A riveting story of two families on different sides of a crisis with deep roots in history and territory, for readers of Lori Lansens, Joseph Boyden, and John Bemrose's The Island Walkers.
This compelling contemporary story is told in the voices of several vivid, unforgettable characters, including the restless young Mohawk woman dreaming of adventure and fame in the wider world; the successful businessman with a secret, balanced between two communities; and the unexpected lovers, who must weigh happiness against history and fierce pride.
After a proposed subdivision becomes the site of a Mohawk protest, tensions many had thought long buried resurface and begin to escalate. When a violent crime is discovered, everyone must make a pivotal choice, about what to remember and what to forget, what to let go and what to hold tight.
Smoke River is wise and tender, fearless and often very funny. It heralds the arrival of a vibrant, original, and intrepid new voice in Canadian literature.

Krista Foss' profile page

• Nominated, Hammett Prize

KRISTA FOSS's short fiction has appeared in Granta and has twice been a finalist for the Journey Prize. Her essay writing won the PRISM international creative non-fiction contest in 2016, has been featured in Best Canadian Essays and nominated for a National Magazine Award. Her first novel, Smoke River, won the Hamilton Literary Award. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. She is a senior editor of the online journal, Hamilton Review of Books. She lives in Hamilton, Ontario.

"By allowing her vivid ensemble of characters to grab hold of the wheel, Foss manages to steer the novel away from an object lesson in native-white relations to. . .the characters' complex, overlapping allegiances. . . . Foss probes [her characters'] doubts and uncertainties in subtle, interesting ways."--The Globe and Mail

"Foss's strength lies in the beauty of her writing, her ability to capture [nuances]. . . . Given her impressive writing skills, whatever story Foss next creates will be well worth the wait." --Toronto Star

"The best books destroy you, overwhelm you with deep feelings--despair, anger, love, defiance. . . . [Foss] elicits precisely this reaction. . . . Searing." --Quill & Quire (starred review)

"[An] outstanding first novel." --Winnipeg Free Press