I really enjoyed this one.

This is a "follow a few characters from childhood onwards and watch them grow and intersect" type of book, which I love. This was an excellent way to drive home the aftershocks of residential schools. I really appreciated the balance of the writing, where difficult things were spoken of but not gratuously described. Instead, I feel like I got to know the character's inner worlds and empathize with many aspects of their pain.

Highly recommended if you're interested in character driven books exploring systemic trauma and/or want to gain a broader understanding of the harm done by residential schools in Canada. I also recommend looking up interviews with the author, who highlights how much of the novel was based on true events (including and especially Lily).