An at first seemingly local power outage leaves an Anishinaabe reservation in the dark and cut off from the outside world. Evan and his family are well prepared and worry little about the falling temperatures. They have enough meat and wood to bridge the power outage. However, the longer the power stays off, the more anxious the community grows. When word from the outside world reaches them and they become aware of the extent of these events, tension within the community rise, strangers turn up and everyone’s resilience is tested.
This is one of the best novels I’ve read, whos page number barely crosses the 200 mark. A lot of the story is building up to those final chapters, which grips the reader with it’s character descriptions and their quiet desperation. I love dystopian novels, especially reading about how those dystopias came to be so I was already hooked from the beginning. Immediately after finishing “Moon of the Crusted Snow” I ordered the seuqel which is set 25 years later and has me very excited. There’s not a lot more I coul say without giving away the ending and the important plot points but the inclusion of Anishinaabe customs, values and stories into a dystopian setting, however subtle, makes this novel a true gem.
Waubgeshig Rice’s writing style is easy to follow, and I especially appreciated the explanation of the Book title within the book in a way that wasn’t too on the nose. Due to the fluent writing and the low page number, this book makes for a rather quick read for any fans of dystopias and good literature.
