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4.47 AVERAGE
4.47 AVERAGE
"It bankrupts us in every way. The lucky ones rebuild. There's a lot of those kids who never got that chance."
It is heart-wrenching once you realize that Saul's story must have been the reality for only a handful of First Nations children. It is most likely that many of them never got the chance to rebuild their identities, or to make peace with what happened to them, heck, most of them probably never even got the chance to even talk about the things they have gone through. It really makes you question how vile humanity can be, to treat a person less than an animal simply because he does not bore the white skin that you do.
It is heart-wrenching once you realize that Saul's story must have been the reality for only a handful of First Nations children. It is most likely that many of them never got the chance to rebuild their identities, or to make peace with what happened to them, heck, most of them probably never even got the chance to even talk about the things they have gone through. It really makes you question how vile humanity can be, to treat a person less than an animal simply because he does not bore the white skin that you do.
Painful to read but a must read for any Canadians, Americans or anyone who wants education on the residential school system.
A true Canadian read. The horrors of First Nations genocide mixed with the true love of hockey.
dark
emotional
sad
fast-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
This is a must read. The language is so incredibly beautiful and powerful. Then, the story is heartbreaking, full of grief, and deeply moving. I don’t want to speak too much to the story because this book speaks for itself. It handles tough subject matters, and Wagamese does this so well. The language isn’t too crude or too detailed, but it’s enough for you to feel it. It’s enough to make you angry, sad, and hopeful. It’s moving and truly reminds you that these horrendous acts happened and that this was very much a reality that Native Americans faced. I seriously can’t get over the writing and how much I appreciate and care for this book. Be sure to check trigger warnings before reading, but I feel like this is an important read for all, even with the difficult topics that are covered.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault
There's something to be said for the book you read in a day because you just couldn't stop reading it...
This is a very good book. I saw a preview for the movie on Netflix I think, and thought I might give the book a try before watching the movie. It’s a very quick/short read, at about 220 pages but it feels like much less. I had a bit of a hard time getting into it at first, but the middle section which focuses on time spent in a Residential School quickly got me hooked. The varied but all tragic experiences of students described in this book showed that even in one Residential School during a short time period, even the “happy moments” like playing hockey, are tainted with the lingering side effects of the constant fear, abuse, mistreatment, pain and death. The story telling and the author’s craft turn an interesting story into a moving tale. Though it is short, it is not what I would call an easy read, but it is a worthy read, especially as we continue to reflect on the tragic legacy of these horrific institutions.
A heartbreakingly realistic novel that I could not put down. The story and characters completely engrossed me from the first page to the last. I will be adding this book to my Favourite Books of All Time list.
I can’t say enough praise for this book. I recommend any non-Indigenous person to read Richard’s story to understand the scope of what residential schools did to the children and the extent of trauma they hold. This book was riveting, especially the last 1/3. I couldn’t put it down. The spirit of his main character captured me right from the beginning. Definitely worth the read.
This book FLEW BY, really liked the story and characters, made me pissed with everything Saul went through
