A review by elly29
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian 10th Anniversary Edition by Sherman Alexie

emotional hopeful informative sad fast-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

4.0

had some brief thought this was going to be like “An Indian in the Cupboard.” Boy, was I incorrect. (No magical realism, no fantasy.) Alexie’s personal, fictionalized story came out of nowhere for me, and it was impactful in the way that most middle-school-age reads are impactful. So much of Arnold/Junior’s life was difficult, but also so much of it was easy (like how he became popular). It was a tapestry, and showed a lot of issues Indigenous Americans face.

I listened to the version narrated by Alexie. It was powerful. You can hear Alexie get emotional over the deaths of his his sister Mary and his dad's best friend Eugene. I felt the loss and the hopelessness of the rez, and how beautiful and complex it is to be Indigenous. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, and Racism

Minor: Vomit and Toxic friendship

There is a pet dog death.