A Yellow Raft in Blue Water: A Novel

Paper thickness is very thin. This is my second copy of I prefer the thicker pages for turning

A Yellow Raft in Blue Water is one of those books that has sat on my book shelf unread for a number of years. I final decided to give it a try, but honestly it just wasn't a story that I enjoyed.It's a multi-generational story about a family of women living on an Indian reservation in Montana. The family has more skeletons in their closets than most, and each generation is very good at keeping secrets and creating more as well. The story is told in three parts beginning with the very youngest -- Rayona. Then Christine, mother of Rayona and finally Ida, Christine's mother. Each woman is headstrong, yet different, and each faces their own personal struggles. Although their relationships are strained, the ties that bind are still there.The story begins in the present and flashes back to past events. There are a few twists, a good dose of symbolism, and discussion points that might make this book worth discussing in a high school lit course or book club discussion group. The issues I had with the story was that although I typically like stories about family dysfunction, this story did not have any likeable characters. I kept feeling like I should be feeling sorry for these women, yet that didn't happen. I also need to mention that readers who like to feel a sense of resolution when they finish reading a novel, will probably end up disappointed with how this one ends.Although this book wasn't right for me, the writing is descriptive, and there were some important social issues addressed, which might make this one a worthy choice for older teens perhaps.

It was a pretty great story. I would absolutely recommend it for someone looking for a fresh breath or just something different to read. The sociological and psychological behaviors examined in the book are also very thrilling. As the book is split into three sections (narrated by the three different main characters) it gives an interesting perspective into common events that they all observe or live through.It almost feels like a mystery book where throughout the entire story you act as a detective gathering up clues from each character's narration and putting them all together to create a flowing and reasonable story line.However beware that this novel should be read and analyzed as a character development story and not on the plot as it can get a bit stagnant or unrelated. My only hindrance was that the plot changes that Dorris wrote in the novel were not all necessarily related or really important to the build of the story :/

One of the greatest tragedies regarding this book is that it has become required reading in many English classes. What a shame. Please don't mistake my intention here; one should come to this novel in a wholly voluntary way, with an open heart toward the telling of a good story. Dorris is, certainly, one of America's finest storytellers. This novel is rich with imagery and infused with the colors of Native American life. But it is essentially a novel about people and relationships undefined by race or color. It is a story of heartbreak and redemption, told by a man who knew personally of these things. As a feminist writer, I came to this book with a bias; I resented his presumption that he could tell a woman's story--several women's stories--from a woman's point of view. It taught me a lesson about my own prejudice, and brought me to a place of greater tolerance. Dorris draws together the fabric of three separate lives in this novel... and creates the warm quilt of a shared family history. Those who come to this novel of their own volition will not be disappointed.

This is a lovely read. Three stories weave together flawlessly and force you to look at situations from another person's perspective. Each character is severely flawed and you see why they react they way they do in each situation in the following story. From Rayona's story it is very easy to hate Christine, and from Christine's story it is each to hate Ida. But you don't because when you hear it from their point of view you realize why they made the choices they did. (However, no matter who is telling the story, you will hate Foxy Kennedy Cree, cruel little brat!) I loved the setting and the descriptions of the scenery. I have read this book approximately 8 times and each time I am surprised to find nuances in the stories that I didn't notice before.

This book is amazing. I read it in high school and I have never forgotten it. The style of this author’s writing is unique. I used to want to be a writer when I was younger and this book was very inspiring to me. The story itself is easy to follow and captivating. You won’t be disappointed!

Dorris's "Yellow Raft on Blue Water" is less about American Indian life than about the dangers of growing up in this strange, rich, loosely-jointed society that we've built in America. Particularly when you have no help from your family. Rayona, at 15, is an outsider in the white world of Seattle because her mother is Indian and her father black. She's equally an outsider on the reservation, to which her mother returns her, because of her father and her years on the Coast. The first eight chapters, told by Rayona, are splendid. The next eight, told by her wildly irresponsible and conflicted mother, are a bit less so. The final four, in the voice of her grandmother, supply the answers to the puzzles but remain mechanical. Not a great novel but a good one with some fine passages.

I disliked some of the language used, especially at the beginning of the book, but I hung in there and that aspect improved. The story itself was at times sad, funny, or depressing. Sad because of the lives they lived as a result of being hurt in some way, but depressing to think several generations let pride and anger lead them to make wrong choices in their lives. Fortunately, however, there were light moments to take the edge off the darker side of things.

Worth a read if you enjoy beautiful, lyrical writing, stories about strong but flawed women, or exploring American classics we have less access to in the UK. A lovely story about three generations of women.

We buy all of our school books on Amazon so the kids can make their notes in the books. Very interesting novel, forward thinking pick for high school English.

I have read this amazing book more than once. It is a portrayal of the lives of three women and should be on reading lists around the world.