A review by btaylorb
Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I don't really know how to describe this book except to say that it is beautifully written. It details a young Inuit woman's longing for connection with her cultural heritage and history, and her feelings of isolation from her family and peers as she starts experiencing shamanic visions and powers. There are descriptions of nature and the protagonist's interactions with nature that are poetic, sometimes verging on hallucinatory. It's an introspective story that is funny, harrowing and bittersweet, and I loved it. The short chapters are interspersed with poetry that hint at some of the more painful aspects of life for many indigenous women. While these descriptions are brief and not always explicit, they are a common thread that tie the chapters together.
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