First half of the book

[Melanie]

First impressions

[Jo]

Really enjoying it. I’m loving the relationships between the kids and all the things they got up to like driving under age but also the relationships between Lisa her Ma-ma-oo, her cousin Tab and Mick while he was alive. I also love that Lisa is so fierce, beating up Frank and speaking her mind.

The stories of the old ways and the different legends, the descriptions of the scenery, the mountains and the ocean are all compelling. I also loved the song that Ma-ma-oo sang about grief and did anyone else try and say Xa’isla?

I have a feeling the story will end with sadness where Jimmy is concerned and that there’s more to his story that might explain his disappearance, I thought it would bother me that that part got strung out but so far it hasn’t.

The only bit I’m having a little hard time with is the little red haired man, he seems too much like some kind of leprechaun but maybe he’s based in legend. Either way, for me, successful so far.

[Stacey]

That the characters are Native Canadians, and live in a small village in a remote area, are very interesting to me, being so similar to my Alaskan upbringing. I'm liking the story, but it's interesting that I can only read a couple of chapters before I'm ready to set the book down. It's not intellectually or emotionally difficult so I can't explain it. I'm about 100 pages in.

[Linda]

Lovely writing and wonderful characters. The atmosphere is brooding though and we can feel something coming that doesn't bode well. I do really love this book so far and plan to read more by this author.

[Barb]

This has all the things that usually draw me in with Native Canadian writers. Extensive and complex family dynamics, strong minded characters, an elder who is passing on traditions and beliefs to a younger generation and the stories are generally suffused with sadness and tragedy but told with hope and humour too. So far this book is ticking all the boxes for me.

[Alice]

I love that her childhood memories are used as narration to give background & context. This is setting is completely new to me nothing compares to anything I’ve read or experienced which is really rather lovely.
The whole community is perfectly flawed & each character so far is quite well rounded. I hate people just added in the spur of the moment with no context or reason.

I also feel like the story is heading to a dark place. The inner optimist hopes Jimmy is just relaxing on the beach after taking photos of Sasquatch but that might not be enough of a story. Also can’t quite work out what the ‘current tense’ is. Is Lisa a young adult or late teen? Not sure if that matters will have to keep reading.

[Stacey]

Well, I’ve decided to DNF this one. I enjoyed the Native Canadian history, heritage and mysticism. The Vancouver BC area feels a lot (I currently live in Seattle only a couple hours from Vancouver BC) like my home in Alaska. Unfortunately, the YA feeling didn’t keep my attention and I was forcing myself to read. I’m very stingy with my limited reading time. Read on compadres! I’m glad so many are enjoying and connecting with the story!

[Marie]

I’ve just hit halfway with this and am finding it just fine so far. The highlight for me is the nature writing, the depictions of the landscape and the sea and how people live with such a close affinity with their natural environment. It’s been a quick and easy read so far, though, and I’m enjoying a perspective I haven’t encountered before.

[Justyna M]

Stacey (bookishpursuit) wrote: "Well, I’ve decided to DNF this one. I enjoyed the Native Canadian history, heritage and mysticism. The Vancouver BC area feels a lot (I currently live in Seattle only a couple hours from Vancouver ..."

I have exactly the same feelings as Stacey, I love the Native Canadians culture/ heritage aspect of the novel but can't stand the YA feeling (also one of the things I can't deal with when reading a book is a child narrator which I wasn't aware this book would have) so at the moment I'm one third in and started skimming a bit.... I'm still reading it only because of the Native Canadians themes, only because of that really.

[Isa]

I was interested in the native Canadian cultural setting. At beginning the YA touch was a little bit annoying, but descriptions the nature, mountains, sea were very captivating. I enjoyed the first half.

[Laura Frey]

I'm not sure what my problem with this book is. It's my second attempt at reading, and I am having a lot of trouble. Like Alice, I can't figure out how old Lisa or Jimmy are supposed to be at any given time. I wish we could stay put in one timeline and get a feel for the relationships that way. I love Eden Robinson's other books and didn't find this... inconsistency? I've been reading on my phone, so in case that's the problem I've put the paper copy on hold at the library.