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A review by ruthypoo2
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
An interesting and emotional postapocalyptic story about how life on a reservation might be affected in a world where modern conveniences like electricity and public services were lost. Naturally, there will be certain lifestyles better equipped to live in this kind of world, including those where people already respect an inter-generational cultural structure and have the knowledge and experience of how to survive by respecting and cultivating natural resources. This lends itself to indigenous communities that are primarily confined to a sprawling reservation landscape, and central to this story is the Anishinaabe community of Canada's First Nation.
I was impressed at the realistic way in which the characters of the story assessed and responded to the changed world they found themselves suddenly living in. Unfortunately, the nature of man seems to be one of seek and divide and conquer, so it's no surprise when the story's Anishinaabe community find themselves confronted by non-reservation people who are looking for a new place to call home where they will have a chance to live full and productive lives. How the Anishinaabe respond is heart-warming but costly to the community.
The author, Waubgeshig Rice, expresses the many layers of the First Nation people. While all seem to have knowledge of the teachings of their ancestors and natural capabilities to survive in a world missing the usual comforts, not everyone has the sound mind and responsible work ethic their elders tried to instill in them from a young age. The cultural experiences and beliefs are beautiful and lovingly included within the narrative of the story. And their area also parallels between what's happened in the past when white settlers invaded First Nation lands and how this type of greed can replay in a world where boundaries have been blurred. It was a story that captured my interest from start to finish and I genuinely cared about everyone in this story.
I listed to the audiobook and very much enjoyed the clear dialect and reading of the narrator, Billy Merasty. At first, I wasn't sure if his voice suited me, but I quickly became accustomed to his sound and I normally listen on 1.75-2X speed, so that helped eliminate any drawing out of the spoken word that I might otherwise find a little off-putting. This is another example of when I really want to hear the pronunciation of words I'm not familiar with, and Mr. Merasty ably provided that for me.
I was impressed at the realistic way in which the characters of the story assessed and responded to the changed world they found themselves suddenly living in. Unfortunately, the nature of man seems to be one of seek and divide and conquer, so it's no surprise when the story's Anishinaabe community find themselves confronted by non-reservation people who are looking for a new place to call home where they will have a chance to live full and productive lives. How the Anishinaabe respond is heart-warming but costly to the community.
The author, Waubgeshig Rice, expresses the many layers of the First Nation people. While all seem to have knowledge of the teachings of their ancestors and natural capabilities to survive in a world missing the usual comforts, not everyone has the sound mind and responsible work ethic their elders tried to instill in them from a young age. The cultural experiences and beliefs are beautiful and lovingly included within the narrative of the story. And their area also parallels between what's happened in the past when white settlers invaded First Nation lands and how this type of greed can replay in a world where boundaries have been blurred. It was a story that captured my interest from start to finish and I genuinely cared about everyone in this story.
I listed to the audiobook and very much enjoyed the clear dialect and reading of the narrator, Billy Merasty. At first, I wasn't sure if his voice suited me, but I quickly became accustomed to his sound and I normally listen on 1.75-2X speed, so that helped eliminate any drawing out of the spoken word that I might otherwise find a little off-putting. This is another example of when I really want to hear the pronunciation of words I'm not familiar with, and Mr. Merasty ably provided that for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death and Death
Minor: Grief, Gun violence, Alcohol, Violence, and Addiction