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A review by youraveragedave
Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A book that is both a prequel and a sequel to There There. We meet a survivor from The Sand Creek Massacre who goes on to spend time in the Florida prison for Native Americans during the Plains Wars (Fort Marion). Then his son ends up at The Carlisle Indian School (kill the Indian, save the man) run by Richard Henry Pratt. We later find out his descendants are the family struck my tragedy at the Oakland Powwow shooting at the end of There There.
Tommy Orange does a fantastic job blending history with fiction. He touches on so many issues Indigenous peoples have to deal with on a daily basis: generational trauma, alcoholism and addiction, high suicide rates, racism, identity and culture, etc.
Love the title, Wandering Stars, this family starting with Jude Star has a son Charles. These Stars wander the country, and their descendants end up in Oakland. Also shooting survivor Orvil has bullet fragments the doctors refer to as "stars" that can travel the body. The cover has bright starbursts that also look like bullet holes.
The final chapter, which Lonnie writes home, is really strong and powerful.
I'm not usually a big fan of audiobooks that do a big cat if narrators, but this group does an excellent job
Tommy Orange does a fantastic job blending history with fiction. He touches on so many issues Indigenous peoples have to deal with on a daily basis: generational trauma, alcoholism and addiction, high suicide rates, racism, identity and culture, etc.
Love the title, Wandering Stars, this family starting with Jude Star has a son Charles. These Stars wander the country, and their descendants end up in Oakland. Also shooting survivor Orvil has bullet fragments the doctors refer to as "stars" that can travel the body. The cover has bright starbursts that also look like bullet holes.
The final chapter, which Lonnie writes home, is really strong and powerful.
I'm not usually a big fan of audiobooks that do a big cat if narrators, but this group does an excellent job