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A review by darquedreamer
Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
Looking For Smoke was an absolutely captivating read. It was poignant and beautiful. Thrilling and dark.
Cobell did an astounding job bringing to light the most important reason for the story's existence, while creating dynamically vivid characters to become attached to. She wove a young adult crime thriller in with beautiful bits of Blackfeet culture and major life lessons about growing up, friendship, and family. She truly made an impact by highlighting the very serious issues and situations revolving around MMIW (missing and murdered indigenous women) in a way that readers, and more unaware people, could understand and relate to.
Layered in with the MMIW crisis, murder mystery, and cultural beauty, was the importance of recognizing yourself, your culture, and understanding what's going on around you in the world. Cobell highlighted how important it is to realize that there is more to be found under the surface of people, places, and situations. She showed what it feels like to never feel like you are good enough, for others, for yourself, for your culture and family. She showed what it feels like to begin to truly understand the significance of worldly issues you knew very little about.
Looking For Smoke was an elegant, heartbreaking metaphor for finding the fire within. Within people, and within situations. Whether it be a beautiful, burn, or a terrifying, rage.
Memorable quotes for me:
"When you grow up here, you never have to prove you belong."
"Anyone can look like they have it all together and still have that poison in their mind."
"It was like... I'm not full, so I don't count. I didn't grow up here, and my family isn't very traditional, so I must not know any of the culture."
"I know who I am, but when I have to prove it to someone else... It makes me doubt myself, I guess."
"We're a resilient people. We always have been."
"She waves her fan of eagle feathers in the air to the drumbeat, her braids bouncing against her chest in the same rhythm. The jingle dress dance brings healing. She's dancing for Samantha's family and for her own. She's dancing for our community. For our tribe. For all the other tribes battling the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
She's dancing for all the stolen sisters out there."
All quotes are from the book, written by the author.
Cobell did an astounding job bringing to light the most important reason for the story's existence, while creating dynamically vivid characters to become attached to. She wove a young adult crime thriller in with beautiful bits of Blackfeet culture and major life lessons about growing up, friendship, and family. She truly made an impact by highlighting the very serious issues and situations revolving around MMIW (missing and murdered indigenous women) in a way that readers, and more unaware people, could understand and relate to.
Layered in with the MMIW crisis, murder mystery, and cultural beauty, was the importance of recognizing yourself, your culture, and understanding what's going on around you in the world. Cobell highlighted how important it is to realize that there is more to be found under the surface of people, places, and situations. She showed what it feels like to never feel like you are good enough, for others, for yourself, for your culture and family. She showed what it feels like to begin to truly understand the significance of worldly issues you knew very little about.
Looking For Smoke was an elegant, heartbreaking metaphor for finding the fire within. Within people, and within situations. Whether it be a beautiful, burn, or a terrifying, rage.
Memorable quotes for me:
"When you grow up here, you never have to prove you belong."
"Anyone can look like they have it all together and still have that poison in their mind."
"It was like... I'm not full, so I don't count. I didn't grow up here, and my family isn't very traditional, so I must not know any of the culture."
"I know who I am, but when I have to prove it to someone else... It makes me doubt myself, I guess."
"We're a resilient people. We always have been."
"She waves her fan of eagle feathers in the air to the drumbeat, her braids bouncing against her chest in the same rhythm. The jingle dress dance brings healing. She's dancing for Samantha's family and for her own. She's dancing for our community. For our tribe. For all the other tribes battling the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
She's dancing for all the stolen sisters out there."
All quotes are from the book, written by the author.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Death, Blood, Grief, and Murder