Reviews

The bird imagery is damn heavy and all that usage could’ve been put to work somewhere else. Not to mention, there are two inconsistencies with Wyatt’s age: he’s 12 years old when they first introduced him and later on when they talk about beards he’s suddenly 15? It feels like it was rushed to be finished especially on Maria’s ending day she says she’s never fostered before which is not consistent with the next page where she says this is the hardest because I’ve fostered so many kids before. Also why was Sonja’s naked scene never explained? She had the most possibilities for her chapters and yet nothing was done with it. I’m sorry but what’s the weird obsession with the kid and her wanting to be a mother throughout the book?

just saying if this could be rereleased it could be better organized and condensed to removed inconsistencies. This book would’ve been a four star review, had there been less inconsistencies and plot points more explored I enjoyed the storytelling aspect, but it needs work.

cynnn's review

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3.0

Despite knowing I was walking into a story filled with mysticism mixed with reality, I found the story/stories hard to swallow. Not hard to follow–swallow. Following the stories as they meandered between reality and surrealism was easy, it's understanding why any of it was happening was the part that was hard to grasp. As a person of color, I understand what's being fed to me between the lines (or sometimes on the lines and very blatant), but the character's actions were still confusing to process and I found myself questioning why I was somehow past halfway. Nonetheless, it was an interesting experience.

hellokira's review

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4.0

The first 100 pages are 2-star worthy, but the last 100 had me captivated and emotionally invested, so I'm giving this book a generous 4 stars.

strawberryfields's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

wiblitz's review

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5.0

I’m surprised to see some lukewarm reviews here. As soon as I started it I was instantly sucked in and invested. Brandon’s prose flows like cool water and follows very clear characters that are tied together by Ray-Ray’s death. There was something eerie about all the storylines, like the supernatural at work. I thought including Tsala and his story was such an interesting counterpoint and loved that he was woven into the family’s story as well.
This is a beautiful story about Cherokee people and the grief they carry with them, of their people, their land, their ways.
It’s a quick read and well worth it.

bluedijon's review

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.75

Heart-achingly beautiful, full of empathy and a meditation on the irrationality of grief, particularly within the White Supremacist institutions of the United States of America for those who are not 'meant' to be members of the state. Full of tenderness, with eyes wide open and not shying away from the reality of the impact of violence and the lingering afterlife of violence on everyone in the community.

kyliejpierce's review

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3.0

This book was okay. There were three different stories going on - Edgar, the mom, and the sister. I appreciated the cherokee story telling and the realness of the characters. Edgar’s storyline was kind of confusing to me. Am I raving? No. Did I enjoy it and seeing what happened in the end? Yes. I listened to the audio book, narrated by four different people- which I liked as well. 6/10 would recommend.

hjfritz27's review

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emotional mysterious 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

3.0

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