Small Ceremonies
by Kyle Edwards
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Description
"A poignant coming-of-age story following the friendships, hopes, fears, and struggles of a group of Native high school students from Winnipeg's North End illuminating what it's like to grow up forgotten, urban, poor, and Indigenous. Word on the street is that this is the Tigers' last season. For Tomahawk "Tommy" Shields, an image-obsessed high school student from a northern Indian reserve, the potential loss of his hockey team serves as a stark reminder of the fact that he is completely show more uncertain about his future. He can't help but feel that each of his peers has some skill or gift that he lacks, yet each of their perceived virtues hides darker truths too. Clinton is beloved by teachers, but his "good kid" disposition is a desparate attempt not to end up falling prey to the gang violence his older brother has become enmeshed in. Floyd has incredible talent on the ice, yet behind that talent lies deep insecurity about his multiracial background. And the adults that populate Tommy's life-his mother who struggles with schizophrenia; Pete, the wayward Zamboni driver; and elders Maggie and Olga-offer a mixture of well-intentioned but often misguided support and a depressing portent of what the future could hold. Set in Winnipeg's north end, a remote neighborhood at the border of Canada's eastern woodlands and central prairies, Small Ceremonies follows a community that both literally and figuratively straddles two worlds. As its richly drawn characters navigate the thrilling independence of adulthood and the loss of innocence that accompanies adolescence, one can't help but root for Tommy and his community, even as Tommy himself reckons with his place in it"-- show lessTags
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Member Reviews
The Tigers haven't won a hockey game in decades, and this year, they find out that the league is dropping them - ostensibly because it's too far to travel to Winnipeg. Tomahawk "Tommy" Shields just wants to stay on his skates all year. Meanwhile, his best friend Clinton is dealing with challenges at home when brother Kelvin gets out of jail and his friends want to pull him into the drug dealing world.
At first, I'd expected a straightforward, feel-good story about a down-and-out hockey team, but Edwards quickly subverted my expectations. He starts with Tommy's point of view, but then switches to Clinton, Kelvin, a high school would-be journalist Clarissa, Tommy's mother, his sister Asemaa, Clinton & Kelvin's father, and several more show more advancing the story through the school year. As a result, you get a picture of the whole community, the challenges and joys each person has, and the way their stories intersect. There's both hope and heartbreak, and the hockey games are just one part of the story. An impressive debut. show less
At first, I'd expected a straightforward, feel-good story about a down-and-out hockey team, but Edwards quickly subverted my expectations. He starts with Tommy's point of view, but then switches to Clinton, Kelvin, a high school would-be journalist Clarissa, Tommy's mother, his sister Asemaa, Clinton & Kelvin's father, and several more show more advancing the story through the school year. As a result, you get a picture of the whole community, the challenges and joys each person has, and the way their stories intersect. There's both hope and heartbreak, and the hockey games are just one part of the story. An impressive debut. show less
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Governor General of Canada's English Fiction Awards
89 works; 3 members
Author Information
1+ Work 53 Members
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Small Ceremonies
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- Members
- 56
- Popularity
- 548,273
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.33)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 7
- ASINs
- 1
