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vbarsi's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Animal death, and Gun violence
Minor: Racism, Cannibalism, Alcohol, and Colonisation
j_richa's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Suicide and Racism
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Cannibalism
kalaser's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Colonisation, Racism, and Racial slurs
Minor: Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Suicide, Alcoholism, and Cannibalism
lanayagraham's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Grief, Alcohol, Suicide, Cannibalism, Racial slurs, Racism, Gun violence, and Murder
kenmullo's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
3.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism, Violence, Gun violence, and Death
tetrootz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Alcohol, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Grief, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Gore, Animal death, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit, Blood, Cannibalism, and Suicide
Minor: Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Cancer
avisreadsandreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Death, Murder, Animal death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Racism, Suicide, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Cannibalism
raptorq's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Murder, Racism, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Cannibalism
Minor: Colonisation, Suicide, and Animal death
kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Author: Waubgeshing Rice
Genre: Dystopian
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: October 2, 2018
T H R E E • W O R D S
Accessible • Clever • Timely
📖 S Y N O P S I S
With winter looming, a small northern Anishinaabe community goes dark. Cut off, people become passive and confused. Panic builds as the food supply dwindles. While the band council and a pocket of community members struggle to maintain order, an unexpected visitor arrives, escaping the crumbling society to the south. Soon after, others follow.
The community leadership loses its grip on power as the visitors manipulate the tired and hungry to take control of the reserve. Tensions rise and, as the months pass, so does the death toll due to sickness and despair. Frustrated by the building chaos, a group of young friends and their families turn to the land and Anishinaabe tradition in hopes of helping their community thrive again. Guided through the chaos by an unlikely leader named Evan Whitesky, they endeavor to restore order while grappling with a grave decision.
💭 T H O U G H T S
A Moon of the Crusted Snow first came onto my radar when it was included on the Canada Reads longlist in 2023, and then it came highly recommended by several Canadian book friends, so I was appreciative when it was selected as our January book club pick. For such a short book, there is certainly lots to think about and discuss.
Set on the Anishinaabe territory, this post apocalyptic narrative was timely with eerie similarities to early pandemic life. The author purposely gives just enough detail to allow the reader the possibility of imagining the details. The writing style is incredibly accessible and the detailed descriptions of the environment really set the tone. Each of the characters felt incredibly human
The interplay between Anishinaabe traditions and history and the newfound reliance on electricity and the convivences of new technology was portrayed with careful thought and genuine detail. The quiet, chilling plot forced the characters to return to their traditions and turn to the comfort and familiarity of community - something I think every reader needs to be reminded of.
Overall, Moon of the Crusted Snow was a quick and haunting read that is perfect for the cold and dreary winter months. Despite the gore, it left me with a sense of hope and connection. Even though there was an inkling for just a little bit more, I know there is a sequel so it's quite possible that is where I will get that missing piece. With that said, I definitely think Waubgeshing Rice is an emerging talent in the realm of Canadian literature, and one I will be keeping an eye on.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Canadian readers
• upper level high school classes
• book clubs
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Evan sometimes envied the trees and black bears that could shut down for winter."
"One suicide often led to another among the young people, and the compounding tragedies squeezed the stammering heart of the reserve."
"And when it became clear to them that they were never supposed to last in this situation on this land in the first place, they decided to take control of their own destiny. Their ancestors were displaced from their original homeland in the South and the white people who forced them here had never intended for them to survive."
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Death, Violence, Colonisation, Blood, Gore, and Suicide
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Addiction, Cannibalism, Animal death, Racism, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Minor: Cursing
christinaj1021's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
If you enjoy apocalyptic novels, this is a spin on the classic tropes, setting, and pacing that you would find in any others.
The setting being in a Northern Ontario First Nations community (on rez) completely shifts the focus from how apocalypse novels usually go. The threat of starvation, violence, etc., isn't front and center- something else is. (I can't give it away but it was majorly impactful!)
I must read Rice's next novel. I highly recommend Moon of the Crusted Snow to anyone who likes apocalypse/dystopian feel books. It also has short chapters and is about 200 pages overall, so it's a good read for those who don't have much time or focus!
Graphic: Murder, Death, Gun violence, and Cursing
Moderate: Blood, Alcohol, Cannibalism, and Colonisation
Minor: Racism, Racial slurs, and Suicide