Through Black Spruce (Week 3/52)

My books have finally arrived!

Or more accurately, I have finally made it to the library to pick up some books which are on my "to read" list...so this week, I read Joseph Boyden's Through Black Spruce, a made in Canada novel about the life of one modern anishnabe family living in northern Ontario. It won the ScotiaBank Giller Prize in 2008 and is apparently book two of a loose trilogy about the various members of the Bird family. I only learned of the trilogy after I read this so now I'm going to have to backtrack a little to try and hunt down the first book in the series, Three Day Road, which apparently is the story of Will's dad who fought in World War II. You would be correct in assuming that I enjoyed the book. In fact, I thought it was great! Refreshingly Canadian, honest in its discussion and portrayal of the many challenges faced by our rural Northern communities, but also beautiful in its unpretentious description of a way of life that is rapidly disappearing. Boyden's writing is a pleasure to read and the stoic persona of Will Bird a perfect fit to narrate an otherwise sad and lonely life story, albiet one with a fairly pleasant ending.

Anyway, go forth and read this, internet people! You will not regret it.