The Grass Dancer

By: Susan Power

Narrated by: Susan Power

Back in the 1860s, Ghost Horse, a handsome young sacred clown, loved and lost to death the beautiful warrior woman Red Dress. As their spirits seek desperately to be reunited, they influence the sometimes violent fate of those who have followed them.

Now in the 1980s, Red Dress's teenage descendant Charlene Thunder has fallen hopelessly in love with Harley Wind Soldier, the dashing traditional dancer of Ghost Horse's lineage.

When Harley's soul mate is killed in an accident, Charlene guiltily suspects her own grandmother, a notorious witch, of making it happen - just as she may well have caused the death of Harley's father and brother, which even today obsesses him.

The Grass Dancer is a debut novel for Susan Power, an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe.

©1997 Susan Power (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A consummate storyteller whose graceful prose is plangent with lyrical metaphor and sensuous detail, she deftly uses suspense, humor, irony and the gradual revelation of dramatic disclosures to compose a tapestry of human life. Seduced by her humane vision and its convincing depiction, one absorbs the traditions and lore of the Sioux community with a sense of wonder reflecting that with which the characters view the natural world. This is a book that begs to be read at one sitting, and then again. A chapter appeared in The Best American Short Stories 1993." ( Publishers Weekly)

all time favorite

i have read this book many many times. I was excited to find it on audible. Susan Power did a wonderful job. I love when authors narrate. I'm sure I'll listen many more times

Great Story. Horrid Narration.

I read a hard copy of "The Grass Dancer" years ago, and looked forward to reuniting with a great story in audio. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to make it all the way through the audio edition. The narration is too fast, and monotonous. It ruins a fabulous story. I wish Ms. Power had hired a pro.

Wasté do’!!!

All the authentic names and stories that were told. The use of our language stole my heart. One of the best book I have listened too. I grew up in Ft. Yates . North Dakota but now live in Oklahoma. So I believei will listen to this book again and again just to hear the names and stories. Thank you for writing this beautiful book. Pidamaya!!!

There is power in authenticity!

The author’s authenticity resounds in this generous and charming story of family and generative truth.

Love this book

Read this book numerous times and listened to it even more. Absolutely love these stories.

Wonderful book, but the reader sounds robotic.

I would have loved to hear this with a more expressive reader. I think the pronunciation of indigenous names and words was not bad, but I don't speak Dakota so I leave that to others to judge.

Feminine Medicine

This story is so powerful and destroyed me emotionally, but in the most potent and powerful way. I am in so much awe of the power of medicine and how medicine is passed from woman to woman and the demonization of our medicine. Thank you, Susan Power, for writing a story that will forever be a part of my heart.

Great book. Horrible audible.

I love this book. It’s one of my favorites. I keep it in my library and gift it to family and friends. The audible, however , is absolutely horrible. We barely finished the first chapter. It sounds like a robotic voice. I was under the impression that Susan Powers read it, but I don’t see how. Narrator does not sound human. I wish there were more options for narration. But I could only find the one female robotic voice. It was a waste of money. I do love the book so much that I would purchase it again if they hired a great narrator. A human male? It’s actually a 5 star story, but I could only give it 1 because we could only stand listening to the first chapter of the story.

Narration sounds computer generated

This seems like a poor computer generated reading and is difficult to listen to. The computer is not picking up proper punctuation amd is confusing words. This forces the reader rely on the context of the sentence to figure out what word the author is really using. I suggest you buy this book in hard copy.