I'll admit this is the first Indigenous fiction novel that I've read and really enjoyed! I found that the writing style was very approachable to me as a white reader. The story flowed really well and it was a fast and enjoyable narrative read.

The novel also dealt with so many topics, including the spiritual culture of the Anishinaabe peoples and the large emphasis on grief and loss as Hazel, our protaganist, handles the recent loss of her father. She's working to solve this mystery of land that her father owned and left to the family, but that other's are trying to turn into a mine for industry and the economy. I found this interesting and it speaks to the land disagreements that have been a large part of the white & Indigenous history in Canada. I also enjoyed the brother/sister dynamic between Hazel and Gus because it reminded me a lot of my own brother/sister relationship. Two siblings who can have very different personalities and approaches to life, but who can also find unity in shared experiences and have that protectiveness for each other.

I will certainly read more books by Karen McBride, as I hope that she continues to write #ownvoice novels. I learned a lot about the Anishinaabe peoples from this story and I would certainly recommend this novel as an Indigenous read, especially to other Canadian readers.