Wind Follower

Carole McDonnell

Average Rating 9/10 (1 Review)

A fourth tribe has come to the land of the three tribes - and the light-skinned newcomers are fated to change the tribes' way of life and religion.

Although it is not entirely to her liking, grief-stricken Satha, a dark-skinned woman from a poor Theseni clan weds young Loic, the wealthy Doreni son of the king's First Captain.

Loic, graced with ability to see into the hearts and minds of others, begins to help Satha overcome her sorrows. Despite coming from different tribes, they begin to forge a life together. But when Satha's own compassion is used against her and a treacherous enemy contrives to dishonor her in Loic's absence, Loic's love turns to anger and disgust. Embittered, Loic must still avenge his honor and Satha's and he sets out on a journey that brings despair as well as spiritual discovery.

Battling him are the Arkhai, the spirits of the land who know his quest will lead him toward the God whom they have usurped. After his departure, Satha is kidnapped, sold into slavery and learns, first hand, how cruel the pioneering Angleni tribe can be.

Both face great hardship, danger and anguish apart, but with the Creator's aid there remains hope they will be reunited and heal the love the world has torn asunder.

Review by Molly Martin (010320) Rating (9/10)

Review by Molly Martin
Book Source: Not Known
Rating 9/10
Carole McDonnell’s Wind Follower pulls The Reader right into the storyline as we meet Loic who is speaking. Loic informs us he will explain to us initially vis-à-vis how Krika died.

Kirka’s shaman father fetched Kirka before the elders at the Spirit Shrine, the sacrificial mound called Skull Place by the clan. Kirka was bound, the skin of his face had already been thrashed away, he was sobbing, begging and crying out for compassion.

Even Though Loic was more than a little dumbfounded, he forgave Kirka. Loic contemplated, who could tolerate such distress with weeping. Kirka had challenged his father’s directive that he declare regard to the spirits. And now; he was to be put to death as a part of the monthly sacrifice ritual.

Kirka remained where he had dropped beneath a barrage of stones.

Focusing on Loic tyu Taer and Satha tya Monua a married couple from dissimilar tribes; Wind Follower represents a multiplicity of key tribes discovered in the account.

Tribes are removed both by race and skin colour.

Tribal groups consist of white skinned, light skinned and dark-skinned clans. Likewise, it is not just skin colour which sets the numerous groups away from each other. Each tribe or clan is engrossed by its own group of fairly inflexible and ironclad, shared ideals, principals and ethics in addition to uniqueness, societal norms and even physical presence outside light or dark skin tones.

One group indicates an Asian influence, while another gives the impression as more traditional African, while a third conveys the sense it is a balance of more than a single racial group. Additionally there is even a mystical band created of a range of persons who interact with the native peoples in dissimilar manner; some helpfully, some evidently with no distinction as well as some not entirely noble.

Loic is from the clan having light skin tone while Satha’s physical appearance is quite dark.

Writer McDonnell draws upon her wide-ranging store of investigation into early African tribal practices in order to better set down a representation of the rituals, mores and qualities of the assorted parties in order to portray a representative clash of societies where social traditions and customs are absolute law. Wherein to unsettle a cultural more might well lead to demise of the individual, or even to conflict and outright battle among the groups.

When the prosperous Doreni Pagatsu, son of the king's First Captain first sees Satha, a sympathetic, dark skinned beauty, from an impoverished Theseni clan in the marketplace he decides that he wants her to be his spouse.

Satha’s tender kind-heartedness offered towards some members of Loci's clan is viewed reluctantly by several of the clan and will eventually lead to her being ruthlessly raped.

The violent attack triggers the demise of her first child. Loic and Satha will be perpetually at odds psychologically, mentally, and finally physically because of the loss.

Jam-packed with made-up nuances Wind Follower is an explanation of earliest African people, their values and their customs, ethos and way of life in which the belief of forebears and spirit reverence are interwoven with a credible Christian message.

Writer McDonnell does not shy from matters relating to sacred belief, traditional group or of race. The locale of the account offered in the form of fantasy; serves to cause the anecdote to be even more out of the routine.

First person accounts can be complicated to produce with steadfastness. Not only does Writer McDonnell utilize first person as her method for getting this narrative recorded, although, on the pages of Wind Follower McDonnell competently interweaves the individual stories of the duo of main characters: Loic and Satha, and manages to use first person effectively not once but twice.

Loic and Satha each re-count their own part of the saga. That McDonnell is a clever author and master storyteller is unmistakable as she adroitly manages to give each character their own distinctive voice.

The various ethnicities, backgrounds and personalities as represented by novelist McDonnell are plausible and convincing. Wind Follower is an account in which the reader is immediately drawn into the prominent, wholly reputable and even, at times, tragic setting of Ibeni, Doreni, Thesini.

Loic is a man propelled when he sets out to learn and eliminate the man who physically abused his wife. Hardship strikes Satha once more during the period her husband is clashing with dark forces in his pursuit to locate Noam.

Satha is imprisoned and sold into slavery. Loic, too, has much the same fate as the pair suffer anguish, not knowing the whereabouts of the other, whether they will ever reconcile or if they will even again return to their homes.

Wind Follower is a sociologist’s dream novel. The volume offers varied cultures, with all their nuances of qualities and distinctiveness in a believable and most gripping read. The work may bring the reader to a larger, perhaps deeper understanding regarding social sanctions, social mores and status of taboo without appearing preachy or causing the reader to feel overawed in the intricacies.

Not for everyone; I am happy to recommend for those who enjoy a novel sure to bring about some thinking as well as reading.
Molly Martin (1st March 2020)