Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice

36 reviews

elenaluisa's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Suicide, Animal death, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Violence, Alcohol, Gun violence, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

thefaketian's review

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Grief, Murder, Cannibalism, Death, Gun violence, and Suicide

Lots of strong language

kalaser's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Colonisation, Racism, and Racial slurs

Minor: Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Suicide, Alcoholism, and Cannibalism

lanayagraham's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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

I don't think I'm the ideal audience for this book, so I don't know how to rate it fairly. It was very well written and interesting, however, it was slow moving for me- I like more character and relationship development. Although a relatively long span of time passes in the book, it's plot focused. I loved learning more about Anishinabek culture and rez life. I would read something else by this Idigenous Canadian author.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Alcohol, Suicide, Cannibalism, Racial slurs, Racism, Gun violence, and Murder

tetrootz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Animal death, and Gun violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Racism, Suicide, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Cannibalism

kelly_e's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

Title: Moon of the Crusted Snow
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." 

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Content Warnings

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

lyndsay_bibliophile's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

Moon of the Crusted Snow is a slow burn, with a beautifully eerie setting, rewarding patient readers with its nuanced portrait of community, resilience, and uncertainty. The build-up is masterful, heavy with foreshadowing. Rice subtly paints a picture of their simple, resilient lives, making the impending disaster feel all the more chilling.

As unease creeps in and grocery shelves echo the eerie panic of the pandemic, you know something big is brewing. The constant anticipation is gripping. This is a book that begs to be read in the heart of winter, its stark prose mirroring the frozen landscape.

While undeniably fictional, the story resonates with the enduring strength and resilience of Indigenous peoples. However, for a book that lingers so long in the quiet dread, the ending felt rushed. It left threads dangling. Thankfully, there's a sequel, and I'm eagerly reaching for it to complete the journey.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Colonisation, Animal death, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Murder, and Racism

Moderate: Cannibalism and Alcohol

biobeetle's review against another edition

dark informative reflective tense slow-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Violence

Moderate: Murder, Colonisation, Animal death, Suicide, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Addiction

shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Gun violence

Moderate: Suicide, Blood, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Racism and Cannibalism