will recommend this one and pass it on.
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LibraryThing member juniperSun
Review based on an Early Reader's copy.
An intense, different, addition to my post-apocalyptic collection. The story line moves between the present journey looking for safety, John's early years in Alaska with his wife, and the time when he decided he needed to leave the plague-stricken village and
This is actually a hopeful book, looked at in the right way. It highlights the girl's alter-perception which allows her to sense danger, to sense what is going on around her. John has a hard time realizing that her knowledge is useful. Raven's gift is given them (and the girl tells us how to notice it).
An intense, different, addition to my post-apocalyptic collection. The story line moves between the present journey looking for safety, John's early years in Alaska with his wife, and the time when he decided he needed to leave the plague-stricken village and
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seek safety. I had no difficulty following the author. This technique created a build-up of suspense and an identification with the main character. He is tormented by the loss of his wife and tries to stay emotionally isolated--difficult to do when he is traveling with a blind teen girl. The situation is one where other people cannot be trusted, as they do whatever it takes to stay alive in the Alaskan wilderness. That was particularly eerie for me, as I recalled reading another book about native people dealing with starvation in Alaska in which a baby literally chewed it's mother. There is some mention of a possible government experiment gone out of control, but the reason for the situation is not developed.This is actually a hopeful book, looked at in the right way. It highlights the girl's alter-perception which allows her to sense danger, to sense what is going on around her. John has a hard time realizing that her knowledge is useful. Raven's gift is given them (and the girl tells us how to notice it).
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LibraryThing member Helenoel
I received this as an ARC from the Library Thing Early Reader Program. I was looking forward to it for a view of a part of Alaska I don't know much about and hoping for a good story. Although I was somewhat disappointed in both hopes, I enjoyed it - The book evokes, if not describes, the northwest
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Alaska tundra, and the story is revealed through switching among three separate timelines - Which I found disconcerting but was probably the best way to approach the story. A young couple arrive in Alaska as teachers in a remote tribal village. A strange illness disrupts the normal community structure and the man finds himself accompanying a Yupiak girl in a journey throuhg a post-apocaplyptic landscape. I wish the story had been more thoroughly resolved at the end, but I did enjoy the ride. Show Less
LibraryThing member igjoe
A real page-turner. Don't start this one before bed or you won't be sleeping much! Exciting plot lines and great characters. I found the back and forth timeline intriguing; it takes a great author to make this kind of thing work and I think Mr. Rearden did the job. Great read.
LibraryThing member txblaize
I won this book on Library Thing. The book was a page turner set in the remote Alaskan tundra. The author's plot was great. I wondered if this could actually happen. I agree it could occur in remote locations. Well done Mr Rearden! This is a great debut.
LibraryThing member kathy_h
I received this book as part of the Library Thing.com Early Reviewers Group. It's a fast read, well written and thought provoking. As Anna and John come to the realization that perhaps they've made a mistake moving to Alaska, it's too late. The notion of being so isolated, losing power in subzero
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temperatures with no access to medical facilities or medicine was terrifying to me. I found the ending to be a little too perfect, but Rearden does a great job of evoking the desolation...and the degradation. I wish he had explored the notion of the hunter and what he might entail a little earlier and in more detail, however. I should note that this type of novel isn't something I would normally select to read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Onionspark
I received this book in the mail as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers right before I went to work, and by the time I left work I had consumed a hundred pages on my breaks alone. It's a fast read that sucks you in. Thrillers aren't normally my genre, and I'm not normally one for multiple
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flashbacks, but the three separate timelines for this story worked very well in holding the suspense between each. Probably one of the most enjoyable books I've gotten through this reviewer program. Show Less
LibraryThing member nubian_princesa
***I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads giveaway.****
As I began reading this book, the first thing that caught my attention was the way the author alternated the chapters consistently from the past to the present. It came off as being disjointed at first but I kept going and
The insight into a culture that seems so foreign to me (and I'm sure to most Americans as well) was surprising and sad. The fact that this work of fiction is a real possibility is chilling.
I would definitely recommend giving it a read if you like intrigue, suspense and some thrills to go with it
As I began reading this book, the first thing that caught my attention was the way the author alternated the chapters consistently from the past to the present. It came off as being disjointed at first but I kept going and
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I was glad that I did.The insight into a culture that seems so foreign to me (and I'm sure to most Americans as well) was surprising and sad. The fact that this work of fiction is a real possibility is chilling.
I would definitely recommend giving it a read if you like intrigue, suspense and some thrills to go with it
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LibraryThing member Iambookish
I picked up this book because it's the Anchorage Reads 2015 selection. It's not something I normally would gravitate to so my expectations weren't high, but the excellent writing and story soon pulled me in and makes me think this will be the best book I read all year. Really a stunner!
I can't wait
I can't wait
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to participate in some of the events scheduled at the Anchorage library this March! Show Less
LibraryThing member FerneMysteryReader
A haunting novel. Provocative.
Don't miss reading the "Author's Note" at the end of the novel. It heightens the importance of encouraging others not to miss this novel.
Don't miss reading the "Author's Note" at the end of the novel. It heightens the importance of encouraging others not to miss this novel.
LibraryThing member trinker
I'd read another by Rearden. He kept me wondering and I learned some things about the Yup'ik that I didn't know. After seeing how the poor were treated in New Orleans during the tragedy of hurricane Katrina, how much less likely would it be for help to be sent to a plagued remote village in Alaska?
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
The Raven’s Gift by Don Reardon is an unusual dystopian story that because of the times we are currently living in, was both believable and very scary. A highly contagious disease, a mutation of the bird flu brings about the quarantine of the state of Alaska. John and Anna are married teachers
Death takes many forms in this book, stalking the characters with sickness, suicide, murder, cannibalism, and even a strange hunter, who appears to be intent upon the assassination of all survivors. As John and a fellow survivor, Yup’ik woman, Rayna set out across the dark, cold land seeking a place of safety, they encounter danger at every turn, but they also find love.
While I was truly engrossed by this story, I also was confused much of the time. The author divided the story into three time lines, just before the sickness, during the sickness and the quest for survival and it wasn’t always clear to me which time line I was reading. I had a lot of questions about this story and the answers weren’t supplied. I also didn’t appreciate the ending which I felt left the readers hanging. Originally published in 2013, The Raven’s Gift felt like it was a foreshadow of what was to come in 2020.
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who are living in a remote village. They are trapped and as the sickness takes it toil, Anna falls ill as well. Death takes many forms in this book, stalking the characters with sickness, suicide, murder, cannibalism, and even a strange hunter, who appears to be intent upon the assassination of all survivors. As John and a fellow survivor, Yup’ik woman, Rayna set out across the dark, cold land seeking a place of safety, they encounter danger at every turn, but they also find love.
While I was truly engrossed by this story, I also was confused much of the time. The author divided the story into three time lines, just before the sickness, during the sickness and the quest for survival and it wasn’t always clear to me which time line I was reading. I had a lot of questions about this story and the answers weren’t supplied. I also didn’t appreciate the ending which I felt left the readers hanging. Originally published in 2013, The Raven’s Gift felt like it was a foreshadow of what was to come in 2020.
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Language
Physical description
279 p.; 23 inches
ISBN
0143173332 / 9780143173335
Local notes
The Raven's Gift is a timely read for the 2020 - 2021 pandemic. An eerie foreshadowing of real-life events with an Alaskan tourist. Sad but strangely hopeful.