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A review by ryner
Last Standing Woman by Winona LaDuke
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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? No
4.0
In this beautifully-written saga of a Minnesota Ojibwe family, author and activist Winona LaDuke chronicles their lives on the White Earth Reservation over the course of generations, from early conflicts with white encroachment and theft of land, resources and culture, to exuberant celebrations of identity, to contemporary challenges and victories.
Although fiction, the trials and injustices contained within this book are almost certainly based on actual events, and to be honest it likely wouldn't be difficult to convince me every word was true. There were times I was fervently hoping some parts were untrue, while simultaneously wishing others were. I'm inspired to learn more about how best to support land recovery projects currently underway in my state, and I agree with other readers that this would be a good candidate for required high school reading, especially in Minnesota. As a Minnesotan, I felt this was an important book for me to have read. I was left feeling heartbreak, shame and sadness for all that has been lost, but also a little bit hopeful that — maybe — some wrongs can perhaps be righted.
Although fiction, the trials and injustices contained within this book are almost certainly based on actual events, and to be honest it likely wouldn't be difficult to convince me every word was true. There were times I was fervently hoping some parts were untrue, while simultaneously wishing others were. I'm inspired to learn more about how best to support land recovery projects currently underway in my state, and I agree with other readers that this would be a good candidate for required high school reading, especially in Minnesota. As a Minnesotan, I felt this was an important book for me to have read. I was left feeling heartbreak, shame and sadness for all that has been lost, but also a little bit hopeful that — maybe — some wrongs can perhaps be righted.