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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Man I’m disappointed with this book and I’m disappointed that I’m disappointed. I really had high hopes for this book when I first learned about it.
It was solid reading about life on the reservation and learning about the failures of the government and the lack of support they gave to Native Americans throughout time into today.
However I really couldn’t get over the clunky writing in this book. There were various passages or lines that just felt completely unneeded? It also felt like the narrator would over explain concepts to the reader which really clashed with the narrator, Virgil, constantly being shocked at very obvious statements or developments. I also felt like there was too much showing AND telling instead of one or the other like in this line “One afternoon I came back to the house and found Marie sitting at our small table. I could tell something was wrong. She was twisting the beaded cuff on her wrist around and around.” Maybe it’s just me but I really feel like we only needed to be told “I could tell something was wrong” or shown that she was feeling nervous by her twisting the beaded cuff on her wrist. No need for both!
Did anyone else find the “big bad” reveal to be pretty obvious from the moment we met them as well?
Again, it was great to read an own voices narrative but this one could use a rewrite or two.
It was solid reading about life on the reservation and learning about the failures of the government and the lack of support they gave to Native Americans throughout time into today.
However I really couldn’t get over the clunky writing in this book. There were various passages or lines that just felt completely unneeded? It also felt like the narrator would over explain concepts to the reader which really clashed with the narrator, Virgil, constantly being shocked at very obvious statements or developments. I also felt like there was too much showing AND telling instead of one or the other like in this line “One afternoon I came back to the house and found Marie sitting at our small table. I could tell something was wrong. She was twisting the beaded cuff on her wrist around and around.” Maybe it’s just me but I really feel like we only needed to be told “I could tell something was wrong” or shown that she was feeling nervous by her twisting the beaded cuff on her wrist. No need for both!
Did anyone else find the “big bad” reveal to be pretty obvious from the moment we met them as well?
Again, it was great to read an own voices narrative but this one could use a rewrite or two.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The ending was a bit more predicable than I would have liked but I still enjoyed every bit of it. It reminded me a bit of Fargo and some of my favorite action/suspense movies rolled into one.
Great characters, atmosphere, and pacing.
A brilliant crime thriller with a hint of suspense/mystery woven in.
A brilliant crime thriller with a hint of suspense/mystery woven in.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
informative
mysterious
I really enjoyed my reading experience with this one. The writing flows nicely, it tackles a lot of heavy themes, and I didn’t want to put it down. The characters are richly textured (absolutely love the main character Virgil - so wonderfully flawed and complex) and there are some shocking moments of violence. It’s crime fiction that is both slow burn and character driven (two of my FAVORITE descriptors), but the storyline also goes in directions I didn’t anticipate. That being said, once I got a handle on what was happening in the first half then some events in the second half were kind of predictable.
I’m trying to read more works by indigenous authors, and that’s one reason I picked this one up (plus my wife read it and loved it; she generally has good taste
I’m trying to read more works by indigenous authors, and that’s one reason I picked this one up (plus my wife read it and loved it; she generally has good taste
adventurous
dark
informative
fast-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:
No
Love the characters and the book!
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
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
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-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