Wonderful

There are not enough superlatives in the English language for how beautiful this is.

The writing is powerful. Heart rending, impactful stories told with such detail they cannot be considered works of fiction. Indeed I believe they offer a truthful snapshot of indigenous lives in Canada and northern territories, and how different people cope with past traumas, and how the scars from centuries old wounds are still carried.

It seems in poor taste to say I enjoyed or loved a book that includes unflinching retellings of rape, prostitution, murder, drug and physical abuse, and other such harrowing situations, but I did. The author knows how to encapsulate a mood, and draw the reader/listener into the world of a stranger. I felt I knew these people, and their struggles despite having no first hand experience with the lifestyles, traumas or cultures expressed.

The way the stories were told also with a dash of humour, lightness, and beauty at times, interweaving Inuit customs, language, and folklore/beliefs was nothing short of perfection. Story telling at its finest.

The narrators brought Norma Dunning's writing to life so vividly, with such animation, and expression that I found myself reacting with laughter, revulsion, and tears whilst walking down the street listening to the stories through my earphones, completely absorbed as I was.

I confess, I came to this book for Eric Schweig, (one of my favourite actors), and while I loved hearing his narration, I found so much more to appreciate in these tales.

Highly recommended for anyone looking for engrossing story telling that probably offers something different to your usual reads/listens.

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