Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson

10 reviews

ceruleanseas's review

adventurous emotional hopeful 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Addiction, Colonisation, Death, Bullying, Death of parent, Cancer, Xenophobia, Classism, Racism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Suicide, Mental illness, Terminal illness, and War

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Violence, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Sexism, and Rape

cookieclutter's review

hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I read this book for a class. I'm not sure if I would have considered it otherwise but reading it in a book club-like environment helped me engage with not only the story but much of the subtext as well. While I was aware of the history, continuing the conversation about Indigenous history is crucial in any environment. It was also helpful for me to learn more vocab as there are many Dahkota words used in the book. However, I do wish there was an appendix with the meanings listed. Trying to find what each word meant was difficult as I didn't know anyone who knew the language and the sources I found online were often questionable.

The story is formatted as several stories from the past and present. There isn't a main plotline, more so a series of events that the characters go through during their lives. You see how the effects of colonialism continue to impact the main characters no matter what year they're in. Overall, I enjoyed the reading experience and would recommend this book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Grief, Racial slurs, and Colonisation

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Death of parent

_annika__'s review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation

Moderate: Death of parent, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Grief, Alcoholism, Genocide, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Addiction, Racism, Death, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Suicide, and Violence

stilestastic's review

emotional hopeful informative 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicidal thoughts

river23's review

emotional inspiring sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Genocide, Colonisation, and Racism

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Suicide, and Death

Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Bullying

rexpostfacto's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Child abuse, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Alcoholism, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Mental illness, Racism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer, Suicide, Pregnancy, Animal death, Religious bigotry, and Suicide attempt

dfrancis's review against another edition

challenging hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Colonisation, Racism, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Abandonment, Child abuse, and Genocide

machenn's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, and Colonisation

foldingthepage_kayleigh's review

challenging emotional reflective 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

“You can’t have science without caring about how it’s used. You have to be a good relative.”

This is one of the best literary fiction novels I’ve read in a long time. I think what resonated with me about this one, is that there was something comforting, familiar, and relatable about the way Rosalie’s surroundings are portrayed, with the setting described so similar to the environment I know. The most memorable moment for me came during Marie Blackbird’s (one of Rosalie’s ancestors) reflections on sandhill cranes:

“It was that sound that got to me, as if he had called up the past in a circle around us. Like he was telling me that he had always been here, would always be here, despite the fences, the cutting down of trees, the wooden brick buildings that were springing up across the land.”

I read this chapter just as the sandhill cranes were migrating across Edmonton (which for those of you don’t know, have an extremely loud and noticeable call) and this was such a special moment for me, and made me feel tied to the story, to her world.

I loved that there is a strong thread of environmental justice weaves through the book, that encourages the reader to make connections between our actions and its ramifications on people and planet across time. I also appreciated how scenes of belonging and alienation contrasted in a way that welcomed the reader into Rosalie’s world, and felt very relatable to me. While she comes across shy and silent; her actions misunderstood, but her internal thread so strong and direct. It is a privilege to see her rich inner life. This is one of the most stunning, immersive and heart wrenching books I’ve read in a long time and will stick with me for years to come.

Pick up this book if you: 

• Enjoy multilayered and non-linear timelines 
• Want to learn more about Dahkóta history, ways of knowing and continued impacts of settler colonialism
• Are looking for a book where the setting is a main character 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Colonisation, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Racism

Minor: Bullying and Racial slurs

bedtimesandbooks's review

emotional reflective sad medium-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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Cultural appropriation, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Colonisation, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Sexual assault, and Suicide