A review by khetsia
Five Little Indians by Michelle Good

5.0

I feel absolutely demolished. This story, these children, these tortured children. We often speak of resilience, that ability to be unchanged, unmoved in the face of trauma. These children turned adults were not, they were broken by the schools that kidnapped them. And it made me realize that resilience is not realistic when it comes to any human being. This is not to say that they aren’t courageous and that they did not work fucking hard to have a life worth living despite everything they have been robbed. No, but it simply shows yet again how cruel, racist & colonialist the Catholic Church has been and still is.

This book should anger you, but also make you laugh and bring sorrow into your heart. I was delighted to be invited into the journey of the protagonist into reconnecting with their culture. I fell in love with Clara and Lucy and Maisie and Kenny and Howie.

I mean this book just touched me so so so so much I sobbed for nearly 30 minutes when I reached the end. I would highly recommend it. Truly a brillant work.