I just finished a book titled Black Hills by Dan Simmons.This book is a fiction novel based on historical fact. This type is out of my normal element.It intrigued me because in the start of the book, General Custer is killed at Little Big Horn, to have an Indian boy of 11 years old, named Paha Sapa, "count coup" on him. Custers spirit invades Paha Sapa, who's name mean Black Hills. The book works through Paha Sapa's life, jumping back and forth through his childhood and adulthood. As you work through the book, it refers to a lot of Lakota belief and at times become hard to follow or understand. You also learn along the way that Paha Sapa,can see events of someone lives if he touches them skin to skin. During his "spiritual testing" he has vision from the Six Grandfathers,Indian gods I presume, where he sees Mount Rushmore come to life. The Presidents end up destroying everything. As Paha Sapa grows older, he feels the need to blow up Mount Rushmore.
As I said earlier, at times this book became confusing. I didn't understand what the chapters with Custer and his wife had to do with anything other than being a filler I guess. At one point Paha Sapa goes to New York,to visit Custers widow. The author decides to explain the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, again not sure what this had to do with the story.
As many times I almost put this book on the shelf, curiosity kept me reading. At points, it was very good. I enjoyed learning how Rushmore was made. I could relate to all the tragedy in Paha Sapa's life and of course I enjoyed some of the history. I have never been so mixed about a book before.
