Technically, that was a good book but I did not enjoy it; it was just too bleak and depressing for me to really ever want to get into it. Still, I recognize that this was well-written, evenly paced, strong sense of place, deft characterization, etc. so I'm giving it 4 stars with the caveat that it is not a book for the faint-of-heart.

Thank you to Douglas & MacIntyre who were kind enough to send me this free copy for review. ( )

This book tells the story of the fictional Tawakin Reserve in remote British Columbia, through the eyes of the white nurse, Bernadette Perkal, who has worked and lived there for 40 years. As she is about to retire and leave the community, a young father whom she loves like a son goes missing. As the community searches for him, we learn about the histories and secrets of many of the Tawakin people and get a glimpse of life on Reserve.

The writing is good and it's an interesting story. It made me think about belonging and community, and about the lives of Canada's aboriginal peoples. ( )