You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage
Moderate: Animal death, Infertility, Car accident, Death of parent
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Violence, Pregnancy
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Blood, Medical content, Car accident, Abortion
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Car accident, Pregnancy, Colonisation
Minor: Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, Car accident
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Abortion
I really appreciated the inclusion of indigenous perspectives. I found Daniel's character and his uncle's speech to be some of the strongest and most moving parts of the book. Daniel's uncle's speech was definitely influenced by the Cree proverb: "Only when the last tree has been cut down, the last fish been caught, and the last stream poisoned, will you realize that you cannot eat money."
I found the critique of conservation activists and how they often use indigenous people incredibly important as well as the scalding critique of corporate interests and capitalism. This book offers an intimate portrait of how relationships with the land change through colonial contact and capitalist extraction and the devastating ecological destruction left in their wake. This book is also a stunning examination of why people do or do not act and what truly makes a community.
I will say that I really did not like the ending. I think I understand what Davidson was trying to do, but it just did not work for me. With a different ending this would have been a 5-star book.
Graphic: Child death, Infertility, Miscarriage
Moderate: Animal death, Racism, Car accident, Abortion, Colonisation
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Car accident, Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Infidelity
Graphic: Miscarriage, Medical content
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Gore, Hate crime, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Physical abuse, Blood
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Animal death, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Miscarriage, Violence, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent
Richly written, with excellent character building, but didn't stick the landing. I really need to highlight the work Davidson puts into writing realistic characters: it's easy to slip into stereotypes and caricature with rural people and their lives, but they feel so human. I don't like most of them, but that's fine. Colleen, Enid, and Daniel stand out as my favorites.
But man, that ending. For a book that's all buildup, that's where it goes? Maybe I'll get it better on a reread.
The main reason I'm withholding a rating is the portrayal of the Yurok characters. I'm non Native myself, so I can't speak to it, but I'll be looking for Native reviewers' thoughts on the story. I liked Daniel personally, but something about the way he was written struck me as off, especially with the modern day climate where water protectors are still fighting his same battle.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol