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speculativebecky 's review for:
The Beadworkers: Stories
by Beth Piatote
New favorite.
Piatote is Nez Perce, and an associate professor of Native American studies at UC Berkeley. She speaks brilliantly about colonialism and the violence against Native families that persists today, and this ongoing war is a theme in her creative works as well. Also, her passion for Indigenous language rejuvenation is in evidence thought this collection. Alongside these vital topics, Piatote crafts vibrant characters and richly metaphoric writing. I was stunned by her description of a woman reacting to news that her brother has been injured: guilty relieved at how this new crisis disrupts the pain of a recently splintered relationship, she reflects on a poster reading "direct pressure stops bleeding." How profoundly that statement applies for not only literal bleeding, but emotional devastation as well.
Her first person stories are triumphs, quickly establishing the perspective of the narrator. A favorite was Katydid, in which a woman weaves together a story about her new love and how her relationship with an old friend crumbled years earlier. My mind was absolutely exploded by the final piece in this collection, a clever and heart-racing retelling of Antigone.
My taste in short stories tends to gravitate more towards speculative, especially sci fi or weird stuff, so for a contemporary/literary collection to captivate me like this is rare and special.
Piatote is Nez Perce, and an associate professor of Native American studies at UC Berkeley. She speaks brilliantly about colonialism and the violence against Native families that persists today, and this ongoing war is a theme in her creative works as well. Also, her passion for Indigenous language rejuvenation is in evidence thought this collection. Alongside these vital topics, Piatote crafts vibrant characters and richly metaphoric writing. I was stunned by her description of a woman reacting to news that her brother has been injured: guilty relieved at how this new crisis disrupts the pain of a recently splintered relationship, she reflects on a poster reading "direct pressure stops bleeding." How profoundly that statement applies for not only literal bleeding, but emotional devastation as well.
Her first person stories are triumphs, quickly establishing the perspective of the narrator. A favorite was Katydid, in which a woman weaves together a story about her new love and how her relationship with an old friend crumbled years earlier. My mind was absolutely exploded by the final piece in this collection, a clever and heart-racing retelling of Antigone.
My taste in short stories tends to gravitate more towards speculative, especially sci fi or weird stuff, so for a contemporary/literary collection to captivate me like this is rare and special.