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A review by thenovelmaura
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was the May pick for my local book club and not something I would have picked up on my own, but I adored it! Even though it's character-driven literary fiction (again, not what I normally reach for), the natural tension between the two storylines kept me turning pages.
I hope this doesn't come across as a spoiler, because it was clear by the second chapter that Ruthie and Norma are the same person. By writing Ruthie as a victim of the "well-meaning" white parents who raised her, Peters held a mirror to the state-sanctioned kidnappings of Indigenous children and the cruelty in cutting them off from their loving homes and cultural traditions. I couldn't get enough of her beautiful prose as she explored the ripple effects of this traumatic event on Ruthie and her birth family.
Joe's sections were difficult to read at times because he was truly suffering from the loss of his sister — among other incidents that cleaved their family into "before" and "after" — and he constantly lashed out at those around him as a result. I was glad that Peters straightforwardly portrayed his faults and didn't force every character to forgive his actions when he showed remorse (one character was too gracious for my liking, but I digress).
This was an emotional and intense read, but it was ultimately cathartic and hopeful. There was a lot to talk about with my book club and some people had differing interpretations of key points in the story, which made the discussion even more enjoyable. I highly recommend this one; I can see it easily snagging a spot as one of my favorite books of the year!
I hope this doesn't come across as a spoiler, because it was clear by the second chapter that Ruthie and Norma are the same person. By writing Ruthie as a victim of the "well-meaning" white parents who raised her, Peters held a mirror to the state-sanctioned kidnappings of Indigenous children and the cruelty in cutting them off from their loving homes and cultural traditions. I couldn't get enough of her beautiful prose as she explored the ripple effects of this traumatic event on Ruthie and her birth family.
Joe's sections were difficult to read at times because he was truly suffering from the loss of his sister — among other incidents that cleaved their family into "before" and "after" — and he constantly lashed out at those around him as a result. I was glad that Peters straightforwardly portrayed his faults and didn't force every character to forgive his actions when he showed remorse (one character was too gracious for my liking, but I digress).
This was an emotional and intense read, but it was ultimately cathartic and hopeful. There was a lot to talk about with my book club and some people had differing interpretations of key points in the story, which made the discussion even more enjoyable. I highly recommend this one; I can see it easily snagging a spot as one of my favorite books of the year!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Kidnapping, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse
Minor: Death of parent