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mollymisek's review
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.25
This ends up being equal parts chilling and heartwarming, but the heartwarming bits take awhile to surface. I especially loved the Auntie characters and the focus on estrangement / reuniting with family after loss. Johns could have leaned harder into some of the horror aspects, but this is definitely approachable for those who wouldn’t always veer toward scary stories.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Vomit, and Murder
Minor: Car accident and Alcoholism
mar's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
crying...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal death, and Grief
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, and Gore
Minor: Cancer, Addiction, Car accident, and Racism
annemaries_shelves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.0
Bad Cree was a very anticipated book for me and it didn't disappoint. It's a solid debut that explores family, grief, and the importance of dreams. Johns spends a lot of time expanding on our main character's sense of her place within her family and the burden Mackenzie imagines she is to them at times. I loved the sister/cousin and auntie/niece dynamics and how they manage to reconcile and grow stronger and learn to rely on each other once more. There's a lot about grief here - and how one handles grief, that I thought was well done but could've gone deeper.
The dreams - and their power - were some of my favourite parts. Beyond exploring the importance of dreams to Cree people, Johns effectively used them to up the tension for the reader as she brought the plot to a climax and resolution.
I would classify this is a literary genre novel with horror elements, grounded in Cree worldviews.
For those interested in LGBTQIA+ rep, there a minor character who uses they/them pronouns (so I assume they're nonbinary) and one of the MC's close relatives is either bi/pan as they have dated men and women.
Overall, a solid debut and I'd love to read more of her future works.
I predicted that it would be a wendigo - or wheetigo per the book's spelling - but it was still a satisfying reveal and resolution.
The dreams - and their power - were some of my favourite parts. Beyond exploring the importance of dreams to Cree people, Johns effectively used them to up the tension for the reader as she brought the plot to a climax and resolution.
I would classify this is a literary genre novel with horror elements, grounded in Cree worldviews.
For those interested in LGBTQIA+ rep, there a minor character who uses they/them pronouns (so I assume they're nonbinary) and one of the MC's close relatives is either bi/pan as they have dated men and women.
Overall, a solid debut and I'd love to read more of her future works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Body horror, and Colonisation
Minor: Car accident, Alcoholism, and Panic attacks/disorders
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