Sawbones
Defiantly working in an unnatural female profession in 1871 Manhattan, Dr. Catherine Bennett has rich society women as clients and believes she’s found her niche. Then a patient’s husband is killed, and Catherine is falsely accused of adultery and murder. Along with her motherly Irish maid, she flees, hoping to make a new start out West as “Laura Elliston.” However, her past follows her to Galveston, where she joins a wagon train with settlers intending to form a new Colorado town. The government’s “peace policy” towards the Plains Indians is strongly resented, so their journey is fraught with danger.
The action is constant, and Laura proves a determined survivor as she recovers from a vicious Indian attack—points to Lenhardt for her depiction of this mental trauma—and takes charge as temporary doctor at Fort Richardson. Historical events like the Salt Creek Massacre and real people, like an arrogant General Sherman on his Texas inspection tour, are deftly worked into the plotline. Laura’s flirtatious romance with a wounded army captain illustrates her vulnerable side and the author’s gift for clever dialogue.
Many will praise this book for its brutal realism—there are scalpings, murders, and graphic sexual violence—and for not holding back on the era’s racist attitudes. This is a compelling read, but it’s not meant to be comfortable, and given her experiences, Laura’s terror and hatred of the Indians are understandable. Still, the one-dimensional “savages” (an overused word in the book) do little except kill, rape, and grunt, and the heroine, otherwise a compassionate physician, doesn’t seem too conflicted about wanting the Indians wiped out altogether. Keeping company with Catherine/Laura is sometimes difficult. This is the first in a trilogy, so perhaps Blood Oath and Badlands will show a greater character arc for this daringly bold and challenging woman.
