First audiobook of the year finished and it was such a strong start. Birdie is not usually the type of book I’d gravitate to for audio, as it’s told in a circular fashion, swapping back and forth between perspectives and time periods, but I mainly listened to it while walking so I found I was able to follow it mostly without problem. But even if you don’t think it’d work for you on audio, definitely try and pick up a print or digital copy, because Birdie is a story that deserves reading!

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It follows Bernice Meetoos, a Cree woman who’s had to shoulder more than anyone should be forced to bear. Seeking to heal from past trauma, Bernice, or Birdie, travels to Gibsons from Northern Alberta, driven partly by her desire to meet one of her favourite characters from a TV show. But not long after she arrives, Birdie falls into an almost catatonic state, brought on by her trauma. The women in her life, some Indigenous, some not, surround her bedside, trying to bring her back to reality. The story weaves in and out of these women’s lives, their ordeals, their childhoods, their own trauma. But at the centre of it all is Birdie and her journey to healing.

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Given the stream of consciousness, it’s one I’d like to revisit at some point in print as I’m sure there are layers I missed!