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4.47 AVERAGE
4.47 AVERAGE
“When your innocence is stripped from you, when your people are denigrated, when the family you came from is denounced and your tribal ways and rituals are pronounced backward, primitive, savage, you come to see yourself as less than human. That is hell on earth, that sense of unworthiness. That's what they inflicted on us.”
Indian Horse It is a book that makes you reflect too much on your attitudes and what you know. The book tells the story of Saul, a man who throughout his life has suffered abuse, mistreatment, racism and much more.
This book touches on quite important topics that need to be discussed more often, such as residential schools and the mistreatment that children suffered in them. They were robbed of their culture, of their lives, and they were severely punished to the point of killing many. Too many children died alone and without receiving a dignified funeral; all this and more can be read in Indian Horse.
There is also a lot of talk about hockey and the life Saul had as a result of being a player in this sport. It was his passion, but like everything, life is not easy and he tells us about the difficulties and obstacles that he had on his way.
I cried too many times with this book, the writing is beautiful and it deals with the story in a very interesting way. I really liked the fact that they included such real events and the way they make us aware of it.
If you want to read the book, I recommend reading the TW first as it can be a difficult read for many people!
Indian Horse It is a book that makes you reflect too much on your attitudes and what you know. The book tells the story of Saul, a man who throughout his life has suffered abuse, mistreatment, racism and much more.
This book touches on quite important topics that need to be discussed more often, such as residential schools and the mistreatment that children suffered in them. They were robbed of their culture, of their lives, and they were severely punished to the point of killing many. Too many children died alone and without receiving a dignified funeral; all this and more can be read in Indian Horse.
There is also a lot of talk about hockey and the life Saul had as a result of being a player in this sport. It was his passion, but like everything, life is not easy and he tells us about the difficulties and obstacles that he had on his way.
I cried too many times with this book, the writing is beautiful and it deals with the story in a very interesting way. I really liked the fact that they included such real events and the way they make us aware of it.
If you want to read the book, I recommend reading the TW first as it can be a difficult read for many people!
It took me several days before I felt like I could even write about reading this book. Although it is “fiction”, I know that the darkest parts of this story are the realities of so many Indigenous childhoods in Canada. My heart breaks to read it, but it inspires me to be better and to decolonize.
I kept having to put this book down, while I was reading it, because something would happen that would make me so sad and angry that I couldn't keep reading. I cried nonstop the last 5 or so chapters. This isn't to say the book is "depressing;" in the end it's about finding ways to live and forgive when you've gone through unspeakable things.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a tough book to read. Anything about the native experience, particularly as it concerns the Canadian residential schools, is bound to be.
The bright heart of the book is about hockey and the way the pure electricity of the sport can transport a person and sow the seeds of friendship and camaraderie for life.
The marriage of those two narratives is just impeccably done. It's a fairly sparse, simple story all told. But full of catharsis and hope too.
The bright heart of the book is about hockey and the way the pure electricity of the sport can transport a person and sow the seeds of friendship and camaraderie for life.
The marriage of those two narratives is just impeccably done. It's a fairly sparse, simple story all told. But full of catharsis and hope too.
4.5⭐️
This novel recalls the life of Saul Indian Horse, a First Nations man, who, suffering from alcoholism, realises he must face his past and tell his story. Sharing with us his journey to self-acceptance and self-awareness, Saul recounts his childhood, having been cruelly ruptured from his family and stolen into Canada’s awful residential school system. There he discovers his passion and talent for ice hockey, which enables him to escape from the school but in doing so, he is forced to confront the racism of the wider country.
In our rush to read black stories to better educate ourselves on the history of racism and injustice, this book is a useful reminder that it is not only black people that suffered under the regimes of white North America. I don’t know quite as much about the troubled history of Canada’s native people and so this was a welcoming new perspective to read about.
This is a beautiful little book, easy to read but full of difficult recollections. Saul’s narrative voice is artfully crafted and the ending is both devastating and hopeful.
This novel recalls the life of Saul Indian Horse, a First Nations man, who, suffering from alcoholism, realises he must face his past and tell his story. Sharing with us his journey to self-acceptance and self-awareness, Saul recounts his childhood, having been cruelly ruptured from his family and stolen into Canada’s awful residential school system. There he discovers his passion and talent for ice hockey, which enables him to escape from the school but in doing so, he is forced to confront the racism of the wider country.
In our rush to read black stories to better educate ourselves on the history of racism and injustice, this book is a useful reminder that it is not only black people that suffered under the regimes of white North America. I don’t know quite as much about the troubled history of Canada’s native people and so this was a welcoming new perspective to read about.
This is a beautiful little book, easy to read but full of difficult recollections. Saul’s narrative voice is artfully crafted and the ending is both devastating and hopeful.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicide
A beautiful, raw, and moving novel. Wagamese was a gifted writer who managed to convey hope in the midst of pain. (Finished in mid-April.)
So this is not a true story, but based on events that have happened in history, Canadian history! Being a Canadian I am saddened that this is part of our history. And being a Christian it really makes me sad to know that the church used God as an excuse to treat people like this!
I liked the hockey parts in this story, really cool that the character in the story was able to have something to look forward to in the game with everything he suffered through.
I guessed the sexual assault pretty early on, but really did not want to be right.
I liked the hockey parts in this story, really cool that the character in the story was able to have something to look forward to in the game with everything he suffered through.
Incredible. Moving. Inspiring.
I loved this book! Like many good books, it started slow, and built and built until I was completely in love and wished it wasn't over.
While it does cover the topic of residential schools and the atrocities that occurred, it is so much more than that. And if you love the sport of hockey, you'll imagine yourself flying across the ice on many occasions. There are moments of joy and pain that most people can identify with in some way.
Richard Wagamese has a gentle narrative that pulls you along with beauty and grace. Do yourself a favour and take this journey.
I loved this book! Like many good books, it started slow, and built and built until I was completely in love and wished it wasn't over.
While it does cover the topic of residential schools and the atrocities that occurred, it is so much more than that. And if you love the sport of hockey, you'll imagine yourself flying across the ice on many occasions. There are moments of joy and pain that most people can identify with in some way.
Richard Wagamese has a gentle narrative that pulls you along with beauty and grace. Do yourself a favour and take this journey.