Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.35 AVERAGE
4.35 AVERAGE
This collection of poems and short stories is well written, and covers many emotions and situations. Amusing, angry and often poignant.
Absolutely amazing! This text is a perfect example of how Indigenous writers create theory within story.
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I don't know how to write a review of this book, because there is just so much and I still need to process it. Each story opens up a world, makes its characters feel so real and multi-dimensional in the span of only a few sentences. Leanne Betasamosake Simpson is a master of narrative, tone, prose, and image. And she uses that mastery to write about so much: reconnecting to tradition and identity, liveabilty & indigeneity, vulnerability & survival, nishnaabeg joy, colonialism and whiteness in canada, freedom and escape from colonial thinking, nature and spirituality, place and transience. Some passages that stuck with me:
"i think we fucked, and maybe I should say make love, but maybe not because we didn't actually make love. it was sadder than that. we were sadder than that. but it wasn't bad and it wasn't wrong. it wasn't desperate. i think it was salvation." (pipty, p. 47)
"the distance is longer than all our lives
we go, but different
bodies return
if they return at all." (spacing, p. 78)
"fuck. why was the universe trying to destroy you? why didn't you get some say? sometimes people's lives are just shit through no fault of their own and not even fucking oprah's cash and her tool box of privileged platitudes can fix it. sometimes people just drown in their own heads for no particular reason. sometimes people are just sad. you know, if it had worked, i would still have respected you. i would have respected your decision, and i would have missed you and loved you the same as i do now." (it takes an ocean not to break, p.82)
"we're all hunting for acceptance, intimacy, connection and love, but we don't know what those particular med'cines even look like so we're just hunting anyway with vague ideas from dreams and hope and intentions, at the same time dragging around blockades full of reminders that being vulnerable has never ended well for any of us, not even one single time." (buffalo on, p. 85)
"i think we fucked, and maybe I should say make love, but maybe not because we didn't actually make love. it was sadder than that. we were sadder than that. but it wasn't bad and it wasn't wrong. it wasn't desperate. i think it was salvation." (pipty, p. 47)
"the distance is longer than all our lives
we go, but different
bodies return
if they return at all." (spacing, p. 78)
"fuck. why was the universe trying to destroy you? why didn't you get some say? sometimes people's lives are just shit through no fault of their own and not even fucking oprah's cash and her tool box of privileged platitudes can fix it. sometimes people just drown in their own heads for no particular reason. sometimes people are just sad. you know, if it had worked, i would still have respected you. i would have respected your decision, and i would have missed you and loved you the same as i do now." (it takes an ocean not to break, p.82)
"we're all hunting for acceptance, intimacy, connection and love, but we don't know what those particular med'cines even look like so we're just hunting anyway with vague ideas from dreams and hope and intentions, at the same time dragging around blockades full of reminders that being vulnerable has never ended well for any of us, not even one single time." (buffalo on, p. 85)
A truly great collection with so much unique storytelling. The abstract form can sometimes alienate me from the text but in this case, I wasn’t deterred. Well-executed and wonderfully powerful. Each short story, poem, and song, was a convincing voice and the humour sprinkled throughout was perfect. Although each prose is a different narrative perspective, they all felt entwined as one.
I might have to purchase a copy of this for myself so I can go back to it whenever I want. As I was reading it felt very contemporary and brand new. I was surprised to find that it was published in 2014, almost ten years ago. This piece did not receive enough attention and deserves much more notoriety and praise.
I might have to purchase a copy of this for myself so I can go back to it whenever I want. As I was reading it felt very contemporary and brand new. I was surprised to find that it was published in 2014, almost ten years ago. This piece did not receive enough attention and deserves much more notoriety and praise.
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
The audiobook was perfectly narrated, but sadly lacked chapter and title information which was slightly disorienting.
I ended up reading the ebook right after.
See digital edition for full review.
I ended up reading the ebook right after.
See digital edition for full review.
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Brilliant collection of short stories and poems. Beautifully written. Evokes a wide range of emotions, from sad to hilarious.
That distinct brand of dry humor shared by so many Indigenous folks across Turtle Island really shines through.
Favorite stories:
-binesiwag
-this beautiful disaster
-treaties
-jiimaanag
-it takes an ocean not to break
-gezhizhwazh
-nogojiwanong
-for asinykwe
-gwekaanimad
Favorite poems:
-leaks
-jiibay or andizooke
That distinct brand of dry humor shared by so many Indigenous folks across Turtle Island really shines through.
Favorite stories:
-binesiwag
-this beautiful disaster
-treaties
-jiimaanag
-it takes an ocean not to break
-gezhizhwazh
-nogojiwanong
-for asinykwe
-gwekaanimad
Favorite poems:
-leaks
-jiibay or andizooke
"you are not a vessel for white settler shame"
-from: leaks
"he’s speaking in english and you wonder why. if he was speaking in your own language the story would have been a poem instead of a newsletter, but you decide he’s being deliberate. you decide maybe not everything needs to be a poem, maybe not all the time, anyway."
-from: jiimaanag
"'again, what is in it for you?'
'love.'
'love?'
'love. and that is all.'"
-from: it takes an ocean not to break
"she just kept making things a little bit better, until they were."
-from: for asinykwe
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Genocide, Racism, Suicide, Colonisation
Minor: Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A