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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
*4.5 stars rounded up*
Fantastic debut novel with an excellent balance of character development and plot.
Fantastic debut novel with an excellent balance of character development and plot.
2.5 stars
I hesitate to be too harsh with this review because I know this #OwnVoices novel is clearly a labor of love from the author, but the negatives outweighed the positives for me. The mystery aspect was a little too predictable, and I found a lot of the characterization to be very wooden. The writing works best when the narrator, main character Virgil Wounded Horse, is sharing memories of some of the tragedies he's witnessed on his reservation. Those scenes were certainly evocative, albeit verging on poverty porn. I mean, it's incredibly bleak. The characters have to make some tough decisions, but there is a hopeful ending. I appreciated the way Virgil and his nephew became more connected to their culture through the events of the book, and I learned a lot about Lakota traditions that I didn't know before. The bones of this book are intriguing, I just wanted to so much more from the actual prose. And I feel like Marie Short Bear was given real short shrift--she was the most interesting character! I would have liked to perhaps see POVs from her and even Nathan, just to prevent the one-note feel of Virgil's narration.
So basically: there's nothing egregiously wrong with the craft here, it's just a bit paint-by-numbers. Serviceable, but uninspiring. If you've read any crime thriller novels before, the plot will not surprise you, and the writing does little to elevate the story, despite the uncommon setting (a native reservation). The word I'm looking for is underwhelming.
I hesitate to be too harsh with this review because I know this #OwnVoices novel is clearly a labor of love from the author, but the negatives outweighed the positives for me. The mystery aspect was a little too predictable, and I found a lot of the characterization to be very wooden. The writing works best when the narrator, main character Virgil Wounded Horse, is sharing memories of some of the tragedies he's witnessed on his reservation. Those scenes were certainly evocative, albeit verging on poverty porn. I mean, it's incredibly bleak. The characters have to make some tough decisions, but there is a hopeful ending. I appreciated the way Virgil and his nephew became more connected to their culture through the events of the book, and I learned a lot about Lakota traditions that I didn't know before. The bones of this book are intriguing, I just wanted to so much more from the actual prose. And I feel like Marie Short Bear was given real short shrift--she was the most interesting character! I would have liked to perhaps see POVs from her and even Nathan, just to prevent the one-note feel of Virgil's narration.
So basically: there's nothing egregiously wrong with the craft here, it's just a bit paint-by-numbers. Serviceable, but uninspiring. If you've read any crime thriller novels before, the plot will not surprise you, and the writing does little to elevate the story, despite the uncommon setting (a native reservation). The word I'm looking for is underwhelming.
Alright, I took too long to come in and reflect on my reading experience of this book, so unfortunately, it has not stuck with me in any significant way.
The setting was realistic and the plot led the characters through challenges and faced assumptions readers may have regarding the community that is highlighted in the narrative. I can certainly recommend this to someone looking for a crime novel from a new perspective.
The setting was realistic and the plot led the characters through challenges and faced assumptions readers may have regarding the community that is highlighted in the narrative. I can certainly recommend this to someone looking for a crime novel from a new perspective.
This was definitely a more slow-burn thriller. And by that I mean that it really did not start to pick up until the very end. It lacked nuance, which suited the gruff, blunt main character, but felt a little simple. The author frequently tended to "tell" rather than "show." I think that the big reveal scene was predictable very early on, because
However, I was intrigued by the insight into life on a Lakota reservation. I know that the structural inequalities within American society have left natives more predisposed to conditions such as diabetes, but I have never heard about the indigenous food revolution this book described. I thought it was really interesting. While I knew that native women are vastly more likely to be murdered or go missing than any other race of women, I did not know that federal prosecutors have full jurisdiction over felonies on reservations and frequently choose to ignore them or decline to prosecute. I will definitely be seeking out more books on that subject.
