Mana's Story (The Kin)

Rating:
Summary: Somewhat confusing
Review: This novel is the fourth (?) in a series about an ancient tribe of people trying survive and evolve. In this episode, Mana and her tribe, the Moonhawk, move because of the threat of a tribe that murders other men and keeps the skulls as trophies. They plan a trap to kill the stalkers after adopting a woman whose mate was murdered. They also face the problem of saving and raising a child who is the son of these tribesmen and Mana herself must face the oldest and wisest of these men in a confrontation which kills him. All throughout, Mana is learning a lot about who she is and what is right, even though her kinsmen do not always agree with her. The book's action and moral message are strong points in its favor. However, in between each chapter is a sort of fable about the gods of the different tribes that is slightly confusing. It also detracts from the plot of the story. Another factor to consider is the language, which is appropriately more basic and tailored to the experiences and thoughts of the tribes. It takes a long time to get used to. Overall, it is a pretty good book, but I recommend starting with the first in the series and going from there.