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wenwanzhao's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Complex, confusing, and endlessly interesting. A very real and genuine story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Child abuse, Sexual content, and Drug use
thatsssorachael's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Holy shit. This was a visceral reading experience, and a lot of it felt pretty icky. But it was incredible, and I absolutely adored it.
The cast of characters were all incredibly real, I felt like I could call them up and chat with each of them. They felt like real people living a realistic existence. The writing was incredible, I could get lost in his writing all day. It felt like warmth after a cold day. Honestly, Whitehead might be one of the best writers of our time. A lot of books I struggle to visualize or feel the time and place, but Jonny Appleseed was atmospheric and vivid for me.
While nothing is sugercoated in this novel, I consider that a good thing. I don't want a sugarcoated, white washed novel of the two spirit, indigenous experience in Canada, because it's not all happy, healthy all the time. Nothing is. Reading this should be a part of antiracist reading. It's not reading necessarily about indigenous trauma, but about every day life, which I think is incredibly important.
The only negatives are the super graphic sex acts and the pacing was a tad slow, but they honestly didn't bother me that much. I understand why this book has hype and why it won Canada Reads. It was an incredible reading experience and I loved it.
The cast of characters were all incredibly real, I felt like I could call them up and chat with each of them. They felt like real people living a realistic existence. The writing was incredible, I could get lost in his writing all day. It felt like warmth after a cold day. Honestly, Whitehead might be one of the best writers of our time. A lot of books I struggle to visualize or feel the time and place, but Jonny Appleseed was atmospheric and vivid for me.
While nothing is sugercoated in this novel, I consider that a good thing. I don't want a sugarcoated, white washed novel of the two spirit, indigenous experience in Canada, because it's not all happy, healthy all the time. Nothing is. Reading this should be a part of antiracist reading. It's not reading necessarily about indigenous trauma, but about every day life, which I think is incredibly important.
The only negatives are the super graphic sex acts and the pacing was a tad slow, but they honestly didn't bother me that much. I understand why this book has hype and why it won Canada Reads. It was an incredible reading experience and I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Racism and Child abuse
Minor: Animal death
zombiezami's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I’m glad this book exists, but it isn’t for me. I have a hard time with stories where teens are just constantly suffering, and that’s what this felt like to me. It was hard to get through. Still, I appreciate what the book taught me about Cree culture.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Racism, Homophobia, Transphobia, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Cursing
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Chronic illness
Minor: Genocide and Kidnapping
puttingwingsonwords's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Grief, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, and Violence
Minor: Animal death and Forced institutionalization
mdwyg's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Racism, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Suicidal thoughts
katia23's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Child abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape, and Violence
time4reading's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
4.0
“One fact I’d learn is that leaving always hurts—home isn’t a space, it’s a feeling. You have to feel home and to feel it, you have to sense it: smell it, taste it, hear it. And it isn’t always comfortable—at least, not an NDN home. In fact, quite often, it’s uncomfortable. But it’s home because the bannock is browning in the oven and your kokum is still making tea and eating Arrowroot biscuits. It’s home because it has to be—routine satiates these pangs. And, given time, it becomes mobile—you can take these rituals with you, uproot your home as if it was a flower. Yeah, maybe home is like a flower, a sunflower whose big bright head follows the sun; or maybe that’s too fancy a metaphor for NDNs? Maybe we’re more like dandelions, a weed that’s a pest in the yard but pretty to look at. Yeah, an NDN home is like a dandelion: pretty but disposable, and imbued with a million little seeds that dissolve into wishes for little white hands that pluck. My home is full of hope and ghosts.”
There’s something wonderful about a pure first person narration. Jonny Appleseed is narrated entirely by Jonny, a queer Two-Spirit Oji-Cree who makes his living as an online sex worker, and who must find a way to travel from Winnipeg home to Peguis First Nation for a funeral. His narration moves fluidly back and forth between his present day and recollections of the past, of his family, of his friends, of his growing up, expressing his identity, and leaving. There is love, sex, friendship. There is also abuse, generational trauma, and substance abuse. Throughout it all, Jonny is captivating and insightful and funny, an engaging voice I couldn’t get enough of (there’s a story about getting a frog for his kokum that I just loved).
Author Joshua Whitehead (Oji-Cree/nehiyaw Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer member of Peguis First Nation (Treaty 1)) has rightly received a lot of recognition for this book. It was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award, a Giller Prize long lister, and is now a Canada Reads selection. It had been on my TBR for a while and I’m so glad I’ve read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, and Racism
charlieeee's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Child abuse
Moderate: Sexual content and Death
maisierosereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Jonny Appleseed was on my TBR for at least a year, but yesterday I ended up listening to the whole audiobook! I'm so glad that it was available on Scribd.
If you like reflective, character-driven, slice-of-life queer literary fiction? You will love this book. If you aren't sure if that sounds like your kind of book, you will probably still enjoy it.
Both the author and main character are Oji-Cree Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer individuals, and this book showcases the power in own voices writing. I loved that Joshua Whitehead narrated the audiobook and would wholeheartedly recommend listening to it if you are able.
Jonny Appleseed shows a week in the life of the main character, Jonny, as he prepares to go back to his family's reservation for his step-father's funeral. Rather than being told in a straight-forward chronological way, the narrative feels much more organic, interspersed with the memories he is reflecting on. There are stories from his childhood, his teen years, his life since leaving the reservation, his relationships, his family, his cybersex work, and more. It also explores many of the issues faced by Indigenous (especially Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer) people.
As well as revolving around queer and Two-Spirit Indigenous people, this book (very intentionally) centres Indigenous women too; the relationship between Jonny and his kookum was particularly beautiful, making his memories of her all the more moving.
I'll definitely be reading more of Joshua Whitehead's work when I get the opportunity!
If you like reflective, character-driven, slice-of-life queer literary fiction? You will love this book. If you aren't sure if that sounds like your kind of book, you will probably still enjoy it.
Both the author and main character are Oji-Cree Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer individuals, and this book showcases the power in own voices writing. I loved that Joshua Whitehead narrated the audiobook and would wholeheartedly recommend listening to it if you are able.
Jonny Appleseed shows a week in the life of the main character, Jonny, as he prepares to go back to his family's reservation for his step-father's funeral. Rather than being told in a straight-forward chronological way, the narrative feels much more organic, interspersed with the memories he is reflecting on. There are stories from his childhood, his teen years, his life since leaving the reservation, his relationships, his family, his cybersex work, and more. It also explores many of the issues faced by Indigenous (especially Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer) people.
As well as revolving around queer and Two-Spirit Indigenous people, this book (very intentionally) centres Indigenous women too; the relationship between Jonny and his kookum was particularly beautiful, making his memories of her all the more moving.
I'll definitely be reading more of Joshua Whitehead's work when I get the opportunity!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Transphobia, and Vomit
mk_books's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Racism