Indian Horse
Ratings24
Average rating4.5
Saul Indian Horse is a child when his family retreats into the woods. Among the lakes and the cedars, they attempt to reconnect with half-forgotten traditions and hide from the authorities who have been kidnapping Ojibway youth. But when winter approaches, Saul loses everything: his brother, his parents, his beloved grandmother--and then his home itself. Alone in the world and placed in a horrific boarding school, Saul is surrounded by violence and cruelty. At the urging of a priest, he finds a tentative salvation in hockey. Rising at dawn to practice alone, Saul proves determined and undeniably gifted. His intuition and vision are unmatched. His speed is remarkable. Together they open doors for him: away from the school, into an all-Ojibway amateur circuit, and finally within grasp of a professional career. Yet as Saul's victories mount, so do the indignities and the taunts, the racism and the hatred--the harshness of a world that will never welcome him.
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This is an extremely well written and poignant story about a tough subject. This is a great book club pick, there will be a lot to discuss both technically and societally. This was the first Wagamese novel I've ever read, and definitely will not be the last.
** Minor spoilers for the structure of the story to follow **
I always find it fascinating when the conclusion of a book can recontextualize the entire story, especially when it's not a big mystery solved and the story already worked as it was. The middle section of this book, while certainly still a well told tale, felt slight and seemed like an odd story for Wagamese to tell, but by the time the book was over the realization of why it was told that way was very impactful.
From a technical perspective, the prose is really free-flowing and easy to read, and I love how it's divided into very short chapters, often 2-3 minutes long only. I was able to tear through this book and it always kept me wanting to just read over more chapter before putting it down.
I read this book to hopefully get a better understanding of residential schools and the impact it had and still is on the first nations community and it did not dissapoint.
Before you read this book be aware this book contains a lot of triggering content. Sexual abuse, racism, violence, bigotry, rape etc...
This book had me crying 10 pages in. I have always had empathy for the horror, abuse, genocide, and suffering the 1st nations community had to endure and this books really hit me hard.
This is a heart wrenching story of Saul Indian Horse who survived the residential school system, barley.
While a fictional account it is, from my understanding based on true accounts of the authors family and expierences.
The writing style feels so authenticate, visceral and real I could not put this story down. I Read it in one sitting. Its impossible not to feel for Saul and what he had to endure and highly reccommended.
Excellent book
This was a beautiful, heartbreaking story about a residential school survivor as he tries to escape a system and a society that wants nothing more than to strip him of his dignity. Wagamese does a great job of going beyond the intellectual horror that we know those schools inflicted, and presents the emotional scars that stay with someone long after they are removed from an abusive situation.
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36 books#36 in What are your favorite books by Indigenous Authors?
Books written by authors who identify as First Nations, Alaskan Native, Native American, Indígena, First Peoples, Aboriginal, and other Indigenous peoples of North and South America.
