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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Think Firekeeper’s Daughter storyline meets Longmire on Netflix. I really enjoyed this one and read it in less than 24 hours. Easy to digest and desire to turn the pages and find out what happens next. Someone recommended this book to me and now I can see why.
A huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for affording me the chance to review an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
This was an amazing debut novel. It addresses gritty issues against the unforgiving backdrop of poverty and drugs. It is a stark portrayal of the impact social ostracism and demarginalization can have on indigenous peoples. It highlights the need for diversity in fiction - specifically diverse perspectives by own voice writers speaking through own voice characters.
The title originates from the Lakota custom of memorializing tribal events through pictorial calendars. Virgil Wounded Horse used crayons to create them as a child. He and his sister used symbols to mark events such as their mother's death.
Virgil senses that what it means to be a Native American in the 21st century is very different and harder to define than ever. He struggles with the inequitable treatment natives have received at the hands of the justice system, and acts as a vigilante to exact retribution when the courts fail to do so. Virgil's vigilante stance takes on a whole new meaning when his own family members become a part of the corruption he is trying to eradicate.
This was a thriller crime novel unlike anything I've read and I highly recommend it.
This was an amazing debut novel. It addresses gritty issues against the unforgiving backdrop of poverty and drugs. It is a stark portrayal of the impact social ostracism and demarginalization can have on indigenous peoples. It highlights the need for diversity in fiction - specifically diverse perspectives by own voice writers speaking through own voice characters.
The title originates from the Lakota custom of memorializing tribal events through pictorial calendars. Virgil Wounded Horse used crayons to create them as a child. He and his sister used symbols to mark events such as their mother's death.
Virgil senses that what it means to be a Native American in the 21st century is very different and harder to define than ever. He struggles with the inequitable treatment natives have received at the hands of the justice system, and acts as a vigilante to exact retribution when the courts fail to do so. Virgil's vigilante stance takes on a whole new meaning when his own family members become a part of the corruption he is trying to eradicate.
This was a thriller crime novel unlike anything I've read and I highly recommend it.
3.5 stars, rounded up. This is a crime thriller set on the Rosebud Indian Reservation (Lakota) in South Dakota. Virgil Wounded Horse is a vigilante enforcer who metes out justice when the American legal system and the tribal council all too frequently fail to do so. When Virgil’s nephew, who lives with him, ODs on heroin, Virgil sets out with his ex-girlfriend to find out where the drugs are coming from and to try to put a stop to the trafficking. This is a dark and gritty book about power and violence, a little light on character development. I learned quite a lot about the Lakota (the title, “Winter Counts”, refers to the Lakota calendar system), and the story kept me on the edge of my seat.
A solid entry into the PI crime fiction genre. In some ways, it feels pretty formulaic for a PI novel (it hits all the expected beats). However, the fact that this is about a Native American private investigator, written by a Native American author, set on a reservation is sadly unique. One of the best parts of reading is gaining new perspectives and being able to do so with an engaging mystery is even better.
Good not great. A few first author faults-over explaining, telling not showing, etc. Definitely picked up in the last fifth.
Pretty decent story about heroin making its way on to the Lakota reservation and the human costs involved. I enjoyed this book.
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
Though I am not a fan of single person POV storytelling, especially where a whodunit crime thriller is concerned, David Heska Wanbli Weiden in his first novel, navigated the inherent loss of tension admirably. The novel is filled with real darkness but conveyed in juxtaposition to the goodness of people who through generations peacefully and with small day-to-day acts of humanity and spirituality demonstrate that their spirit will one day lead to the end of their struggle to be treated equally. An incisive novel which remains a bloody good whodunit. 4.5/5
dark
tense
medium-paced
I really enjoyed this book. As someone who loves a good mystery and a true crime novel, this hit all of the sweet spots. I also really enjoyed learning about life on a reservation, as much as a fictional story can bring that.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes