A review by donaldleitch
Five Little Indians by Michelle Good

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Five Little Indians provided new insight into the profound experience of Canada's residential on the indigenous peoples. Although familiar with the basics of the residential school story through media reports over the last decade, it was through reading this novel I better understand the scars that the system has left with generations of families. Parents who had their children taken from them. Children who no longer knew their parents and families when they were finally let out of school. In combination with the emotional and sexual abuse that some children experienced in these schools, the residential school system is a shameful part of Canada's history. 

Michelle Good has written a powerful novel that speaks to the pain of the school system that suppressed indigenous cultures and languages and continues to impact aboriginal peoples within Canada.
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