Description from Goodreads
Tayo, a young Native American, has been a prisoner of the Japanese during World War II, and the horrors of captivity have almost eroded his will to survive. His return to the Laguna Pueblo reservation only increases his feeling of estrangement and alienation. While other returning soldiers find easy refuge in alcohol and senseless violence, Tayo searches for another kind of comfort and resolution.Tayo's quest leads him back to the Indian past and its traditions, to beliefs about witchcraft and evil, and to the ancient stories of his people. The search itself becomes a ritual, a curative ceremony that defeats the most virulent of afflictions -- despair.
My Thoughts on the Book
Ceremony skips back and forth in time a bit, which could make it a little bit difficult to follow at times, but the story itself, the prose, and the author's language makes it worth it. It's also a story about one man's healing, and to a certain extent, how Native American soldiers were treated.
It may not be entirely pleasant at times, but Ceremony is a book worth reading, and I think a few veterans and/or people with an interest in history might find it worthwile. Just as a fair warning though - the book deals with PTSD.
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