I enjoyed this book. It's out of my normal range of reading interests, but that is why I like participating in a book club and why I wanted to complete the Evergreen reading program this year because you do get a chance to read outside of your normal realm. I definitely wouldn't have read this book, or even known about it, had it not been for this program.

Glass Beads is a very character-driven book. You get to know the four friends' personalities and traits more so then having descriptions of their surroundings or writing that is lyrical and literary. I find the short stories read more like chapters though. There is a linear path with each chapter occurring in a disjointed manner throughout the time span and the focus may be a different character each time. It's a fast read, but you do get drawn into each character and I found that I was rooting for one or more at a time as they went through certain periods of their lives. I was also not liking each character at times too! It’s a serious novel that gives you a peek into how life differs for Aboriginal Canadians and what some of the unique challenges they face are that may not even cross our minds or be relatable to Canadians of white heritage.