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licia_reads's review against another edition
3.0
I have enjoyed the Girl Called Echo series. It follows Echo, who is Metis, as she time travels back and forth from the present day to the time of the Metis resistance. It reminds me of Kindred by Octavia Butler.
My biggest issue with the series is that the volumes are so short. It would be easier to follow if the author made each volume longer and spent more time with Echo in the present day. The author should also slow down the plot when she travels back in time. It's difficult to keep track of everything that's going on in the past. The author tries to compensate for this by providing a timeline at the end, but it is a huge information dump for such a short book.
I would love to see more of what is going on with Echo and her mother in the present day. After three volumes, I still don't feel connected to her character. She is more of a device that's being used to present the historical information, but her present-day issues are throwaway material.
I don't know much about the history of Canadian Indigenous people and I appreciate an owned-voices series that shows what they went through. Flaws aside, I think it is a great tool for teachers and recommend it to anyone who doesn't know about the Metis or Canadian Indigenous history.
My biggest issue with the series is that the volumes are so short. It would be easier to follow if the author made each volume longer and spent more time with Echo in the present day. The author should also slow down the plot when she travels back in time. It's difficult to keep track of everything that's going on in the past. The author tries to compensate for this by providing a timeline at the end, but it is a huge information dump for such a short book.
I would love to see more of what is going on with Echo and her mother in the present day. After three volumes, I still don't feel connected to her character. She is more of a device that's being used to present the historical information, but her present-day issues are throwaway material.
I don't know much about the history of Canadian Indigenous people and I appreciate an owned-voices series that shows what they went through. Flaws aside, I think it is a great tool for teachers and recommend it to anyone who doesn't know about the Metis or Canadian Indigenous history.
gfox3737's review against another edition
3.0
Educational, action-oriented, and ancestral historical fiction involving Louis Riel and the Metis and First Nations people...along with a young back-and-forth through time 13 year old Metis girl. She's experiencing the strength and pain of her current and ancestral relatives. The graphic novel format for this story is geared toward teen readership, as both educational and to show the real life righteous struggles of the Metis and First Nations people in Canada. A worthy goal and an excellent story with good art.
jakinabook's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
benasbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
reevins's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
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
4.0
cweichel's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It was released February 25th 2020 by HighWater Press.
To see images please go to my original blog post at https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2020/06/northwest-resistance-by-katherena.html
The A Girl Called Echo series deals with the history of the Metis in Canada and life for one young Metis girl today. What strikes me as most important about this book and this series, is how it educates us about the roots and history of racism and violence against indigenous peoples.
Now is the perfect time for all of us to be reading them.
In this one, the third in the series, we find Echo still in her supportive foster home, only now her mother, who is ill, is there with her.
Fear is a theme in this book. It’s there in Echo’s worry about her mother, and it’s there in her worry about the deaths of the Metis she meets in the past. Knowing ahead of time how this story unfolds didn’t stop me from experiencing this anxiety as I lived through this time with her.
As in the previous books, Echo continues time travelling. This time she finds herself in Batoche, Saskatchewan, during March of 1885. There she is befriended by a girl named Josephine. Together they go to a gathering where Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont are speaking. She discovers that Josephine is the daughter of Benjamin, who she connected with in an earlier book.
Canada is in the process of annexing Metis land once again. “Most of the people were not opposed to becoming part of Canada, but wanted to be able to keep the land that they had inhabited for generations.” However, surveyors were “ignoring their traditional river-lot system and imposing their square-lot system.” They were also concerned that these lots would be given to white European settlers.
The Metis were getting desperate. Numerous petitions had been sent to the federal government but all of them were ignored. Eventually they formed a coalition with other settlers, Cree, and Sioux to go to battle with the Canadian government. In the end, the coalition was outnumbered and outgunned by the military. Louis Riel ended up surrendering in order to save lives.
Readers learn the history of the Metis people both from Echo’s time travelling and what look to be teacher’s lectures. The graphic format is a brilliant way to portray this information. The stunning art builds an atmosphere that is moody, bleak and horrific. It moves from the serene beauty of a winter landscape into the horrors of a young girl experiencing war.
In her life at home, Echo learns more about her ancestors. Her Mother’s research ends in a genealogy chart showing that Echo is related to Benjamin and Josephine.
As in the other books, for readers who want to know more about this aspect of Canadian history, there is a timeline at the end of the book that outlines significant events. The back matter here also includes a map of the area and a short biography of Gabriel Dumont.
My only wish about this book is that Echo’s present day story could be better developed up front. I didn't understand what was going on with her mother. I even went back to reread Red River Resistance to see if I had forgotten or missed something. This however is a quibble, and I am looking forward to going wherever this team want to take me next.
