Review: Moon of the Turning Leaves

Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the sequel to the Moon of the Crusted Snow, which I found while I was wandering though an independent bookstore in Winnipeg (McNally and Robinson- go, if you're in Winnipeg!). I'm always a little wary about sequels and whether they'll be as good as the original. In this case, there was no reason to worry. This is a worthy extension of that story.

In this story, our Anishinaabe reserve which had survived that first winter after all power was shut down in the world finds itself at a cross-roads where they realize that they cannot support themselves where they were. So, they decide to send an expedition south to see if they can move to their ancestral lands on the shores of Lake Huron. That expedition find the land largely deserted, testament to the chaos and mass death which gripped the world after the power went off. Unfortunately, it is entirely deserted with some good, often, but not exclusively Indigenous communities and some very bad ones, trying to build up their power. Again, no spoilers, but what results is a reflection on values and how to live which is relevant to all.

What I love about this book, and its predecessor, is that it is genuinely hopeful. Yes, some people make terrible decisions and suffer for it. But, ultimately, our main characters are seeking the good of their community and their people, but also the Land and the world around them. They too may make bad decisions, but they ultimately redeem themselves as they work together to save their people. It is a wonderful story.

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Review: Moon of the Crusted Snow

Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I frankly love this novel-the idea, the characters and the story. So, just putting that out there.

Moon of the Crusted Snow is a post-apocalyptic novel, set in a reserve in Northern Ontario which weathers a mysterious, but total loss of electrical power which, almost instantaneously, removes all the modern conveniences of life- cellphones, freezers, communication with the outside world, a steady food supply. Except, in this community, people also continue to hunt and to gather food, even as these modern conveniences are stripped away.

The novel explores the crucial first winter in which the community struggles to survive in a hostile and lonely environment, and cut off from the rest of the world (which, as the novel indicates, has descended into chaos). I don't want to give away the plot, but it also has to face outsiders, who think they know better how to survive and whose presence destabilizes the community. It is a testament to the resilience of the community and of the individuals who honour the old ways of doing things.

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Review: Elements of Indigenous Style: A Guide for Writing By and About Indigenous Peoples

Elements of Indigenous Style: A Guide for Writing By and About Indigenous Peoples by Gregory Younging
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay, I know what you're thinking. Are you seriously reviewing a style manual? Well, yes, but, in some way, the title belies the writing within. It is an outgrowth of Theytus Book's style guide, one of the early Indigenous publication houses, but it is more than that. Younging reflects on how Indigenous peoples have been treated in literature and in the publishing world, which is not a pretty picture. He also considers present practices which are problematic and how to create an environment where Indigenous writer's can legitimate expect to be heard and respected. It also gives a practice case studies and practical suggestions for how to move forward.

This book is really an important consideration for anyone who is interested in encouraging the unique voices which come from Indigenous writers. It is a warning for settlers like myself to get out of the way and respect even what I may not understand. It also gives practical examples of how to convey that respect in the way I write. It is an invaluable resource.

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Review: Why Indigenous Literatures Matter

Why Indigenous Literatures Matter by Daniel Heath Justice
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was an early purchase, just as the school year was ending in June, because I knew I would be teaching an Indigenous literatures course this fall (i.e. in a few days!). This book kept being mentioned as a must read and, now that I've read it, I definitely understand why. It is the product of wide and thoughtful reading in the complex and vibrant world of Indigenous writing. While I was not familiar with more than a few texts, this book made me want to read more and to explore aspects of Indigenous writing that I didn't realize was out there. It serves an accessible introduction to this neglected, but fascinating field without over-simplifying or confusing.

What I loved about this book is that it really isn't just about books, it's about the stories that we tell, which, as the introduction asserts, can heal or harm. This book doesn't shrink from the difficult stories that Indigenous people tell nor about the difficult realities that Indigenous people have faced and do face as they navigate a world imposed on them by colonization. But it also talks about how a resurgence is beginning to take hold among Indigenous peoples, which are producing unique and valuable literatures. He groups his discussion around four main questions: HOw do we learn to be Human? HOw do we behave as Good Relatives? How do we become Good Ancestors? How do we Learn to Live Together? before going on to a quite personal chapter of reading in the ruptures and his ulti mate conclusion.

If you are interested in examining these literatures, this is a crucial starting point. I can't recommend it enough.

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Review: Why Indigenous Literatures Matter

Why Indigenous Literatures Matter by Daniel Heath Justice
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was an early purchase, just as the school year was ending in June, because I knew I would be teaching an Indigenous literatures course this fall (i.e. in a few days!). This book kept being mentioned as a must read and, now that I've read it, I definitely understand why. It is the product of wide and thoughtful reading in the complex and vibrant world of Indigenous writing. While I was not familiar with more than a few texts, this book made me want to read more and to explore aspects of Indigenous writing that I didn't realize was out there. It serves an accessible introduction to this neglected, but fascinating field without over-simplifying or confusing.

