Here must I die. But first I will live, and I will fight. I am Apache.

Enthralling, historical and deeply moving. Landman writes with a powerful insight into the injustices suffered by the native American people. Holding a message of endurance, it is Siki (an orphan of the Black Mountain Apache)'s touching and compelling tale of bravery and success. Siki’s parents are killed by the Mexicans and when she witnesses the brutal slaughtering of her beloved brother, Tazhi, she vows to become an Apache warrior and avenge her brother’s death. Her path is fraught with danger, pulling Siki into oblivion as she discovers secrets about her father.

Played out in a changing Mexico, Apache is extremely descriptive, providing an unbearably believable account. Landman’s writing is first-class, authentic and lyrical. I was especially drawn to the way that Siki has visions which connect her to the spiritual and natural landscape. I simply couldn’t put it down as the novel accelerates into picaresque and challenging circumstances. The strong issues of affection are blended cleverly with a historical situation.

However, Landman over-emphasises with the Apache tribe: this exaggeration along with the rather weak opening has a significant impact on the novel. Another slight point of annoyance is the character names: although culture must be depicted, names such as Golakha rather complicate the plot. Yet, Siki’s tale is similar to that of a super hero, larger than life and with the burning motivation of revenge. This combined with Landman’s inclusion of personal identity provides many contrasting emotions. 

Apache is steeped in moments of shock, suspense and intensity and therefore I would definitely recommend it to all ages. In my opinion, successes of Apache outweigh its failures; a 7/10 novel.