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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Book Riot Read Harder Challenge 2021 Task #5: Read a genre novel by an Indigenous, First Nations, or Native American author
I really enjoyed this immersive read. Not sure I would categorize it as a thriller but the story moved very well. Made its points with a deft hand. This is bound to be a series and I can’t wait for the next one.
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-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
adventurous
reflective
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Virgil Wounded Horse is a bit of an outsider on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. They look down upon his job, until they need his assistance that is. Virgil is a vigilante--the person people go to when the federal police refuse to take rape or abuse cases on the reservation. Virgil makes sure that those people will never harm others again. When an influx of heroin begins to arrive on the res, a member of the community hires Virgil to find who is responsible and stop them, but this case gets much more personal than he could have predicted.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, particularly because the characters were so fleshed out. Our main characters, Virgil, Nathan, and Marie, all had flaws , but you couldn't help but just fall in love and hope for the best for them. They each struggled with their identity as Native Americans and with their duty to their families vs their individual needs. The plot was engaging and fast paced. Weiden placed clues throughout the novel that came together brilliantly at the end in a satisfying way. Finally, this novel was so important because it addressed the lack of federal response to crimes on reservations. In fact 35% of crimes are declined, most of which are crimes against women and children. This was an issue that I was unaware of, and Weiden provides a list of resources that you can read to find more information about this topic
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, particularly because the characters were so fleshed out. Our main characters, Virgil, Nathan, and Marie, all had flaws , but you couldn't help but just fall in love and hope for the best for them. They each struggled with their identity as Native Americans and with their duty to their families vs their individual needs. The plot was engaging and fast paced. Weiden placed clues throughout the novel that came together brilliantly at the end in a satisfying way. Finally, this novel was so important because it addressed the lack of federal response to crimes on reservations. In fact 35% of crimes are declined, most of which are crimes against women and children. This was an issue that I was unaware of, and Weiden provides a list of resources that you can read to find more information about this topic
dark
hopeful
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes