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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An interesting look at life on a reservation. The last quarter of the book is where everything comes together -- surprises, action, etc. It highlights, too, disparities of how Native Americans are treated in the eyes of the law - so frustrating!
Novel.
The crime genre has its tropes—the gritty investigator, the femme fatale, the betrayal plot twist—and all of these are found in WINTER COUNTS, but there’s something more here that’s interesting, and that’s the community and life blood of this reservation—the Lakota people. Blurbs posted at the front of the book called this equal parts crime thriller and literary. I had no idea what that meant until about a quarter into the book. The actual crime of the novel is not solved per se in one easy go, like True Detective in a way it goes by a long period of time but not over the course of several decades. Parts that may read as meandering or unrewarding for the impatient reader are actually close reads of people just being, well, people. Talk of the narrator’s daily life taking on random jobs (with the occasional beatdown) and a plot thread of a community going back to its indigenous roots both in practice and cuisine, is interposed with a narrative of vengeance on the corruption and drug pushing within the reservation. It’s a book that investigates the idea of justice—of a person, of family, and at large, a people who have had their land and livelihood stolen and destroyed from them; and how, in some small ways, they claim it back.
The crime genre has its tropes—the gritty investigator, the femme fatale, the betrayal plot twist—and all of these are found in WINTER COUNTS, but there’s something more here that’s interesting, and that’s the community and life blood of this reservation—the Lakota people. Blurbs posted at the front of the book called this equal parts crime thriller and literary. I had no idea what that meant until about a quarter into the book. The actual crime of the novel is not solved per se in one easy go, like True Detective in a way it goes by a long period of time but not over the course of several decades. Parts that may read as meandering or unrewarding for the impatient reader are actually close reads of people just being, well, people. Talk of the narrator’s daily life taking on random jobs (with the occasional beatdown) and a plot thread of a community going back to its indigenous roots both in practice and cuisine, is interposed with a narrative of vengeance on the corruption and drug pushing within the reservation. It’s a book that investigates the idea of justice—of a person, of family, and at large, a people who have had their land and livelihood stolen and destroyed from them; and how, in some small ways, they claim it back.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I learned quite a bit about Native American history in this book, especially the dark side. I did enjoy the book, the story kept my attention and I enjoyed the characters.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated