Leanne Simpson

Collection of contemporary short stories written in poetic prose and focused on the Anishinaabe, indigenous people of North America located in the northern US and Canada. The author examines many forms of love, related to land, traditions, and, of course, people. Carefully selected epigraphs introduce each story. The prose includes words from the Anishinaabe language, not always translated. The stories are told from various perspectives, even from the spirit world.

The characters in these stories explore the ways they try to repair relationships with other people and with nature, attempting to overcome colonial damage that has been done in the past. I liked that it is optimistically oriented, not dwelling on prior tragedies, but not ignoring them either. It is nontraditional, creative, and moving. I listened to the audio book, read by Tantoo Cardinal. It lends itself well to audio since it is already poetic in nature and the narrators are storytellers.… (mere)