EH never disappoints. The plot, the straightforward writing style, the gorgeous setting - it’s a great read.

The one thing I struggled with was some of the language used by one character in particular. It made me cringe, and I quickly came to despise the character because of it. I understand it was written in a different era, but I still found the racist portions really unsettling.

This book has been on my shelf for years, and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to read it. I loved it.

Motorcycles & Sweetgrass is a Canadian First Nations tale that takes a modern look at Trickster folklore. While humorous and lighthearted, it also respectfully addresses the lasting damage of residential schools and the sensitive topic of land ownership. Taylor has managed to make it feel quite balanced - I’m impressed.

The story features a fantastic cast of characters that are quirky but also feel quite natural and real. So much so, that hilarious scenes like the Trickster’s feud with an army of raccoons, and his lighthearted conversation with Jesus don’t feel quite as ridiculous as they could have been. Again, it’s a fine balance and it has been pulled off beautifully.

Taylor apparently has quite the catalogue of books under his belt - the latest only released this past September. I’m definitely going to go back and read his other titles!