This was an interesting read. Though it starts out with Ralph Thomas, a constable with the Toronto Police , stopping to help out a cold , indigenous man on the streets, in large part it is a coming of age story. Ralph Thomas is an indigenous man himself, one who chose to leave the reserve and police in Toronto. The story weaves back and forth from the present to Ralph's childhood on the South Ontario Reserve. Ralph recognizes at an early age that he comes from a stable and loving family on the reserve, with a dad who works as a trucker, and mom who is home and cares for him and his sister. He mentions that even on a Reserve , there is a hierarchy , just as there is in any society. He has a friend , William, who comes from a rougher home, but with loving parents. Sadly, in a different area of the reserve , there is young girl named Danielle, whose father died in an accident when she was very young. Danielle's mom has tried to escape her grief with drinking and living with an abusive man. Ralph and his family try to help Danielle out, but with limited results.

The ending is very ambiguous, but leaves room for hope.

This book was first a short story, then a play and finally this novel. I felt that I would have like to know more , but at 200 or so pages, it really made me think.

Recommended. 3.5 stars. I would have given it 4 stars, but it was just a bit short for my liking . ( )