bonnybonnybooks 's review for:

Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq

3.0

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A mix of poetry, autobiographical material, and magical realism/folklore (plus, if you're listening to the audiobook, throat singing!). Tagaq is an Inuit throatsinger who grew up in 1970s Nunavut (a far Northern Canadian territory). Tagaq does not shy away from the alcoholism and sexual abuse that scarred her childhood and the lasting impact this has had. The last quarter takes a hard turn into what (I presume is) magical realism, with Tagaq writing that she was impregnated by the Northern Lights and gave birth to twins. Although I'm pretty sure the twins are metaphorical and not actual babies (I tried to Google it, but came up with no conclusive results), I couldn't get past the narrative blaming the male twin for being an energy vampire that drains and kills Tagaq's family,

Spoiler

which ultimately leads Tagaq trying to kill him

.