A review by booksrockcal
Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I received this book earlier in the year from the Ann Patchett First Editions club (thanks to my sister). I had not read There There so I read that back in the spring when i received this. i’m really glad I did as this is the back story and continuation story of the characters from There There. The book starts by chronicling the survival of Star, a young Native man, of the Sand Creek Massacre. He is taken to Ft Marion prison and forced to learn English and become Christian. The head of the prison founds the Carlisle Indian Industrial School which is dedicated to eradicating Native culture and language-Star’s son Charles goes there and is brutalized. This background story represents the history and generational trauma of the family from There There-in this book they are trying to recover from the shooting of Orvil Red Feather at the Oakland Pow Wow. Orvil watches shootings on you tube and relives the shooting and instead of going to school he takes refuge with another native teenager and becomes part of a drug dealing family operation -then he becomes addicted himself an outgrowth from the pain medicine he is given. Lony is suffering from PTSD and Luther cannot stay on school. Opal their aunt tries to hold the family together while battling cancer and Jackie their grandmother is newly sober and trying to recover.  The impact of trauma on native families is the theme of this book and it is brutally told and portrayed with a stark reality but recounted in Tommy Orange’s stark yet poetic prose. The effects of addiction caused by that trauma is also a focus.  The conclusion is not without hope but the journey is difficult, sorrowful, rage-inducing and sad. A powerful and thought provoking book whose characters will continue to stay with me.