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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a very raw story. It's hard to read this kind of narratives. Everything was just so cruel.
There were so many symbols. I would like to highlight a few:
First, I would like to talk about the wolf imagery and how it relates to the depiction of traumas that women had to go through regardless of their generation. Women supporting each other and being there for one another was like seeing a wolf pack. Strong. United. By sticking together there's nothing they can't overcome.
Setting the story in winter was a very clever thing to do. The snow representing how white colonizers erased the indigenous culture.
The hydro land figure showing the struggles that Indigenous people endured in a colonized culture.
Narratives like this are important because they give voice and portrayal to the cultural loss, prejudice and violence among other things that Indigenous people had to undergo. It is important because it is not talked about very often and it seems to have been forgotten.
It is not usually to read about Indigenous Canadian literature.
It shows why Indigenous literature matters.
There were so many symbols. I would like to highlight a few:
First, I would like to talk about the wolf imagery and how it relates to the depiction of traumas that women had to go through regardless of their generation. Women supporting each other and being there for one another was like seeing a wolf pack. Strong. United. By sticking together there's nothing they can't overcome.
Setting the story in winter was a very clever thing to do. The snow representing how white colonizers erased the indigenous culture.
The hydro land figure showing the struggles that Indigenous people endured in a colonized culture.
Narratives like this are important because they give voice and portrayal to the cultural loss, prejudice and violence among other things that Indigenous people had to undergo. It is important because it is not talked about very often and it seems to have been forgotten.
It is not usually to read about Indigenous Canadian literature.
It shows why Indigenous literature matters.
A challenging topic, but a great read. Part of my attempt to read more diverse authors.
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Emotionally devastating. This was probably the best execution of family tree perspectives I've ever read and Vermette really knows how to write trauma. Read if you want to feel pain and understand how others try to cope with it.
This book was really fantastic! Well-written, sucked me in right from the get-go, and I didn't want to put it down. I really enjoyed the story of this family of women and how they support each other through various traumas. The book could have used better editing, but that's not enough of a flaw for me to detract any stars from the excellent story.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a beautiful family saga. This genre is usually not my go to but after hearing so many good reviews about this book I picked it up in support of Canadian authors and adding Indigenous stories to my variety.
Katherena did a wonderful work of art. Her writing is beautiful and elegant. The way she describes nature throughout the novel is almost poetic and had me re-reading sentences over and over because I fell in love.
This isn't a fast paced story so it's not for everyone. It centres around a group of women, all interconnected through the family tree. At first it was a bit confusing keeping track of who is who but the author provides an easy family tree illustration that I referred to plenty of times. As a women, I felt connected to each character in their own respective way. I was able to relate to the struggles, the triumphs, and the choices they made. This book also gives you a fictional but very real insight to what life is like for Indigenous people with racism, systematic discrimination, and oppression. I really loved how she used one plot to intertwine such dynamic characters to bring a beautiful story. Not many people can do that.
Highly Recommend!
Katherena did a wonderful work of art. Her writing is beautiful and elegant. The way she describes nature throughout the novel is almost poetic and had me re-reading sentences over and over because I fell in love.
This isn't a fast paced story so it's not for everyone. It centres around a group of women, all interconnected through the family tree. At first it was a bit confusing keeping track of who is who but the author provides an easy family tree illustration that I referred to plenty of times. As a women, I felt connected to each character in their own respective way. I was able to relate to the struggles, the triumphs, and the choices they made. This book also gives you a fictional but very real insight to what life is like for Indigenous people with racism, systematic discrimination, and oppression. I really loved how she used one plot to intertwine such dynamic characters to bring a beautiful story. Not many people can do that.
Highly Recommend!