Probably Ruby

by Lisa Bird-Wilson

An Indigenous woman adopted by white parents goes in search of her identity in this unforgettable debut novel about family, race, and history--"a celebration of our universal desire to love and be loved" (Imbolo Mbue, author of Behold the Dreamers)

This is the story of a woman in search of herself, in every sense. When we first meet Ruby, a Métis woman in her thirties, her life is spinning out of control. She's angling to sleep with her counselor while also rekindling an old relationship she knows will only bring more heartache. But as we soon learn, Ruby's story is far more complex than even she can imagine.

Given up for adoption as an infant, Ruby is raised by a white couple who understand little of her Indigenous heritage. This is the great mystery that hovers over Ruby's life--who her people are and how to reconcile what is missing. As the novel spans time and multiple points of view, we meet the people connected to Ruby: her birth parents and grandparents; her adoptive parents; the men and women Ruby has been romantically involved with; a beloved uncle; and Ruby's children. Taken together, these characters form a kaleidoscope of stories, giving Ruby’s life dignity and meaning. Probably Ruby is a dazzling novel about a bold, unapologetic woman taking control of her life and story, and marks the debut of a major new voice in Indigenous fiction.

Genres: Fiction, Indigenous, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Audiobook, Family, Canada

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 23, 2020

About the author

Lisa Bird-Wilson is a Métis and nêhiyaw (Cree) writer whose work appears in literary magazines and anthologies across Canada. Her fiction book, Just Pretending (2013), was a finalist for the national Danuta Gleed Literary Award and won four Saskatchewan Book Awards, including 2014 Book of the Year. Her new novel, Probably Ruby, is published in Canada by Doubleday (2021) and in the USA by Hogarth/Random House in spring 2022.

Reviews

[Anggita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novel ini ditulis dengan gaya maju-mundur, di mana tiap tata waktunya bertumpu pada tokoh-tokoh yang berhubungan dengan Ruby. Mereka datang dan pergi, seperti orang-orang pada umumnya dalam kehidupan ini. Namun di novel ini, mereka punya peranan penting untuk membuka perasaan, identitas, dan masa lalu Ruby. Memang ada bagian yang membingungkan, ruwet. Tapi novel ini tetap penting untuk dibaca.