What I loved about this book is that it really isn't just about books, it's about the stories that we tell, which, as the introduction asserts, can heal or harm. This book doesn't shrink from the difficult stories that Indigenous people tell nor about the difficult realities that Indigenous people have faced and do face as they navigate a world imposed on them by colonization. But it also talks about how a resurgence is beginning to take hold among Indigenous peoples, which are producing unique and valuable literatures. He groups his discussion around four main questions: HOw do we learn to be Human? HOw do we behave as Good Relatives? How do we become Good Ancestors? How do we Learn to Live Together? before going on to a quite personal chapter of reading in the ruptures and his ulti mate conclusion.

If you are interested in examining these literatures, this is a crucial starting point. I can't recommend it enough.

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Review: Bad Cree

Bad Cree by Jessica Johns
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is another entry in my summer of Indigenous fiction (and non-fiction) reading. Set in B.C. and Alberta, this novel explores family and, especially, sisters within a context of grief, family breakdown and, well, economic and environmental crisis. The novel also veers into the paranormal horror genre as the lead character, Mackenzie, explores what has gone wrong in her life, her family and her community.

I really liked this novel, although I was really weirded out at first. The early dreams that Mackenzie has as well as the disturbingly pervasive ravens following her around are, frankly, creepy. Well, of course it is, it's horror. But I remember as I was reading it, I actually had to avoid reading it just before going to bed because I kept getting bad dreams (oddly with ravens in them). That is a testament to Johns' evocation of the paranormal, but it's also a warning to anyone not especially used to horror (like me).

Yet, what I really loved about the novel is that, despite the horror motifs, it is ultimately a really hopeful novel. It is about finding resolution and a place to belong and I have so much space for that. Without giving the end away, it also serves as an allegory for the problems we face today in the exploitation of the Land and how communities have to face up to that legacy. Here it was an Indigenous one, but it is a legacy we all have to face up to.

So, yes, definitely, a good read and worth dealing with all those ravens to get through.

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Review: Women of the Fur Trade

Women of the Fur Trade by Frances Koncan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is another entry in my immersion into the world of First Nations, Metis and Inuit literature as I prepare to teach my course in the fall. In this case, this is a play, performed several times include at the Stratford Festival in 2020.

The story happens at the key moment of Louis Riel's arrival at the Red River colony in 1869, at least, as far as one can nail down a time. The characters are, primarily, the Ojibwe Eugenia, the Metis Marie-Angelique and the white Cecilia- three women associated with the fur trade, but also with events as they lead up to the Red River Resistance. The focus is, as the title would suggest, on the women, as they interrelate in the intersection of race and gender.

The result is very funny, especially because the character's knowledge (and hence allusions) range all over history until now. There's a noticeable absurdist feel to the play, but it also packs a political punch. It is definitely worth reading and considering.

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Review: A Treaty Guide for Torontonians

A Treaty Guide for Torontonians by Ange Loft
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was excited to get this book because it fills in a substantial gap in my understanding of the history of the city in which I live: Toronto. So often, the history we hear is the history of the settling of the area by Europeans, but, here, is a focus on the peoples who lived here before Europeans came. When that story is told, the history of Toronto (and of the rest of Canada) becomes much richer and more complicated.

The aim of this book is to chart the various treaties between the First Nations who lived in the Toronto area and between, first, the French and the Dutch, then the British. The story isn't a pretty one. From the disruption of the Wendat in the 17th century, to the proxy wars between the Haudenosaunee and the Anishinabek peoples, but, ultimately, to the various treaties, especially the Toronto Purchase, 'negotiated' with the British, the picture is disruption and, on the part of the settlers, dishonesty. The book charts this relationship, based on documents we have and the experience of the peoples living in this area and brings it up to date to chart the various efforts by, especially, the Mississaugas of the Credit and the Haudenosaunee to pursue their land and water claims.

As a teacher, I also appreciated the large numbers of activities ranging from field trips to activities which more vividly and physically bring the meaning of the Land we live in. That is, ultimately, the centre of this book- the Land, our relationship with the land, the peoples and non-humans in this place now. As someone about to teach the First Nations, Metis and Inuit Studies English course in the spring, those activities are a great source of ideas to link my students to their own city.

I would say anyone living in Toronto should read this book, if only to understand how we got this land that we live on and to appreciate the responsibilities that places on us. Very much work reading!

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