The Water Lilies of Mishipeshu

Mishipeshu is an Anishinaabe water goddess who protects the entrance to the underworld and the medicinal water lilies that grow there. While stationed at a wilderness outpost in 1781, Marguerite, a French and Indigenous woman, began working on a manuscript about medicinal plants in the area around Lake Michigan with British officer Schlosser. She adds the seeds of the nabaguck vision flower or Fragrant Water Lily to the book as she doles out the medicine to soldiers to induce sleep, relieve pain, and, in higher doses, cause visions. As time passes, Mishipeshu watches the area around her river change, her flowers become less abundant, but some still seek their medicinal properties. Marguerite's book is passed down, lost and forgotten, show more but the lore of the water lily is sought after.

The Water Lilies of Mishipeshu follows Mishipeshu's story through the years as well as the water lily's influence on the people around her and the manuscript documenting the lily's effects. At first, I had difficulty following the story and connecting the characters because each chapter was set at a different point in history. After I began reading each chapter as an individual short story with a connecting theme, I followed along much better. I enjoyed the chapters from Mishipeshu's point of view the most. I enjoyed learning about her underwater world, her motivations and the entrance to the underworld; I wish there were more Mishipeshu chapters or simply longer chapters. I enjoyed the other stories more and more as time progressed, culminating in the frantic search for the manuscript in the present day. Once I reached the end I found more enjoyment when I realized that each chapter had historical notes connecting the stories to real events. The Water Lilies of Mishipeshu is an interesting story about the influence of plants on our lives and what can happen when the people who protect the knowledge of those plants are lost.

This book was received for free in exchange for an honest review. show less

I really enjoyed this book, following the story of a botanical manuscript depicting native American plants and their use. I thought the storyline using this book as a central point to link a succession of short stories was really clever and well done. It mixed different genres really well, between historical fiction, supernatural/mythological elements, native American heritage, some thriller vibes particularly with the last story... I feel like I learnt a lot about this region, some native American history and belief system, and even a little botany. All while enjoying a good story! All the characters were quite well built and interesting, and if anything, I would have liked some stories to tell me more about what happened to show more them...though this mystery and only short glimpse into people's lives was an integral part of the book! show less

This book covers a lot of years, starting in the 17th century with a botanical manuscript to the 21st century when the manuscript is rediscovered. Intertwined with the stories is the myth of Mishipeshu, the Algonquin Goddess. I really loved the history in this book and also the magical element. The history tells about the native american tribes in the area and the attempts to erase their culture. Normally I don't really like books that cover such a long time, but because of the manuscript weaving through all the chapters I kept interested. All in all I am glad I got to read this book, even though it made me angry and sad all over again for everything done to the indigenous people through the centuries.

The Water Lilies of Mishipeshu is an interesting historical-fiction novel that mainly takes place in the colonial times of North America.
It explores the different types of lives led by people at their respective time in history. The narratives are connected through Indigneous spiritualism and medicine. It's an interesting novel that looks at the many struggles faced by people in colonial times. The novel emphasizes the struggle of conscious, escape, and rehabilitation in an often bleak, ruthless, and desolate frontier. A great and intersting novel.

This was a very interesting read that felt a bit like a collection of interconnected short stories, all following the wisdom and practices of the Natives, which were documented in a botanical manuscript. I found it fascinating to follow the completely different points of view during the centuries and enjoyed learning about how the area (and its people) changed over time.

While the focus of the book is definitely historical fiction, there was also a mythical element with the story of the goddess Mishipeshu, who kept appearing along her river in all different timelines and addionally connected the stories.

I felt immersed in the different timelines and personally greatly enjoyed the descriptions of nature, which I found very detailled and show more fitting. If you're interested in natural (and Native American) history and this sounds at all intriguing to you, I would recommend you give it a try. I absolutely enjoyed it, so for me it was a 4.5 stars read. show less

Disclaimer: I received a free ARC of this book.

The Water Lilies of Mishipeshu is a historical fiction following the fate of a botanical manuscript through various stories of Native American tribes. This book was difficult to review because I found the history and writing beautiful. However, I just could not get lost in the story, and I did not find myself wanting to pick the book up again. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in historical fiction or Native American culture, but it wasn't for me.

received a print copy of an Advance Reading Copy of this book. I have gone back and forth over the rating. The beginning of the book is slow for me and is in small print. I have severe glaucoma, so it was a struggle for me to read it. I found the Historical Notes in the back of the book very helpful. I felt a little lost in the first two chapters, so I decided to read the historical notes before each chapter.

There was a theme in the chapters about certain water lilies and the potion made from them by the Native Americans in the region, as referred in a map at the beginning of the book, Mishipeshu, a river goddess. Generally, the land is near Lake Michigan, and present-day South Bend is included.

The potion is advertised as a treatment show more for fatigue and more but it had serious side effects, such as hallucinations and even death.

The research done on this trail of stories surrounding this water lily and the potion made from There is great academic importance in the book created by a lover of botany long ago, and the history in that area. But it is a book that is difficult to read. show less