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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
This book is...not good, but in more of a sad and disappointing way than an irritating one. the 2* reviews sum it up
p 270, 311 (good)
extra-textual note at the end
p 270, 311 (good)
extra-textual note at the end
Was excited to read this book and while it would be a fun beach read the lack of character development was disappointing.
3.5
Me gusto mucho la representación de las reservas indias y su gente, lo marginados que se encuentran y la falta de justicia por no ser blancos. Siempre viviendo bajo un estereotipo que no va con ellos, y el saber que incluso las violaciones ni siquiera son contempladas por los impartidores de justicia, asà es que muchas veces tienen que buscar la manera de ellos mismos lograrla.
Me gusto mucho la representación de las reservas indias y su gente, lo marginados que se encuentran y la falta de justicia por no ser blancos. Siempre viviendo bajo un estereotipo que no va con ellos, y el saber que incluso las violaciones ni siquiera son contempladas por los impartidores de justicia, asà es que muchas veces tienen que buscar la manera de ellos mismos lograrla.
Virgil is the guy you call when the police won't help, and you need justice. So when his teenage nephew, Nathan, ends up hospitalized due to heroin, Virgil's plan is to find whoever sold it to him and make him pay.
While this is a story of drug dealers and attempts at justice, it is also a story of Virgil's struggle with his culture and identity, addiction, the losses he's suffered, and where he belongs in his community. It's also an intense look at life on a reservation.
This was a really good book with an intense ending. That being said, nearly every trigger warning you can think of should be applied to this book - so be prepared.
While this is a story of drug dealers and attempts at justice, it is also a story of Virgil's struggle with his culture and identity, addiction, the losses he's suffered, and where he belongs in his community. It's also an intense look at life on a reservation.
This was a really good book with an intense ending. That being said, nearly every trigger warning you can think of should be applied to this book - so be prepared.
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There was so much to like about this book! The characters were great. I learned a lot about Lakota tradition and Indian culture in general. I love a good mystery with layers. There were a lot of story lines but they all got wrapped up well. The writing and plot were great as was the character development. A thriller/mystery with relevance to the present is right up my alley. I really liked the audiobook narrator, too.
A great thrilling mystery. Some violent parts and reference to disturbing things, but still an all around entertaining read that kept me on the edge of my seat.
This was a great read! A well-paced story that I was immersed in from start to finish. It was a really informative read on Native American culture and I enjoyed learning about the Lakota traditions. I really loved the main character, Virgil, and found myself rooting for him even though he was flawed. Overall, very compelling and eye-opening.
Wonderful book! Captivating characters,fast-moving plot, and sadly-realistic story. Please read this book!
at the very end of the book in the author's bio it casually mentions that he is also a lawyer. I recommend checking out his website for more information about this book and also resources to learn more about Native American culture, donate to organizations that assist the Lakota, etc.
https://davidweiden.com/book-clubs/
the mystery at the heart of the story is not groundbreaking (corruption and drugs), but it makes a great vessel for a lot of other information, e.g. how broken the law enforcement/legal system is on reservations. this is something I encounter again and again in books, true crime, movies, etc. like Chef Lack's cooking movement, a book like this getting so much mainstream traction can hopefully open some eyes and inspire more people to get involved in seeking change. Chef Lack and the hipster coffee place in Denver were also fun for opening a window into how that kind of culture looks from the perspective of someone who's mostly living on a reservation -- probably the most humor in a book that is largely very dark.
on a smaller scale, it was telling that several characters spent their adult lives defined by middle and high school dramas (how many times does Virgil reflect on old hurts from the bullies in school? or the Delia Kills in Water/Marie conflict); people need to have opportunities to grow and move on from those things. it was also interesting to me that both characters overcame their bullying by becoming bigger bullies (a scene where Marie scatters bullies by insulting their appearances, Virgil literally beating people up as a grown man). I think that area went somewhat unexplored in the story, although the concept of repairing wrongs vs. seeking vengeance was touched on a few times. meanwhile, Nathan goes through the same bullying experience. the conversation about belonging is also addressed a few times (Virgil, Nathan, and Marie all have questions about being "enough" to belong). when the real problem feels too big to tackle, like intergenerational poverty or trauma, it can feel comforting to turn on something that is small enough to tackle, like other human individuals.
https://davidweiden.com/book-clubs/
the mystery at the heart of the story is not groundbreaking (corruption and drugs), but it makes a great vessel for a lot of other information, e.g. how broken the law enforcement/legal system is on reservations. this is something I encounter again and again in books, true crime, movies, etc. like Chef Lack's cooking movement, a book like this getting so much mainstream traction can hopefully open some eyes and inspire more people to get involved in seeking change. Chef Lack and the hipster coffee place in Denver were also fun for opening a window into how that kind of culture looks from the perspective of someone who's mostly living on a reservation -- probably the most humor in a book that is largely very dark.
on a smaller scale, it was telling that several characters spent their adult lives defined by middle and high school dramas (how many times does Virgil reflect on old hurts from the bullies in school? or the Delia Kills in Water/Marie conflict); people need to have opportunities to grow and move on from those things. it was also interesting to me that both characters overcame their bullying by becoming bigger bullies (a scene where Marie scatters bullies by insulting their appearances, Virgil literally beating people up as a grown man). I think that area went somewhat unexplored in the story, although the concept of repairing wrongs vs. seeking vengeance was touched on a few times. meanwhile, Nathan goes through the same bullying experience. the conversation about belonging is also addressed a few times (Virgil, Nathan, and Marie all have questions about being "enough" to belong).
Spoiler
additionally, while the villain is to some extent outsiders, the villain is also someone who claims to be doing what he's doing for the benefit of the community. Ben was suspicious from the very beginning and I think Virgil would have been written slightly better if he had any ounce of suspicion about Ben's motives and involvement, because he seems like a guy who would have thoroughly learned to not trust others based on his developmental/life experiences.
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced