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inkedupmargins 's review for:
Blood Sisters
by Vanessa Lillie
The first chapters of Blood Sisters introduce the main character, Syd Walker, an archaeologist for the BIA. Before reading Blood Sisters, I was unaware that the United States had an organization known as the Bureau of Indian Affairs or BIA. Blood Sisters quickly unveiled my disparity of knowledge regarding Native American history.
Within the first few moments of the story, readers come to understand that Syd’s job is to protect the history of indigenous people while taking on the role of both investigator and archaeologist in Rhode Island.
About 10 percent into the book, the storyline changes, and Syd returns to her hometown in Oklahoma to help identify a newly discovered skull. It’s clear that Syd’s past is somehow intertwined with this cold case, and the matter becomes even more complicated with Syd’s sister’s disappearance. The story becomes much more character-driven as we’re introduced to Syd’s family and the insidiousness that her Cherokee neighbors cope with daily.
Blood Sisters changed pacing often. It sometimes slowed to describe necessary background information and the town's history. At other times, the pacing quickened as pieces of the various mysteries began to come together. I know that this was necessary to the story, but I did wish the pacing had been a bit faster.
I liked Syd Walker’s character, and I appreciated the unique perspective Vanessa Lillie shared through her own Cherokee upbringing. This one is a work of fiction rooted in history. Not only is the historical representation of oppression and violence towards indigenous people authentically represented, but the crime Blood Sisters revolves around was inspired by a tragic 2008 cold case that occurred in Vanessa Lillie’s hometown. Blood Sisters is a well-written mystery, and I will be looking for more from Vanessa Lillie in the future.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for an advanced reader’s copy. All opinions are my own.
Within the first few moments of the story, readers come to understand that Syd’s job is to protect the history of indigenous people while taking on the role of both investigator and archaeologist in Rhode Island.
About 10 percent into the book, the storyline changes, and Syd returns to her hometown in Oklahoma to help identify a newly discovered skull. It’s clear that Syd’s past is somehow intertwined with this cold case, and the matter becomes even more complicated with Syd’s sister’s disappearance. The story becomes much more character-driven as we’re introduced to Syd’s family and the insidiousness that her Cherokee neighbors cope with daily.
Blood Sisters changed pacing often. It sometimes slowed to describe necessary background information and the town's history. At other times, the pacing quickened as pieces of the various mysteries began to come together. I know that this was necessary to the story, but I did wish the pacing had been a bit faster.
I liked Syd Walker’s character, and I appreciated the unique perspective Vanessa Lillie shared through her own Cherokee upbringing. This one is a work of fiction rooted in history. Not only is the historical representation of oppression and violence towards indigenous people authentically represented, but the crime Blood Sisters revolves around was inspired by a tragic 2008 cold case that occurred in Vanessa Lillie’s hometown. Blood Sisters is a well-written mystery, and I will be looking for more from Vanessa Lillie in the future.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for an advanced reader’s copy. All opinions are my own.