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lit_laugh_luv's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars, rounded up. I quite enjoyed this for both its slow burn and portrayal of domestic life in a remote Northern Ontario reserve. The Anishinaabe community we follow is incredibly vibrant and interconnected, and I enjoyed seeing how their traditions and cultural norms informed a lot of their response to the blackout. The author also uses several Ojibwe phrases (with their corresponding English translations) which was really informative and nicely integrated.
Despite the apocalyptic and dystopian storyline we follow, there's a lot of deep insight about how Indigenous communities have already experienced their own apocalypse through the loss of language, the outlawing of traditions and practices, residential schools and colonialism as a whole. It speaks to the resilience of the members of this community and helps underpin their story with a lot of hope; I can't speak too much to the events of the plot without giving much away, but the references to colonialism, desperation and groupthink are all well done here as well.
My only critique is this felt quite cliché at times - the interspersed dream sequences and ominous dialogue just felt a little too on-the-nose for me. I certainly understand the intended foreshadowing, but they felt forced at times and gave away a lot of the direction the book was headed. I will definitely be picking up the sequel and thought this was a creative perspective on a traditional dystopian novel.
Despite the apocalyptic and dystopian storyline we follow, there's a lot of deep insight about how Indigenous communities have already experienced their own apocalypse through the loss of language, the outlawing of traditions and practices, residential schools and colonialism as a whole. It speaks to the resilience of the members of this community and helps underpin their story with a lot of hope; I can't speak too much to the events of the plot without giving much away, but the references to colonialism, desperation and groupthink are all well done here as well.
My only critique is this felt quite cliché at times - the interspersed dream sequences and ominous dialogue just felt a little too on-the-nose for me. I certainly understand the intended foreshadowing, but they felt forced at times and gave away a lot of the direction the book was headed. I will definitely be picking up the sequel and thought this was a creative perspective on a traditional dystopian novel.
leyza052's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.75
jorja2002's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
It's sad that the end of the world had to happen for this community to reconnect with each other and their culture, but sometimes the end of one world is the beggining of another. I really loved how you don't get any answers, just solutions. I find it a little depressing that, after finishing this book, I couldn't help but think about how peaceful it would be to just exist without worrying about the trivial things that consume our lives now, and how peaceful, yet difficult, it would be to leave it all behind.
dcstrange19's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
lindapatin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
namirasrot's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Death and Gun violence
Minor: Cannibalism
lizardking_no1's review
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
jenkneebee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
miaoaxaca's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
zachnachazel's review against another edition
3.0
Haiku Book Review.
I loved this writing.
The story was amazing,
But, I wanted more.
I loved this writing.
The story was amazing,
But, I wanted more.