What an absolutely devastating, gorgeous novel. Monkey Beach opens with the discovery that Lisa’s younger brother Jimmy has gone missing at sea. Her parents set off to search, and the majority of the novel follows Lisa as she drifts in memories of her life so far, recounting the various major griefs she has grappled with since childhood and her fraught relationship with spirits, most notably the little man who visits at night as a warning of impending loss. Young Lisa is my favorite sort of protagonist, a scrappy kid who charmed me with her big heart. One of the most tender, precious parts of this novel for me was Lisa’s relationship with her large extended family, especially her Ma-ma-oo (grandmother), from whom she learns pieces of the Haisla language and stories. Robinson, whose father grew up in Haisla territory near Kitamaat Village, incorporates informative sections describing Haisla history and traditions, and her attention to evocative details made the Kitamaat Village setting come to life around me. Overall, this is a heavy, haunting novel and was often a difficult read (see cw’s below), but I loved reading it and I know it’s one that will stick deeply with me for a long time. If you recently loved Transcendent Kingdom, I highly recommend Monkey Beach, as the two are in rich conversation, at least in my mind.⁣
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Cw for death, suicide, rape, domestic abuse, incest, alcoholism, residential schools