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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Odd that descriptions of people and their way of life within my own country can feel so foreign. The feeling of belonging - or lack thereof - within the rest of this country was particularly poignant to me. I've met so many immigrants to the U.S. who feel like they belong within the society in this country more then the characters of this book.
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Ok well I clearly did try and yes it’s very good but also I read this mostly just to read it and it was nice and meaningful but I didn’t love it. Interesting insights into the Indian world.
Also UPDATE, I do actually admit it is a great book and made me think a lot a lot even if I didn’t intend to going into the book. (You have to admit sometimes you just don’t want to.) Aaaaand so I would absolutely recommend it.
Also UPDATE, I do actually admit it is a great book and made me think a lot a lot even if I didn’t intend to going into the book. (You have to admit sometimes you just don’t want to.) Aaaaand so I would absolutely recommend it.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"I am a poet who can whine in meter."
Somehow Alexie is simultaneously the most aware and unaware author in everything he writes. Sadly, it's part of this quirk that makes it extremely hard to separate the author from the work. A lot of the warnings signs of his later behavior are clearly illustrated in this book, especially when he admits in the 20th anniversary edition that this is a thinly veiled memoir.
If you don't know recently Alexie has been getting a lot of heat online for his views on "Pretendians", Urban Natives that he so frequently trash talks in this book, along with being called out during the #MeToo movement....I could go on but I shan't.
Of course there is also talk in the Indigenous Literary circle about how Alexie's work does more harm than good, especially in Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, as this book in particular puts Natives into two clearly defined separate stereotypical categories: you're either the Native shaman with inifinte wisdom or the bumbling Indigenous drunk with toxic behavoirs with no middle ground or nuance.
.....got any reccs for better Indigenous writers? Send them my way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, War
I actually read this while sitting in a beautiful bed and breakfast in the heart of the Zuni reservation. Great stories. I love Sherman Alexie.
reflective
slow-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
Full of beautiful and haunting imagery that serves to punctuate the stories of Native Americans which are more often ignored than noticed. Occasional bouts of laughter are mixed with sad truths. Alexie's work is marked by flowing realism. Here is a book that should not be ignored.
Students are also reading this for my class. Great intro by the author as well.
dark
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sherman Alexie's book of short stories about life on an Indian reservation. Good to think about how other people view the world. Sometimes I got a little lost in the metaphors; I suppose that's on me.