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midici's review against another edition
4.0
Sonny is energetic, confused, and determined to watch the beach for salvage and guide the turtles back to Smoke River. Crisp is generous, larger than life, and works to keep what's left of the community from falling apart. Mara paints her pain, portraits of the dead to accompany her in the deserted reservation.
And finally there is Gabriel, who has destroyed everything: his career, the reservation, his family and the lives of all those who used to live in Smoke River Reserve (human, animal, and plants alike). Gabriel has come back home to kill himself. But he finds himself saving people from the sea, rediscovering the past through different eyes, and maybe finding a reason to keep living despite himself.
Thomas King is a fantastic novelist. It's easy to guess at his literary background; his work is full of references to other works, stated outright or hidden within sentences (I'm sure there were many more than the ones I spotted). The book does not have a neat resolution. There are a lot of things left hanging in the air: Domidion's responsibility for several catastophes that is never addressed, the ambiguousness of Mara and Gabriel's friendship, the hesitancy between Crisp and Sonny. But as Gabriel notes, life is rarely a neat circle. Some things can't be forgiven or forgotten - but life moves on regardless.
And finally there is Gabriel, who has destroyed everything: his career, the reservation, his family and the lives of all those who used to live in Smoke River Reserve (human, animal, and plants alike). Gabriel has come back home to kill himself. But he finds himself saving people from the sea, rediscovering the past through different eyes, and maybe finding a reason to keep living despite himself.
Thomas King is a fantastic novelist. It's easy to guess at his literary background; his work is full of references to other works, stated outright or hidden within sentences (I'm sure there were many more than the ones I spotted). The book does not have a neat resolution. There are a lot of things left hanging in the air: Domidion's responsibility for several catastophes that is never addressed, the ambiguousness of Mara and Gabriel's friendship, the hesitancy between Crisp and Sonny. But as Gabriel notes, life is rarely a neat circle. Some things can't be forgiven or forgotten - but life moves on regardless.
csgiansante's review against another edition
3.0
3.25/5. Showed a lot of promise but I don't know if there was any pay off. The ending felt rushed.
churchillemilye's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
kchin's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
5.0
I'm impressed by the range of King's writing style and ability to weave indigenous storytelling in every stroke. I would be happier if Dorian dies a painful death but realistically doesn't happen to most villains (except Steve Jobs).
leyza052's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kierstyn's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
it's fine, this book struggled to hold my attention as when anything exciting happened the author would cut the scene short. I think there were many chapters/paragraphs that could have been cut, for example, there are many descriptions of characters making/eating food. usually I love long books when stuff is actually happening but I think this one could have cut out a lot.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
sevenswanz's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
King leads the reader through a tale as old of time with his lyrical writing style and immense capacity for embracing an unknowing that goes hand in hand with the familiarity of what it means for a community and life in a place to wash out with the tide and struggle, belatedly and exhausted, back to shore, even if forever changed.
This book shows the ugly, hard parts of being a person - a person who feels lost, adrift, searching for somewhere to make sense of themselves - and says "Wait, come back. Sit down. Stay awhile, and maybe we can figure it out together."
Suicidal and maybe just tired, Gabriel has no desire to save himself, but operates on instinct when it comes to pulling people, one after another, out of the tide he meant to drown in.
Mara is a closed off woman as vulnerable to the desire for belonging as the rest of us.
What does it mean to accept guilt and carry it? How does it bend our backs and change the lock on the door?
This book shows the ugly, hard parts of being a person - a person who feels lost, adrift, searching for somewhere to make sense of themselves - and says "Wait, come back. Sit down. Stay awhile, and maybe we can figure it out together."
Suicidal and maybe just tired, Gabriel has no desire to save himself, but operates on instinct when it comes to pulling people, one after another, out of the tide he meant to drown in.
Mara is a closed off woman as vulnerable to the desire for belonging as the rest of us.
What does it mean to accept guilt and carry it? How does it bend our backs and change the lock on the door?