Without Words

It's amazing what people will tell you when you don't speak yourself. Shadow, an orphan who attached herself to an immigrant family on a boat to America in 1881, suffered an unknown trauma that left her mute. As a child and a young woman, she becomes an integral part of her South Dakota prairie community. Secrets, quirks of character, and personal tragedies are safe with Shadow, who provides wordless, non-judgemental support to the fascinating characters who move in and out of her life. Shadow's perspective, written as her life wanes, immerses readers in the heartwarming and heartwrenching experiences of the brave, noble, and not-so-noble immigrants who struggled to establish a foothold on the harsh prairie landscape. Eventually Shadow comes to understand that, a life without words is not a life without significance.