kelseylian's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
As a “southerner” I have been lucky enough to spend some time in northern arctic ice-bound communities. Even though I was there to teach, it was so so clear how little true knowledge I had - truly helpless without the systems of “the south”. This book was fantastic. Surviving up north is about community, humility, thinking ahead, sharing what you have and really respecting the knowledge of those that came before you. Generational thinking over greed. I loved it and hope everyone learns these lessons someday.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Suicide, Gun violence, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Cannibalism
thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Cannibalism and Murder
Minor: Genocide, Racism, and Colonisation
ems_rxlibrary's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Death
Moderate: Racism, Cannibalism, Cursing, and Violence
Minor: Suicide
silvae's review
dark
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Alcohol, Death, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Cannibalism, Animal death, Blood, Suicide, and Alcoholism
blacksphinx's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Alcohol, and Gun violence
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Suicide and Cannibalism
mikarala's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This is a bleak and haunting look into what could happen in a remote Anishinaabe community in Canada's Far North if the modern technological systems powering society broke down, effectively leaving Canada as a defunct concept as the members of this community realize it's up to themselves to make it through winter. With themes of survival, community, and tradition, this is an interesting analysis of what we owe to our fellow man, and maybe a reminder from the Indigenous writer to Indigenous readers not to rely on or trust the government to take care of you (it doesn't exactly have a good track record). This novel certainly works as a warning call about the vital importance of reviving and maintaining traditional ways of Indigenous living.
I enjoyed this story, but I admit I wanted more. Going in I was a bit anxious because apocalyptic novels can be pretty disturbing to me as I contemplate the horrifying possibilities of plague, climate disaster, etc., but this one never explains whatever caused power to fail. It's not interested in analyzing why this happened, but how the community responds. In that sense, it felt quite intimate as we follow our every-man protagonist, Evan, who's doing his best to provide for his family and protect the community. However, there are so many unanswered questions and mysteries, and--although I get that those uncertainties are the point--I honestly felt a bit disappointed. This is an apocalyptic novel on a smaller scale, and I guess I was just hoping for a bit more?
The story that is told is very good, although as I said, maybe just not for me or not aligning with my hopes or expectations for this novel. Rice does an excellent job of managing the pacing and rising tension, with the last third being genuinely quite thrilling. I did find the prose a bit wanting at times; sometimes it felt a bit didactic, like Rice was stating the obvious or something, and a lot of the dialogue was somewhat awkward in my opinion. The writing overall was fairly workmanlike and efficient, without any particular lines coming across as especially evocative (although the dream sequences were appropriately atmospheric and disturbing!). However, that attributes also make it very accessible, which I do think is to its credit. It's not exactly bad enough to detract from the story, but to me it just didn't do the story any favours.
Ultimately, a book I would recommend, and I do feel like my criticisms for it have more to do with my particular hopes and expectations than my reviews usually do, which might be somewhat unfair. I just think I wanted to like it more than I actually did.
I enjoyed this story, but I admit I wanted more. Going in I was a bit anxious because apocalyptic novels can be pretty disturbing to me as I contemplate the horrifying possibilities of plague, climate disaster, etc., but this one never explains whatever caused power to fail. It's not interested in analyzing why this happened, but how the community responds. In that sense, it felt quite intimate as we follow our every-man protagonist, Evan, who's doing his best to provide for his family and protect the community. However, there are so many unanswered questions and mysteries, and--although I get that those uncertainties are the point--I honestly felt a bit disappointed. This is an apocalyptic novel on a smaller scale, and I guess I was just hoping for a bit more?
The story that is told is very good, although as I said, maybe just not for me or not aligning with my hopes or expectations for this novel. Rice does an excellent job of managing the pacing and rising tension, with the last third being genuinely quite thrilling. I did find the prose a bit wanting at times; sometimes it felt a bit didactic, like Rice was stating the obvious or something, and a lot of the dialogue was somewhat awkward in my opinion. The writing overall was fairly workmanlike and efficient, without any particular lines coming across as especially evocative (although the dream sequences were appropriately atmospheric and disturbing!). However, that attributes also make it very accessible, which I do think is to its credit. It's not exactly bad enough to detract from the story, but to me it just didn't do the story any favours.
Ultimately, a book I would recommend, and I do feel like my criticisms for it have more to do with my particular hopes and expectations than my reviews usually do, which might be somewhat unfair. I just think I wanted to like it more than I actually did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism and Gun violence
Moderate: Racism
erkietheturkey's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Animal death, and Murder
Moderate: Violence, Death, Blood, and Cursing
Minor: Colonisation, Alcohol, Addiction, Alcoholism, Grief, Racism, and Suicide
apworden's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Cannibalism, Death, and Racism
Minor: Pedophilia
emilily's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Wow. This book packs a punch. Don't be deceived by the slower pace of the first few chapters. Soon things kick off, and the rest of the book is so tense that it's hard to put down. This books masterfully transitions from a very realistic contemporary tale of life in a Northern Anishinaabe community... to a world that begins to crumble. The rest of the book toes the line of becoming an apocalyptic thriller. Anishinaabe lore, traditions, and language are weaved throughout the story, and there is some powerful allegory here, looking at colonialist invasion on Anishinaabe territory, but through a creative lense.
All around a great read.
All around a great read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Colonisation, and Gun violence
Moderate: Grief, Violence, Cannibalism, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Alcohol and Suicide
amanda_marie's review
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I don’t often read books with such suspense, but the author did a fantastic job of building it slowly and steadily. Even when I knew what would come, I still felt the suspense and horror the moment deserved. The suspense was balanced with a layered commentary on colonialism that grounded the book and was informative without overbearing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Gun violence
Moderate: Violence, Racism, Cannibalism, and Alcohol