Cloud Chamber

In this broad and ambitious novel, Michael Dorris demonstrates his gift for crafting the distinct voices of characters in varied settings. His story traces the family history of figures from his stunning first novel, A Yellow Raft in Blue Water, which was itself an intergenerational narrative woven from the stories of three Native American women--daughter, mother, and grandmother. Cloud Chamber begins in Ireland, crosses the Atlantic, and heads west from Kentucky to Montana to Washington State, following the generations. Intermarriage creates a diverse mix of family stories and individual identities. The myths about and courageous actions of ancestors emerge as the shaping forces of family legacy. Dorris is daring in the range of his narrative and successful in casting his characters' deep humanity.