Even as We Breathe (2020) by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle

 1,001 Novels: A Library of America

Even as We Breathe (2020)

by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle

227 Drama Road, Cherokee, North Carolina

North Carolina: 10/20

   Even as We Breathe is a pretty low-stakes work of historical fiction set at a World War II detainee camp for enemy diplomats (a luxury hunting lodge/spa situation outside Asheville). The narrator is orphaned high school graduate Cowney Sequoyah (Pronounced "County"), an Eastern Cherokee descended from the Cherokee's who hid rather than take the "Trail of Tears" march to the Indian territory of Oklahoma.  I was thrilled to encounter a book written from this viewpoint, which, despite an active interest in Native American themes I'd hardly knew existed- like I know they have a Casino on Eastern Cherokee land but that's it.  Wikipedia says that between 800 to 1000 tribal members remained behind- vs, the 15k odd that got moved out, so it is a rare POV.   

    The location of this title on the map marks it as the Eastern most point of the entire chapter from Maryland to South Carolina.  Only a half dozen books in the entire chapter are set "in the mountains," which strikes me as being an undercount, but it's likely subsidized by the states like Kentucky and West Virginia where EVERY book is a mountain book. 

    Aside from the POV- which is very interesting- the rest of the work is rote historical fiction with some family drama thrown in.   It made for a great Audiobook since it is narrated by the protagonist and he has an American Indian voice/accent that I don't typically encounter.