Joseph Boyden

4.5/5. WENJACK is a heartbreaking story of an Ojibwe boy who escapes the residential school he has been forced to attend due to the government's push to culturally assimilate the indigenous people into the white man's world at the expense of losing his own heritage. I read this novella in less than an hour, but I will remember the experience for a long time. Controversy has surrounded Boyden because he is not part of the Ojibwe community. Some have criticized him for writing from that point show more of view. Cultural appropriation is a thorny discussion point, and I know too little to speak about it here. The book was extremely sympathetic to the Ojibwe people and their plight, so one might argue that Boyden shouldn't have been criticized. What, however, if he hadn't been empathetic? The bigger problem lies in the fact that Boyden claimed to have indigenous DNA, but solid proof is nowhere to be found. It's the opposite effect of what June did in YELLOWFACE. There, she blurred her background (with the help from her editors) to possibly seem to be Asian. Here, Boyden claimed outwardly that he had indigenous blood when the research so far shows he doesn't. All of this controversy takes away from Chanie Wenjack's story, which I feel should still be told. show less

This book astounded me. I knew the basics: that it was a story set in the early 1600s, during the first contact between the Huron and the French Jesuits, and that there were scenes of torture and violence. The thought of torture worried me into not picking up the book for a while. When I did finally begin to read, I was entranced from the first page. We experience life through the eyes of Bird, a Wendat warrior; Snow Falls, an Iroquois girl whose relations have been killed by Bird's tribe show more and who is now adopted as Bird's daughter; and Christophe, a Jesuit who is trying to convert the native population to Christianity. We see the misunderstandings that arise as a result of language barriers, and we watch the three narrators become accustomed to each other, to varying degrees. We see them band together to fight a common enemy and we see them struggling to come to terms with the forces set in motion by their respective cultures colliding.

There is indeed violence in this book: both major First Nations in the book torture their prisoners, and Boyden does not spare us the details. However, these scenes are not the only thing in the book. There is beauty, in the descriptions of the natural world; there is sadness, when catastrophe strikes for our protagonists and when we realize that the old ways of life are being cast aside; there is joy, and sweet moments, and well-timed dashes of humour. When I turned the last page, I couldn't believe the book was over. What an incredible journey. show less

What a great but difficult read this was. This truly is a book that every Canadian should read and, since it has been chosen as one of the finalists for Canada Reads 2014, maybe it will be.

This story is told in the first person by three different narrators: Christophe Crow, a Jesuit from France who has come to Canada to bring the word of Christ to the Hurons (or Wendat as they call themselves), Snow Falls, an Iroquois (or Haudenosaunee as the Hurons call them) girl taken prisoner by the show more Hurons and Bird, a Huron warrior who lost his wife and daughters to an Iroquois war party. Bird found Christophe while on a hunting trip after his aboriginal guides abandoned him. Later his hunting party came across a small family of Iroquois who they slaughtered except for Snow Falls. Bird has decided to adopt Snow Falls as a replacement for the family he lost to the Iroquois.

In the years that follow that hunting trip all three people have opportunities to impact the future of the Huron Nation. Bird becomes a very powerful warrior and leader and Christophe is tireless in trying to convert the natives. As an Iroquois captive Snow Falls is a constant reminder of her people and commits acts of rebellion whenever she can. Eventually, however, she accepts that she cannot return to her tribe and builds a life with the Huron. The enmity between the Huron and the Iroquois continues to build and outright warfare decimates the Huron Nation. The survivors spread in all directions. It wasn't until almost the end that I realized that Bird of this book was the progenitor of the Birds of Three Day Road and Through Black Spruce.

Just a word about why this was such a difficult read. The torturing of prisoners by both the Iroquois and the Hurons is graphically detailed. I don't think this book could be written without these descriptions though and they were not at all gratuitous. However, you may want to read those parts at some time other than just before bed because they will haunt your dreams.

I think Boyden has written a masterpiece and I hope that it will be part of the Canadian literary firmament for years to come. show less

After reading Canadian author Joseph Boyden’s Three Day Road last year, it was apparent that I had stumbled upon an extraordinary, new-to-me author. That first book told the story of Xavier Bird and his life-long friend Elijah Whiskeyjack, as they struggled to survive WWI together. Through Black Spruce, winner of Canada’s 2008 Giller Prize, takes place decades later and tells the story of Xavier’s son, Will Bird, legendary Cree bush pilot. Will is lying comatose in a hospital. His show more granddaughter Annie sits by his side and the narrative is presented as alternating chapters, Will telling his story to Annie and Annie relating hers to her grandfather. Boyden chose joint narratives for his previous book too and this effective narration device made it possible for him to leave each chapter with somewhat of a cliffhanger that the reader has to wait for as he reads the other storyteller’s tale. Needless to say, this technique, coupled with brilliant writing made the book impossible to put down.

Will and Annie’s stories are entirely different yet they share some common themes: growing up in virtual poverty and often being very hungry, the drug addiction and alcoholism prevalent on the “rez,” the desperate winter weather conditions common to Canada’s Arctic region where the stories take place and the loneliness and depression that is common, the danger of unsavory characters that plague any generation, and the importance of the love of friends and family. Will describes their hometown in this way:

“Moosonee. End of the road. End of the tracks. I can sense it just beyond the trees, nieces. It’s not so far away through the heavy snow. That place, it can be a sad, greedy town. You fall into your group of friends, and that’s that. Friends for life, minus the times you are enemies. Not too many people around here to choose from for friends, or for enemies. So choose right. In this place, your people will die for you. Unless they’re mad at you. If you are on the outs with a friend, all bets are off. You don’t exist. I’m down to my last couple of friends and have been for years. Maybe it’s like anywhere, but we’re some vengeful bunch. I blame it on the Cree being a clan-based people. Each clan has its own interests in mind. And whenever you have your own best interests in mind, someone gets left out and angry.” (Page 11)

Someone is angry at Will and someone is angry at Annie and that is what keeps the narrative moving. The way in which each of their stories is resolved is what keeps you on the edge of your seat. I’m hoping that Boyden is making a trilogy out of this. The silent Gordon and could easily go on to have a book of their own. I wonder what Mr. Boyden is writing right now. Very highly recommended. show less