Thanks to a good and always a very special friend who strongly recommended this book. It was a coincidence, I found a copy among the junks of my previous working place. Well, my first book review will be the first book (and hopefully not the last), my friend read during secondary days.
SUMMARY
This book is a true story of a Chumash Indian girl who was believed to solely survive for eighteen years at the Santa Barbara Islands of California.
The setting known as the Island of Blue Dolphins where the inhabitants of Ghalas-at lived. The chief of the tribe was Chowig and his children were Karana and Ramo. The conflict of the story started when the Aleuts came together with a Russian captain named Orlov to hunt otters on the island. There was disagreement with the terms that resulted to a bloody and deadly fight, which resulted to the death of Chowig and so many of his men.
The new chief, Kimki found a place for the tribe to settle and start a new life. On the stormy day of their departure, Karana's brother Ramo was left behind in the island. So, Karana jumped off from the boat and swam back to the island to find her brother.
Ramo and Karana only had each other to survive in the island. Likewise, fate was unkind to Ramo because he was killed by a pack of wild dogs.
After her brother's death, Karana relied to no one for survival. She made her own spears, even if it was prohibited by the law of the tribe for women to make weapons. She fought the wild dogs who took her brother's life but befriended with the leader whom she named as Rontu.
The Aleuts came back and she found a secret friend in one of them. Karana's Aleut friend was Tutok. In spite of the language barrier, their friendship grew deeper. Yet, Tutok left the island with her tribe while Karana chose to stay.
Karana's long time companion Rontu died. Yet, she learned to tame the wild dogs and found a special friend from them whom she named as Rontu-Aru.
The day came when there was another ship that harboured at the island. So, Karana firmly decided that it was time for her to leave and start a new life with people around her.
This book is a true story of a Chumash Indian girl who was believed to solely survive for eighteen years at the Santa Barbara Islands of California.
The setting known as the Island of Blue Dolphins where the inhabitants of Ghalas-at lived. The chief of the tribe was Chowig and his children were Karana and Ramo. The conflict of the story started when the Aleuts came together with a Russian captain named Orlov to hunt otters on the island. There was disagreement with the terms that resulted to a bloody and deadly fight, which resulted to the death of Chowig and so many of his men.
The new chief, Kimki found a place for the tribe to settle and start a new life. On the stormy day of their departure, Karana's brother Ramo was left behind in the island. So, Karana jumped off from the boat and swam back to the island to find her brother.
Ramo and Karana only had each other to survive in the island. Likewise, fate was unkind to Ramo because he was killed by a pack of wild dogs.
After her brother's death, Karana relied to no one for survival. She made her own spears, even if it was prohibited by the law of the tribe for women to make weapons. She fought the wild dogs who took her brother's life but befriended with the leader whom she named as Rontu.
The Aleuts came back and she found a secret friend in one of them. Karana's Aleut friend was Tutok. In spite of the language barrier, their friendship grew deeper. Yet, Tutok left the island with her tribe while Karana chose to stay.
Karana's long time companion Rontu died. Yet, she learned to tame the wild dogs and found a special friend from them whom she named as Rontu-Aru.
The day came when there was another ship that harboured at the island. So, Karana firmly decided that it was time for her to leave and start a new life with people around her.
What can I say...
Karana is a portrait of a true survivor who fights life's challenges in the midst of adversities, grief and loneliness. It is true that no man is an island but Karana for over a decade found companionship in animals to cope her solitary journey in the island. She suffered the remorse of losing a father, brother, friends and tribe. Yet, this doesn't stop her from living each day and to go on with her existence.
Karana teaches us that if 'there's a will, there's a way'. In spite of the fears with the beasts surrounding her, she still keeps her sanity and lives each day appreciating the beauty of nature.
Karana is a brave and witty girl who never gives up on life even if she faces it alone.
Karana is a portrait of a true survivor who fights life's challenges in the midst of adversities, grief and loneliness. It is true that no man is an island but Karana for over a decade found companionship in animals to cope her solitary journey in the island. She suffered the remorse of losing a father, brother, friends and tribe. Yet, this doesn't stop her from living each day and to go on with her existence.
Karana teaches us that if 'there's a will, there's a way'. In spite of the fears with the beasts surrounding her, she still keeps her sanity and lives each day appreciating the beauty of nature.
Karana is a brave and witty girl who never gives up on life even if she faces it alone.
About the author:
Scott O'Dell was an American author of 26 novels for young people, along with three novels for adults and four nonfiction books. He wrote historical fiction, primarily, including several children's novels are about historical California and Mexico.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org
Scott O'Dell was an American author of 26 novels for young people, along with three novels for adults and four nonfiction books. He wrote historical fiction, primarily, including several children's novels are about historical California and Mexico.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org
Island of the Blue Dolphins (1964) movie