Reviews

Oscar Hokeah’s Calling for a Blanket Dance is the story of a young Native American man, Ever Geimausaddle, who over time comes to terms with his cultural and familial identity rooted in Cherokee, Kiowa, and Mexican heritage. The novel takes place in a series of vignettes told from the multigenerational perspectives of Ever’s family members—his grandfather, mother, sister, and so on. Together, they paint a picture of their family history that shapes and informs Ever’s experiences from child- to adulthood.

Though a fiction novel, Calling for a Blanket Dance highlights a number of issues that the Native American community has struggled with historically, namely substance abuse, gambling addiction, and intergenerational poverty. However, even with trauma deeply embedded within their lived experiences, the stories told by Ever’s family in each chapter also evoke feelings of hope a for a better future through compassion, perseverance, and solidarity. The novel culminates in a chapter told by Ever, where we see him and his children take part in a blanket dance. A ceremony of him finally “arriving home”, accepting himself wholly for who he/who he has become and encouraging his children to do the same.

rcc328's review

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

smalefowles's review

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emotional inspiring 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

4.5

The cover quote makes this sound like the story of one character, Ever Geimausaddle, but he is one point in a web of characters, all tied by family and community. The book shifts from viewpoint to viewpoint, deftly building sympathy and understanding for everyone involved.