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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
“Winter Counts” is a crime novel that gives a look into life on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. I enjoyed the characters and learning more about the Sicangu Lakota Nation. Maybe ‘a crime novel’ is misleading because the crime often takes a backseat.
Loved the characters and character development, the way that info about Lakota life and culture is weaved throughout the story. I think the only reason I didn’t rate it higher is because it was pretty predictable. Pretty much figured out who the villains were as soon as they were introduced.
I was a bit conflicted on how to rate this. On one hand, this is marketed as a mystery/thriller. It's not really though. This is a very heavily character driven contemporary novel with a crime element. Virgil is an enforcer, not an investigator and it shows. He really doesn't do much investigating in this. He pretty much gets swept up in the ride and the plot happens without much input from him.
That said, the in depth discussion of the political and social conflicts for Native Americans in the reservation is really detailed. The best part of this book is the complicated tangle of culture and white oppression and even internalized oppression and institutionalized oppression that makes life complicated for the natives in the reservation. Those elements are the true heart of the book.
Virgil, Nathan, and Marie face a lot of complicated issues based on their identity and their dreams and goals. There isn't always easy answers on what the right thing is to do. That said, I took awhile to warm up to Marie. By the end though, I definitely respected her a great deal for standing by her beliefs and convictions. And Virgil is messed up and violent, but he loves his nephew and his loyalty to his people and Nathan is really his driving force even if he's conflicted on whether he shares his culture's religious beliefs. Virgil is an interesting narrator, though admittedly, he has little influence on the story. That would have been my only complaint, but the elements I liked made up for the things I didn't like.
If you're looking for a fast paced thriller, this isn't it. There is bursts of action, but for the most part this is a deep introspective novel focused on contemporary Native American issues.
That said, the in depth discussion of the political and social conflicts for Native Americans in the reservation is really detailed. The best part of this book is the complicated tangle of culture and white oppression and even internalized oppression and institutionalized oppression that makes life complicated for the natives in the reservation. Those elements are the true heart of the book.
Virgil, Nathan, and Marie face a lot of complicated issues based on their identity and their dreams and goals. There isn't always easy answers on what the right thing is to do. That said, I took awhile to warm up to Marie. By the end though, I definitely respected her a great deal for standing by her beliefs and convictions. And Virgil is messed up and violent, but he loves his nephew and his loyalty to his people and Nathan is really his driving force even if he's conflicted on whether he shares his culture's religious beliefs. Virgil is an interesting narrator, though admittedly, he has little influence on the story. That would have been my only complaint, but the elements I liked made up for the things I didn't like.
If you're looking for a fast paced thriller, this isn't it. There is bursts of action, but for the most part this is a deep introspective novel focused on contemporary Native American issues.
Wow this was surprising in many ways! A mix of crime fiction, indigenous culture, and sociopolitical loopholes in the justice system that we do not learn about in school. The beginning seemed corny at first, like it was a script for a crime show, but the plot gets deeper and the groove of the writing is refreshing and easy to follow. For a crime fiction this was not too heavy, but not too light. The ending suggests that this could evolve into a series, which I would definitely read!
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
I really enjoyed this book! This is a great crime fiction book and would also appeal to mystery/thriller fans.
This book is thoughtful and action-packed, and I really hope to meet main character Virgil again in another book.
This book is thoughtful and action-packed, and I really hope to meet main character Virgil again in another book.
Virgil Wounded Horse is a hired thug on an Indian Reservation in South Dakota. On top of the grief he deals with everyday from the loss of his parents and sister, and the pain from the lack of justice for Native American people, he’s now fighting for the life of his nephew and ward who has become mixed up in drugs. He’s on a mission to rid the rez of this poison and those who would bring death to the Lakota people.
Don’t think his mission is sacred. For most of the story, he’s acting selfishly, questioning his actions and thoughts, but unable to change the trajectory of his life. While he quit the drinking that was slowly killing his body, can he turn away from the lifestyle that’s destroying his soul?
If I rated this book solely on the thriller aspect, it would probably be three stars for me. Yes, there’s lots of action and a sympathetic anti-hero, but the backdrop of the drug trade seemed a bit tired. The inclusion of the background machinations was helpful, though.
But I added a star because I was in tears in the end. The heartbreak I felt over the plight of the historical and modern day Native nation was a constant, simmering black hole throughout, and the beauty of the ritual and rightness of Virgil’s spiritual journey bowled me over. If you think you’re not a fan of revenge shoot-em-ups, stick with it. This book has more to offer.
Don’t think his mission is sacred. For most of the story, he’s acting selfishly, questioning his actions and thoughts, but unable to change the trajectory of his life. While he quit the drinking that was slowly killing his body, can he turn away from the lifestyle that’s destroying his soul?
If I rated this book solely on the thriller aspect, it would probably be three stars for me. Yes, there’s lots of action and a sympathetic anti-hero, but the backdrop of the drug trade seemed a bit tired. The inclusion of the background machinations was helpful, though.
But I added a star because I was in tears in the end. The heartbreak I felt over the plight of the historical and modern day Native nation was a constant, simmering black hole throughout, and the beauty of the ritual and rightness of Virgil’s spiritual journey bowled me over. If you think you’re not a fan of revenge shoot-em-ups, stick with it. This book has more to offer.
Loved this book. The plot was riveting, deep, and enlightening. Trigger warning for violence, some described in graphic detail.
An engrossing thriller worth a read. I liked the setting and the characters and enjoyed the twists and turns. As a plot-driven book, there was a bit of a lull in the middle as I waited for the A plot and B plot to converge. I think the melding of the two could have been smoother if there had been 1-2 more scenes developing the revealed evil-doers.