This book is a must read for anyone interested in the history of the Pacific Northwest with many trails of folklore, colorful characters, legends, and events interwoven. At last, in one stunning and riveting novel is the full story of the Whitman Mission including the history and culture of the Cayuse; the heartbreaking story of seven orphaned children adopted by the Whitmans and their life at the mission; the events leading up to the attack on the mission; the ransom and rescue; and finally the sham of a trial of the Cayuse. The two wives of missionaries were the first American women to go overland to the Pacific Northwest, which ultimately resulted in the formation of the Oregon Trail. Marcus and Narcissa Whitman lived a most remarkable, courageous, and often ignorant life among the Cayuse, ending in tragedy.