A review by bergamotandbooks
From the Ashes: My Story of Being Métis, Homeless, and Finding My Way by Jesse Thistle

5.0

5 STARS

In this extraordinary and inspiring debut memoir, Jesse Thistle—once a high school dropout and now a rising Indigenous scholar—chronicles his life on the streets and how he overcame trauma and addiction to discover the truth about who he is.

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Real talk: this was a really difficult read. It's raw, unflinching, ugly. It shines a light on the systemic racism within my country and how broken our system really is. Although Thistle eventually "finds his way" there are so many that don't.

Personally, I would recommend listening to the audio version of this, as it is read by the author himself. Hearing his words, experiences and recovery in his own voice was very powerful. Exquisitely written and highly recommended.