A review by mariebrunelm
The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson

dark emotional 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

5.0

Spanning generations of Dakhóta women, this novel is a must-read for its beauty, its harshness and its cry for community.
In the wake of grief, Rosalie Iron Wing escapes to the woods and reconnects with her childhood home, the one she was torn away from long ago. There, memories rise to the surface and unexpected help is waiting, within the land and those tending it. She remembers her friend Gaby, who attended law school in the hope of finding legal ways to fight for their people. Rosalie has always feared that to other Dakhóta people, her marriage to a white man would be seen as treason. But there was a lot involved in that decision, and it led her to where she stands now, surrounded with family heirlooms, not the least of which being humble seeds hosting so much potential.
I was first drawn to this book because of its cover, and then because of its Indigenous author & themes. Strongly rooted in what is now known as Minnesota, the narrative sheds light on the individual journeys of Indigenous people faced with the brutality of settler colonialism and the many ways in which it has relentlessly striven to eradicate Indigenous identities. Through the characters of Rosalie and Gaby as well as their ancestors, we share the point of view of farmers and eco-warriors who have a hundred occasions to give up but find strength in nature & community. 
CW: racism, alcoholism, residential schools, grief, ecocide.
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