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Loading... Song of Batocheby Maia Caron
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Fiction.
Historical Fiction.
HTML: This historical novel reimagines the North-West resistance of 1885 through the Métis women of Batoche, and in particular the rebellious outsider, Josette Lavoie. When Riel arrives from Montana, he discovers that Josette is the granddaughter of Chief Big Bear, whom he needs as an ally, but Josette resists becoming his disciple when she learns that he considers the Métis a lost tribe of Israel and himself the prophet who will lead them to the Promised Land. As General Middleton's army crosses the country to put down the "savage half-breeds," both Josette and Gabriel Dumont draw ever closer in their struggle to manage Riel, who is determined that he will meet Middleton only in Batoche, the City of God. The subversive role of the priests, Riel's growing religious fervour, Dumont's guerrilla tactics, and the part played by the women as they realize that Riel endangers their people are explored in vivid detail. In a year when Canada 150 celebrates our iconic heroes, this story of the Métis, from an Indigenous author, is at the very heart of Canadian identity. .No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.54Literature English (North America) American fiction 20th Century 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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Many of the characters in this book are based on real people but the central figure of Josette Lavoie is fictional according to the author’s Acknowledgments. Nevertheless she seems like a real person as Caron describes her. She was raised in the Red River Settlement and educated by nuns and priests in the Catholic church there. It was expected that she would become a nun but Josette could never really believe in the religious teachings. Her father was a supporter of Riel’s when he staged the first Riel Rebellion in 1870 and he was killed by soldiers after Riel’s government executed Thomas Scott. So Josette holds no love for Riel. When Gabriel Dumont goes to Montana to ask Riel to return to the Metis settlements on the Saskatchewan River to force the Canadian government to acknowledge their rights Josette is not interested in supporting Riel. Nevertheless when Dumont returns with Riel and his family she gets drawn into the cause. Her marriage is foundering as her husband Norbert is a violent man who cares little that Josette would die if she got pregnant again. Dumont loves his wife but he is drawn to Josette and appoints himself as her guardian against Norbert. Of course he is busy as Riel’s chief aide trying to gather support from other Metis communities and the Indian bands of the region. As they wait for word from Macdonald’s government about the reaction to their petition the communities go through a hard winter on the edge of starvation. It seems inevitable that when Macdonald sends troops to the area instead of negotiators Dumont will become the war chief. Riel waxes hot and cold about fighting. His mental fitness is questionable but he is still the saviour the Metis look toward. Josette thinks that Dumont would do a better job as the leader but Dumont is fiercely supportive of Riel. In the end the small band of Metis led by Dumont is overwhelmed by the superior numbers and firepower of the government troops but they did manage to hold off the soldiers for some days. Riel surrenders and Dumont heads off to the US. Norbert Lavoie was killed in the final action so Josette is left to raise her family in Batoche alone. That’s not quite the end of the story but I’m not going to reveal that.
Caron did an excellent job fleshing out the details of this piece of Canadian history; you can see that things could have gone differently if people on both sides had acted with concern for human rights and the rule of law. I am very glad I read this book and I hope Maia Caron will write more. ( )