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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I've had people recommend this as a great thriller or mystery and... I don't think I would hand it to someone with just that description. There's a little bit of a mystery, but I don't think it's one the reader is meant to puzzle over. Some details don't come out until the end, but the major players weren't a surprise in the slightest. There are some thriller beats for sure, particularly when it comes to Virgil leaning on his enforcer background. It's definitely crime fiction.
But, so much more of the story is about relationships and the clash of cultures and, well, discovering who you are. I'd almost call this more of a coming-of-age story. That's actually kind of a comfort, as the main characters are adults and still have believable journeys to finding out what's really important to them and who they truly want to be.
So I recommend this not as a thriller, but as a novel for people interested in seeing the Lakota perspective on life and the the U.S. and for people who don't want the blow softened. People who want to see many insidious ways Native American life is endangered -- both historically and in the present day. But also for people who just want to read an excellently crafted novel.
But, so much more of the story is about relationships and the clash of cultures and, well, discovering who you are. I'd almost call this more of a coming-of-age story. That's actually kind of a comfort, as the main characters are adults and still have believable journeys to finding out what's really important to them and who they truly want to be.
So I recommend this not as a thriller, but as a novel for people interested in seeing the Lakota perspective on life and the the U.S. and for people who don't want the blow softened. People who want to see many insidious ways Native American life is endangered -- both historically and in the present day. But also for people who just want to read an excellently crafted novel.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Violent
4.5 stars. Fascinating to learn about life on a reservation. Also a few surprise twists!
Loved this story and the writing. I learned so much more about indigenous culture and I would honestly recommend this anyone. It was captivating and honest. A truly great read!
Off the bat, I'm finishing this story happy about the ending but finding myself wishing there were more surprises in it. I loved learning about the Lakota customs and beliefs but the crime mystery itself was pretty straightforward. Virgil's whole toxic masculine demeanor was a little uncomfortable at times but I liked his character development.
Big, big content warning for graphic violence towards the end of the book. It was more brutal than I was expecting.
This all said, I'll be looking out for future works by this author.
Big, big content warning for graphic violence towards the end of the book. It was more brutal than I was expecting.
This all said, I'll be looking out for future works by this author.
The story was good but I didn’t love the writing. It all wrapped up way too fast. Could have been more development at the end.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual content