Review: The Sharpest Sight by Louis Owens. 03/28/2017

Louis Owens well-written story was powerful and with characteristic individuals in contemporary Native American fiction. He writes with accuracy, confidence and from the heart literature that keeps his readers intrigued. Owens uses mythology, beliefs, history and the culture of Native Americans (Indians) and Hispanic throughout his story. Entwined in the story he also covers the effects and flashbacks of individuals of the Vietnam War. I was interested in the psychic healing, police procedural, the exploration of self-discovery and the magical realism that Owens expressed with efficiently.

Attis McCurtain returns home from serving in the Vietnam War in a confused state that changed his life and the life of his friends and family members. He committed a horrible crime that led to the death of his girlfriend and was incarcerated in an insane facility until the night someone out for revenge was setting Attis up to escape, and he did. His best friend Mundo Morales who is Mexican-American, also a Vietnam Vet, and is now a sheriff’s deputy was headed home the same night and thought he saw Attis floating in the river. At that time he hadn’t known about the escape until Attis’s uncle Luther met Mundo at his home moments later and verified Attis was dead. Luther had a vision of what Mundo thought he saw in the river.

After the escape the FBI authorities got involved but Mundo met with Attis’s younger brother Carl do their own investigating in the disappearance of Attis. The small town of Amarga, Calf, where they all lived was mostly poverty stricken and some back woods feud issues that was only handled in one way. If you harm someone in their family they harm someone in your family. It was their way of living no matter who was the victim next in line. However, Mundo was going to try to prevent any harm to anyone and do what was right by the law.

The other out of town authorities didn’t care what happened and only wanted the issue hushed and dropped. The little town of Amarga was full of sinners, secrets and strong racism against its Native Americans and Chicano inhabitants. Louis Owens opens up the issues of prejudices, betrayals, violent crimes, and the forces of the dead Spirit’s hovering over the living. Owens created plenty of interesting individuals to keep the story flowing, some living others as spirits. Between the history, cultures, and the Spirit World Louis Owens did a wonderful job connecting it all together to make it unfold like reality. ( )

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11950511