Spoiler
the narrator said multiple times that he "didn't see the harm" in telling Ben Short Bear every detail of his plan. It kept coming back up to the point where it was obviously fishy.However, I was intrigued by the insight into life on a Lakota reservation. I know that the structural inequalities within American society have left natives more predisposed to conditions such as diabetes, but I have never heard about the indigenous food revolution this book described. I thought it was really interesting. While I knew that native women are vastly more likely to be murdered or go missing than any other race of women, I did not know that federal prosecutors have full jurisdiction over felonies on reservations and frequently choose to ignore them or decline to prosecute. I will definitely be seeking out more books on that subject.
“Winter counts were the calendar system used by the Lakota, but they weren’t like modern ones. I’d loved the little pictures in the calendars, each image showing the most significant event from the past year.”
I’m so thankful for BOTM introducing me to new authors. In David Heska Wanbli Weiden’s debut novel, Virgil Wounded Horse is a vigilante on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. When heroin begins to find its way onto the reservation, Virgil sets out to find who is behind it. Winter Counts is a slow-burn character driven novel.
As an avid thriller reader, I’m always looking for books that are different from anything I’ve read. This one did just that for me. I love love love reading #ownvoices authors. Winter Counts shared valuable information into Indigenous traditions for those that aren’t familiar, specifically with the Lakota. Please consider reading this one.
I’m so thankful for BOTM introducing me to new authors. In David Heska Wanbli Weiden’s debut novel, Virgil Wounded Horse is a vigilante on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. When heroin begins to find its way onto the reservation, Virgil sets out to find who is behind it. Winter Counts is a slow-burn character driven novel.
As an avid thriller reader, I’m always looking for books that are different from anything I’ve read. This one did just that for me. I love love love reading #ownvoices authors. Winter Counts shared valuable information into Indigenous traditions for those that aren’t familiar, specifically with the Lakota. Please consider reading this one.
The writer David Heska Wanbli Weiden, an enrolled citizen of the Sicangu Lakota Nation. The novel is set on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Sicangu Lakota, not far from the more well known Pine Ridge Reservation. Weiden has created a thriller that is based in the reality of life for the residents of reservations in the upper midwest -the drugs, the tribal government inefficacy and corruption, and the poverty. But he also highlights those who continue to speak the language, and carry on tradition. As an insider, he is able to do this in detail. He describes in depth the prejudice that exists within the community against those who are not full Lakota. Even people whose parents are from a different Indian nation (tribe) are excluded. Youth are particularly vulnerable to extreme bullying in school.
Virgil Wounded Horse is an "enforcer". He goes after "bad guys" that the tribal police won't deal with and the federal authorities ignore. He is asked to track down a local bad guy, Rick Crow, who is believed to be working with Denver thugs, part of a Mexican cartel, to bring heroin to the reservation. As Virgil starts his hunt, things quickly become very dangerous.
This is a thriller that doesn't let up. The writer doesn't take any shortcuts or use cheap tricks. There are a few surprises but there are clues along the way that I picked up on. This was an all around excellent and satisfying read.
Virgil Wounded Horse is an "enforcer". He goes after "bad guys" that the tribal police won't deal with and the federal authorities ignore. He is asked to track down a local bad guy, Rick Crow, who is believed to be working with Denver thugs, part of a Mexican cartel, to bring heroin to the reservation. As Virgil starts his hunt, things quickly become very dangerous.
This is a thriller that doesn't let up. The writer doesn't take any shortcuts or use cheap tricks. There are a few surprises but there are clues along the way that I picked up on. This was an all around excellent and satisfying read.
The barely concealed Sean Sherman parody was a little startling for a reader from MN, and left me incredibly uncomfortable (he's a very nice man, and his work is wonderful, and this felt really egregious).
4.5/5 - this was a great read, the points off for extreme violence and other triggering topics. The plot line was enthralling, especially through the second half of the book. It’s also an in incredible view in to Native American culture, which adds to the overall narrative
Such strong character development. Would definitely recommend.