A review by thebrandyrivers
Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

I really really REALLY wanted to love this book, as it had won Canada Reads last year, and I enjoyed "Love After the End", an anthology Whitehead edited. However, I think the alternating timelines are this book's undoing. I wish I saw more of Jonny trying to scrape together enough money (and energy) to go back to the rez, and why it's so hard for him. Because we're often going back and forth through time, it doesn't feel like going back is a hard or life-defining thing to do. 

And at times I was confused about where Tias lived... one moment I think it's the rez, but then he seemingly comes into Winnipeg regularly.

.

However, what Jonny Appleseed does exceedingly well at is making characters unique, loveable, and lived in. We fall in love with Jonny, Tias, Jonny's mother and Kokum, and even Tias' girlfriend, which I think we would usually root against. And it gives the reader an inside look at what it's like to be Indigiqueer.

I think if you're looking for a character study, this is a fantastic book and you're going to love it. If you're looking for something more plot-driven, maybe circle back to this one later.