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A review by smalltownbookmom
The Strangers by Katherena Vermette
5.0
Already long listed for the Giller Prize, this had been one of my most anticipated reads of 2021 and the author did not disappoint!
This multigenerational Metis family story is full of heartbreak and resilience. Three generations of Strangers women tell their stories and the circumstances that led to where they are today.
Matriarch Margaret became a mother at a young age and also got stuck in an abusive relationship.
Her daughter Elsie also has a rough start to life, having three daughters before she’s 25 and losing one in a horrible accident. Dealing with her grief Elsie turned to drugs and alcohol which led to addiction and the loss of her surviving children.
Elsie’s daughter Phoenix we know from her earlier novel The Break and we meet again as she is about to give birth to her son in prison.
Elsie’s other daughter Cedar Sage is forced to go live with the father and stepmother she hasn’t seen in years, effectively getting cut off from the rest of her family exacerbating her depression and loneliness.
While this story is full of pain it is also full of love and the enduring bonds of family. Highly recommended and especially great on audio! Much thanks to @librofm for my complimentary ALC!! This book and its gorgeous cover hit shelves tomorrow!
⚠️alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence, suicidal ideation, depression, racism and intergenerational trauma
This multigenerational Metis family story is full of heartbreak and resilience. Three generations of Strangers women tell their stories and the circumstances that led to where they are today.
Matriarch Margaret became a mother at a young age and also got stuck in an abusive relationship.
Her daughter Elsie also has a rough start to life, having three daughters before she’s 25 and losing one in a horrible accident. Dealing with her grief Elsie turned to drugs and alcohol which led to addiction and the loss of her surviving children.
Elsie’s daughter Phoenix we know from her earlier novel The Break and we meet again as she is about to give birth to her son in prison.
Elsie’s other daughter Cedar Sage is forced to go live with the father and stepmother she hasn’t seen in years, effectively getting cut off from the rest of her family exacerbating her depression and loneliness.
While this story is full of pain it is also full of love and the enduring bonds of family. Highly recommended and especially great on audio! Much thanks to @librofm for my complimentary ALC!! This book and its gorgeous cover hit shelves tomorrow!
⚠️alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence, suicidal ideation, depression, racism and intergenerational trauma