Other books in this series include [b:Pemmican Wars|35545695|Pemmican Wars (A Girl Called Echo)|Katherena Vermette|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511491670l/35545695._SY75_.jpg|56968354] and [b:Red River Resistance|38509097|Red River Resistance|Katherena Vermette|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519622818l/38509097._SY75_.jpg|60146966]
To see images please go to my original blog post at https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2020/06/northwest-resistance-by-katherena.html
The A Girl Called Echo series deals with the history of the Metis in Canada and life for one young Metis girl today. What strikes me as most important about this book and this series, is how it educates us about the roots and history of racism and violence against indigenous peoples.
Now is the perfect time for all of us to be reading them.
In this one, the third in the series, we find Echo still in her supportive foster home, only now her mother, who is ill, is there with her.
Fear is a theme in this book. It’s there in Echo’s worry about her mother, and it’s there in her worry about the deaths of the Metis she meets in the past. Knowing ahead of time how this story unfolds didn’t stop me from experiencing this anxiety as I lived through this time with her.
As in the previous books, Echo continues time travelling. This time she finds herself in Batoche, Saskatchewan, during March of 1885. There she is befriended by a girl named Josephine. Together they go to a gathering where Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont are speaking. She discovers that Josephine is the daughter of Benjamin, who she connected with in an earlier book.
Canada is in the process of annexing Metis land once again. “Most of the people were not opposed to becoming part of Canada, but wanted to be able to keep the land that they had inhabited for generations.” However, surveyors were “ignoring their traditional river-lot system and imposing their square-lot system.” They were also concerned that these lots would be given to white European settlers.
The Metis were getting desperate. Numerous petitions had been sent to the federal government but all of them were ignored. Eventually they formed a coalition with other settlers, Cree, and Sioux to go to battle with the Canadian government. In the end, the coalition was outnumbered and outgunned by the military. Louis Riel ended up surrendering in order to save lives.
Readers learn the history of the Metis people both from Echo’s time travelling and what look to be teacher’s lectures. The graphic format is a brilliant way to portray this information. The stunning art builds an atmosphere that is moody, bleak and horrific. It moves from the serene beauty of a winter landscape into the horrors of a young girl experiencing war.
In her life at home, Echo learns more about her ancestors. Her Mother’s research ends in a genealogy chart showing that Echo is related to Benjamin and Josephine.
As in the other books, for readers who want to know more about this aspect of Canadian history, there is a timeline at the end of the book that outlines significant events. The back matter here also includes a map of the area and a short biography of Gabriel Dumont.
My only wish about this book is that Echo’s present day story could be better developed up front. I didn't understand what was going on with her mother. I even went back to reread Red River Resistance to see if I had forgotten or missed something. This however is a quibble, and I am looking forward to going wherever this team want to take me next.
Other books in this series include [b:Pemmican Wars|35545695|Pemmican Wars (A Girl Called Echo)|Katherena Vermette|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511491670l/35545695._SY75_.jpg|56968354] and [b:Red River Resistance|38509097|Red River Resistance|Katherena Vermette|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519622818l/38509097._SY75_.jpg|60146966]
jinghay's review against another edition
4.0
[I was sent a copy of this comic on Netgalley in return for an honest review.]
'Northwest Resistance' is the third volume in the graphic novel series, 'A Girl called Echo'. It follows the main character (Echo) as she explores her heritage and the history behind The Settlers and the Canadian government.
Despite being only a short read, the comic is extremely well written and presents the story in both a captivating and interesting manner. We explore the history directly alongside the main character, and are given a more in depth understanding of how things may have turned out the way that they did.
I thought the artwork was beautiful and did a great job of conveying Echo's emotions, along with the story as a whole. The comic is perfect for both young and old readers as it is rather straight forward and easy to understand.
Overall, I thought the comic was very informative and I would definitely be interested to read the 4th volume when it comes out!
Rating: 3.5/5
'Northwest Resistance' is the third volume in the graphic novel series, 'A Girl called Echo'. It follows the main character (Echo) as she explores her heritage and the history behind The Settlers and the Canadian government.
Despite being only a short read, the comic is extremely well written and presents the story in both a captivating and interesting manner. We explore the history directly alongside the main character, and are given a more in depth understanding of how things may have turned out the way that they did.
I thought the artwork was beautiful and did a great job of conveying Echo's emotions, along with the story as a whole. The comic is perfect for both young and old readers as it is rather straight forward and easy to understand.
Overall, I thought the comic was very informative and I would definitely be interested to read the 4th volume when it comes out!
Rating: 3.5/5
leighsnerdlife's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a powerful story with a focus on Metis history in Canada, showing so much more than you would learn in school. The artwork is beautiful too.