We have been herded like cattle into stockades and await transport west. I say transport what I mean is, I fear, forced march. A young lieutenant seems destined to cross my path. Twice now we have startled each other while bathing. I should describe him for you but I can hear you now complaining of my lack of taste and discretion, Rifle McCormack writes to his beloved friend John Francis. In Woodward's historical fiction, Symmetry, the story of Rifle McCormack, a half Cherokee, half Irish man whose family is being moved west to the new Indian Territory, brings tenderness, romance and love to a tumultuous time. Rifle's community is torn apart in the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee Nation relocation in the early 1800s. The journey was full of strife, loss, bloodshed and hardship. Families were destroyed spiritually and physically from the changes in climate, lack of food, dangerous terrain and new illnesses. In this book, Rifle lives in two worlds. In one he is Cherokee, sharing the heritage, traditions and ways of his people. In another he is white, or yoneg as the Cherokee say, where he reads Shakespeare and poetry, serves as a diplomat to all and falls in love with another white man. During the relocation of Rifle's group, he finds solace and friendship with Lieutenant Edward Hatcher. Hatcher is intrigued by the Cherokee and unlike most other soldiers, he fights to move his group quickly to the new territory, with as few deaths as possible. He also finds himself falling in love with Rifle. He sat for a long time before turning to look directly into Rifle's face. Edward Hatcher knew then that he was in love. He admired Rifle's chiseled features, the smooth, gentle grace of the dark eyes and classic bones. He burned to touch the lips again. Although Woodward's book is fictional, his ability to bring in a historical era makes this story moving and intriguing. Instead of reading as a simple romance novel, the book presents complexity of characters and plot. Woodward's book paints a portrait of a time when all were divided into factions. He writes about the various terrains the Cherokee traveled, as well as the land they soon inhabited. Woodward himself grew up in eastern Oklahoma among the descendants of those who traveled the Trail of Tears, and he spent his childhood in Tahlequah, Park Hill and Fort Gibson, all parts of the new territory, which lend credibility to the historical nature of the book. Symmetry is a genuinely moving romance that brings a different perspective to historical times. As the title suggests, it is a story about the balance of two worlds. It is about two men who fall in love, who are not always accepted, do not belong fully to any group, and who bring life, sweetness and genuine hearts to an otherwise challenging and painful time. Christina Claassen Copyright c2005 ForeWordreviews.com. All Rights Reserved