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4.49 AVERAGE
4.49 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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:
No
D'une manière évocatrice, Michel Jean raconte cette histoire douce-amère et émouvante de sa kukum, Almanda - une femme forte et résistante jusqu'à la fin. Je me suis sentie immédiatement immergée dans sa vie parmi les Innus et j'ai apprécié les voyages nomades à travers les paysages du Nord avant l'arrivée fatale des Blancs et de leur « progrès ». Mes citations préférées sont les suivantes : « Quand on vieillit les souvenirs deviennent des trésors » et « ...car avec les années on devient la somme de ses blessures qui nous tuent peu à peu ».
informative
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:
No
informative
inspiring
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:
No
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Kukum is the fictionalised account of the life of Almanda Simèon, a young Francophone woman who falls in love with an Innu man, marries him and lives as part of the Pekuakam Innu community. She was also the author's great-grandmother. The first two-thirds of the book recount her meeting Thomas, their marriage and her move to his community, and details of their traditional ways of life - the nomadic lifestyle, hunting, beading, making maple sugar, sharing what they had with others even in hard times. This was fine, certainly interesting, but nothing that was new to me, and the writing and/or translation was fairly basic, even a little stilted. Where the book really shone for me was in the final third when the modernisation of Quebec picked up. This conflicted with the traditional Innu lifestyle, and the reader was brought face to face with colonisation in action through the joint forces of church, state, and business. The growth of forestry prevented the Innu from travelling via river or lake since these were reserved for log driving , while the decimation of the forest habitat meant families could no longer support themselves by hunting. The impact of residential schools was clear at both the community (loss of language among the young leading to a generational divide, the trauma experinced at school contributing to alcoholism and suicides) and individual level (one of Almanda's granddaughters died under mysterious circumstances while at school and her family wasn't even notified until the end of the school year when she was not brought home). I was interested to learn of the impact of motor vehicles on reservations with many children being killed by speeding and/or dangerous driving and little official concern or desire to properly investigate, let alone prosecute drivers. The image of Almanda travelling to Quebec City and refusing to leave the provincial premier met with her and listened to her concerns still makes me smile. And her determination led to footpaths being constructed in the reservation, helping to keep the children safe from cars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Colonisation
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Forced institutionalization
Minor: Suicide, Car accident
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is hands down one of the most beautiful books I have ever read and it has moved me in a way no other piece of literature ever has.
Kukum tells a story of love, adventure, and community as much as of sadness, pain, and loss. It reminds us that we need to remember - or perhaps rediscover - who we are and where we come from.
Kukum tells a story of love, adventure, and community as much as of sadness, pain, and loss. It reminds us that we need to remember - or perhaps rediscover - who we are and where we come from.