A review by savvylit
Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice

adventurous dark emotional 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? No

4.0

Moon of the Turning Leaves is such a satisfying and captivating continuation of the events from the first book. It was genuinely fascinating to experience more of Rice's post-apocalyptic world through the eyes of the exploratory walking group. Gradually, as the group ventures further South, more and more is revealed about how the first days after the blackout went for the rest of so-called Ontario.

The most major strength of this novel lies in the perspective of Nangohns, Evan's teenage daughter. Nangohns had been so young when the post-apocalyptic era began that the world outside her community is practically unknown to her. Nangohns is living proof of her people's ability to continue in and adapt to the changing world. Furthermore, this book's events show how clear it is that she is her father's daughter; Nangohns, like Evan, is deeply committed to protecting her people and continuing the Anishinaabe way of life.

Moon of the Turning Leaves is decidedly a sequel and thus would likely not make sense as a standalone thriller. However, when paired with its predecessor, Rice has written yet another truly riveting saga of indigenous resilience.

Thank you @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for the advance reader copy of Moon of the Turning Leaves in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own. Moon of the Turning Leaves is out now in both the US and Canada!

Content Warnings