Page 1 of 2

Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 21 Jun 2018, 14:35
by revna01
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Rite of passage" by Grover peaceman.]
Book Cover
2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review


Rite of Passage by Grover Peaceman is an autobiographical account of the author’s time spent as a youth learning the ways of his ancestors. In 196 pages, the author has compiled numerous legends of the Native American people of North America, a deeply spiritual people that believe in living together in harmony. They rely heavily on their ancient traditions to keep their heritage alive in the minds and hearts of their descendants. The author prefaces the book with a mission statement: to “create a concept of the spirituality of the North American Indian, the first people.”

The story begins when Grover is an adolescent and is dropped off at his grandfather's mountain cabin for the summer to undergo a “cleansing.” His grandfather immediately sets to teaching Grover the ways of his people-the Cherokees, tribe of Choctaw. The tension in the relationship is obvious from the start, and Grover looks for opportunities to set out on his own, but soon meets Daniela, a girl front a nearby town, with whom he falls madly in love. Grover and Daniela, along with a couple of new friends, explore the surrounding areas to uncover the mysteries of the ancient Native people.

Grover attends various festivals, including the Nut Moon, Full Moon, Green Corn, and Ripe Corn festivals. For entertainment, the community holds competitions in stick ball and horse racing. As Grover witnesses the community dancing fireside, and hears the prayers, beliefs, and legends that define the Native people, he begins to feel a connection he had never imagined. He makes many journeys that summer, forging a bond with Grandfather, who begins to reveal details about his ancestors. Before long, it is time for Grover’s own rite of passage to begin.

The author heaps a generous helping of Native American folklore into the book, shining a light on some well-known, but not well-understood traditions. We learn the origins of the Native American people's view that all things have spirits, and enjoy a front row seat to a traditional cleansing ceremony. With a respectable list of sources cited, the author has gone to great lengths to share the legends of the Native Americans. These stories were by far my favorite part, tying into the main narrative effortlessly, never feeling forced or disjointed. The author also includes several beautiful sketches, each depicting a focal point in the chapter.

Unfortunately, I immediately knew the reading was going to be problematic. I amassed a list of ten errors within a few pages and at no point did the frequency of errors decrease. The sentence phrasing was awkward and the grammar and punctuation were severely flawed. There were several instances in which a primary character’s name was misspelled and plenty of occasions in which I was confused by what I was reading, feeling as though key details were missing from the narrative.

Even its current condition, I could see this book appealing to a reader with a non-scholarly interest in Native American customs, due to the plentiful insights into tribal traditions and lore. I have rated this book 2 out of 4 stars, hoping the author will invest in professional editing services or perhaps enlist a ghost writer to capture this book's full potential.

******
Rite of passage
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Like revna01's review? Post a comment saying so!

Re: Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 22 Jun 2018, 06:22
by Sahani Nimandra
Interesting and appealing! I could visualize every single part in the synopsis, and I could describe the experience of what this book has to offer. Seriously! Too bad about the errors. Thank you for your review!

Re: Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 22 Jun 2018, 08:14
by revna01
Sahani Nimandra wrote: 22 Jun 2018, 06:22 Interesting and appealing! I could visualize every single part in the synopsis, and I could describe the experience of what this book has to offer. Seriously! Too bad about the errors. Thank you for your review!
Thanks so much for stopping by! I was really looking forward to learning more about the North American Native people. I love discovering other cultures :)

Re: Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 22 Jun 2018, 08:25
by kandscreeley
I think we could all use a bit more information about Native Americans. It's too bad that this book was so poorly edited. Hopefully the author can get that cleaned up and really turn this book around. Thanks so much for your review.

Re: Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 22 Jun 2018, 17:05
by strawberrysab
Thank you for your review. I read a few books about Native Americans and I was hoping to add this one to the list, so I hope the author will invest in editing and proofreading.

Re: Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 22 Jun 2018, 18:33
by Suzy1611
Thanks for the book review of Native American people. Good review.

Re: Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 22 Jun 2018, 18:39
by celeste1974
I liked this review. I don't have a stitch of Native American blood in me(that I am aware)but my husband and his family are. Despite the errors, it sounds like an interesting book to read.

Re: Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 22 Jun 2018, 18:39
by Dragonfly6
I have always had an interest in the Native American people and their rich customs and heritage. This sounds like a book I would really enjoy, except for the excessive errors. I appreciate your thorough review so I didn't have to muddle through them myself, as they do distract terribly from the content. Thank you for your review!

Re: Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 22 Jun 2018, 22:59
by Marissa Michael
The book has potential but the poor editing is the bummer. I will only read this after it is well-edited. Thank you for your detailed review on this.

Re: Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 23 Jun 2018, 09:17
by Connie Otwani
It is a pity that poor editing ails such a promising book! Thanks for the insightful review.

Re: Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 24 Jun 2018, 12:43
by revna01
kandscreeley wrote: 22 Jun 2018, 08:25 I think we could all use a bit more information about Native Americans. It's too bad that this book was so poorly edited. Hopefully the author can get that cleaned up and really turn this book around. Thanks so much for your review.
I agree on all your points. Thanks for reading and commenting!

Re: Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 25 Jun 2018, 10:22
by gen_g
Sahani Nimandra wrote: 22 Jun 2018, 06:22 Interesting and appealing! I could visualize every single part in the synopsis, and I could describe the experience of what this book has to offer. Seriously! Too bad about the errors. Thank you for your review!
I agree with Sahani - I always love reading about legends and myths. Hopefully, with a few more rounds of editing, it would make for an even better read. Thank you for the great review, as always!

Re: Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 26 Jun 2018, 14:57
by revna01
kandscreeley wrote: 22 Jun 2018, 08:25 I think we could all use a bit more information about Native Americans. It's too bad that this book was so poorly edited. Hopefully the author can get that cleaned up and really turn this book around. Thanks so much for your review.
I agree, so little is known about them. Thank you for your comments!

Re: Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 26 Jun 2018, 14:59
by revna01
gen_g wrote: 25 Jun 2018, 10:22
Sahani Nimandra wrote: 22 Jun 2018, 06:22 Interesting and appealing! I could visualize every single part in the synopsis, and I could describe the experience of what this book has to offer. Seriously! Too bad about the errors. Thank you for your review!
I agree with Sahani - I always love reading about legends and myths. Hopefully, with a few more rounds of editing, it would make for an even better read. Thank you for the great review, as always!
I love the myths and legends as well! And the general spirituality. Thank you for your comments!

Re: Official Review: Rite of passage by Grover peaceman

Posted: 26 Jun 2018, 15:10
by revna01
Cotwani wrote: 23 Jun 2018, 09:17 It is a pity that poor editing ails such a promising book! Thanks for the insightful review.
Writing is a skill that must be crafted and refined. I would never discourage anyone from writing, but it should be pursued earnestly. I felt that the author was sloppy, which makes me sad because the story is a good one. Thanks for commenting!