A review by hollydyer328
Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

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

3.5

I enjoyed coming back to the Red Feather / Bear Shield family and seeing where things left off since There There, in addition to getting the history behind this family. I enjoyed the inter-generational saga in the first part from the Sand Creek Massacre; it has vibes of Homegoing.  I actually wanted more from that section - a lot of the main events happen off the page - and more references back to that section once we're in the present day.

The second part focuses a lot more on the individual family and the struggles they individually face with trauma and addiction. That said, it is VERY interior and you are trapped in the mind of an addict(s) for multiple pages before there is any dialogue. It's pretty relentless and it makes the story line slow down. It continues to get darker and darker throughout, and while there is some hint at hope at the end, it's minor compared to the amounts of sadness.

Overall, Orange is a great writer and I liked any commentary he had on the Native experience, however there wasn't as much as in There There. it was nice to see something else from him, but I liked There There more. This is also won't be for everyone if you don't enjoy interior and unrelenting dark novels. Big content warnings.
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