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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Liked this ok! It's sort of a typical crime thriller, but it was definitely improved by its setting and characters. I didn't feel that it especially excelled or blew me away as it had a simple writing style. The idea of exploring modern Lakota culture through a crime novel is interesting, and the book does a great job of highlighting the issues people face in seeking justice across the lines of reservation and Federal jurisdictions. I also appreciated the incorporation of Lakota spiritual practices into the narrative. Like many crime dramas it does rely a bit on some tropes and heavy-handed portrayals of people as a narrative shorthand which prevents me from rating it a bit higher... I would definitely recommend this book to people who are already fans of the true crime genre!
dark
informative
mysterious
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
Thriller vibes centered around an Indian reservation in South Dakota with the Lakota people. I didn’t realize that Sioux was considered an insult and the deep rooted history was soaked into my brain the more I learned. Virgil, our MC, and his nephew finds themselves working with the Feds when heroin becomes a dire problem in the reservation. Lots of back and forth to find out the cause of who is harming the young people. David has a second book being published in 2023 so I’m ready for that one. This could have used a little less dialogue and more action but if you are looking for an entry level thriller, this is for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape
Minor: Cancer, Miscarriage, Medical content, Death of parent, War
Really obvious revenge fantasy but it’s a vigilante against his middle-school bullying and that made it hard for me to take it seriously.
This is a pretty standard "thriller/crime novel" in some respects. I'm not much of a try-to-figure-out-what's-going-to-happen person & even I guessed a decent chunk of the plot ahead of time. Which is fine; it's just using a fairly standard template. (This is Weiden's debut novel.) The thing that makes it fairly unique, imo, is that it takes place on a reservation & gives a lot of insight into modern-day indigenous life (as well as some perspective on history). I think Weiden did an excellent job of weaving those facets throughout the story. It's an eye-opening & compelling viewpoint -- one I hope to read more of. I think the characters could easily frame future novels, whether it is as a series or as a set of books with a common location but different characters taking main stage.
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
tense
Compelling story, but the dialogue was a bit plain and underdeveloped leading me to feel detached from the characters at times.