Wow, what a debut novel! I loved it. I'm so excited that the author will be a special guest at a conference that will take place in August here in my city. I'm going to go be a fan girl.
The things that I loved were numerous. The loving descriptions of the land in our province. The skillful use of traditional tales. The constant presence of crows, guiding and protecting. The family ties that bind Mackenzie to her family. The auntie power that fuels the three girls at the centre of the story. The revelation of how many family members have significant dreams.
My aboriginal connection is tiny: a 4th great grandmother who was half indigenous. She has obsessed me for decades and I need to return to my research to see what I can learn now that there's so much more information on the internet. I have experience with the dream world too. I remember meeting a guy that had appeared in my dreams for years—I just about fainted. I was disappointed when he turned out to be a bit of a jerk. But the best dreams are when my great grandfather or my mother come to visit. Or my Auntie Grace. It's so nice to talk & drink coffee with Mom & her sister, even if it's short and I don't remember a word we said when I wake. I remember the joy of being back in their presence.
I couldn't help but notice the insignificance of the men in this story. They were in the background but it was the women who shone. That spoke to my soul too. I miss my dad, but it's Mom that I dream of. And when I learned many important lessons, it was aunties who supplied them. Now I'm all homesick for the old days—time spent processing garden produce as a large family project, gossiping and laughing. Marinating in family and love.
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