Waubgeshig Rice's much anticipated new novel, Moon of the Turning Leaves, is out now, and we've got three copies up for giveaway through October. Check out our giveaways page to see everything we've got on offer and don't miss your chance to win!
***
Gutter Child, by Jael Richardson
There is solidarity among Black and Indigenous people when pushing back against oppressive regimes, and that’s why I connected with this story so deeply. Surviving colonialism is our shared struggle, even in a speculative future dystopia.
*
The Annual Migration of Clouds, by Premee Mohamed
The climate crisis is looming larger in post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction nowadays, and few novels explore it better than this one. I thoroughly enjoyed this story of survival and hope against the backdrop of an increasingly hostile environment.
*
Crosshairs, by Catherine Hernandez
One of my greatest fears is the emergence of a fascist ethno-state, and one of my greatest comforts is the resilience of marginalized people to come together in community to resist violence and oppression. This excellent novel has both.
*
Helpmeet, by Naben Ruthnum
At once historical and surreal, this novella is a frightening wonder. I don’t think I’ve ever read another book that accomplished and provoked so much in so few pages. It’s sinister and awesome.
*
Hunting by Stars, by Cherie Dimaline
Cherie and I share a common homeland, so I will always love anything she writes that takes me there. She set part of this sequel to one of the most iconic dystopian novels of all time in the Georgian Bay area, and I was enthralled by every page.
*
Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century, by Kim Fu
I had the great fortune of first reading this collection when I was on the jury for the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2022. It eventually made it to the shortlist, which I thought was pretty tremendous for a work of speculative fiction.
*
The Marigold, by Andrew F. Sullivan
As a former Torontonian, I loved this creepy, prescient novel that steps into the very near-future. Almost every week I see a headline about urban decay and corruption that could be lifted from the pages of this book.
*
Walking in Two Worlds, by Wab Kinew
I wish I had this book to read when I was growing up on the rez. So much of it hit home, from the journey of self-discovery to the Anishinaabe cultural elements and stories to the video game realm. I can’t wait to share this YA gem with my kids.
*
The Captive, by Fiona King Foster
When you read about an alternate reality or future that doesn’t seem too far off from the present, you know it’s good. I tore through this novel about a fractured state not just because it seemed plausible, but also because the characters were so rich.
*
Return of the Trickster, by Eden Robinson
The Trickster trilogy defies genre, but it taps into the supernatural and spiritual realms in such compelling and loving ways. I thought this third and final instalment was the perfect way to bring everything home.
*
Learn more about Moon of the Turning Leaves:
In the years since a mysterious cataclysm caused a permanent blackout that toppled infrastructure and thrust the world into anarchy, Evan Whitesky has led his community in remote northern Canada off the rez and into the bush, where they’ve been rekindling their Anishinaabe traditions, isolated from the outside world. As new generations are born, and others come of age in a world after everything, Evan’s people are stronger than ever. But resources around their new settlement are drying up, and elders warn that they cannot stay indefinitely.
Evan and his teenaged daughter, Nangohns, are chosen to lead a scouting party on a months-long trip down to their traditional home on the shores of Lake Huron—to seek new beginnings, and discover what kind of life—and what danger—still exists in the lands to the south.
Waubgeshig Rice’s exhilarating return to the world first explored in Moon of the Crusted Snow is a brooding story of survival, resilience, Indigenous identity, and rebirth.
Comments here
comments powered by Disqus