A review by sydneysbooknook
A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A Council of Dolls is one of the most important books that I have ever read. In telling the stories of three generations of Dakota girls and their dolls, Mona Susan Power showcases the utter brutality that was inflicted on the Dakota people and the horrors that indigenous children faced in Indian boarding schools. This is a part of history that people have tried to erase and hide, but with stories like Powers' , which shed light on the truth, it can't be. Sissy's, Lillian's, and Cora's stories highlight different eras of oppression, spanning from the 1890s to the 1970s. But the story doesn't end there. It ends in the present, where power is given back to those Dakota women, and through them, all Dakota people. Mona Susan Powers creates a story not only about oppression, but about strength, and hope, courage, and reclaiming your power. This is a book I recommend that everyone should read.