Algonquin Sunset

April 15, 2017
The third book of the Algonquin Quest unfolds in the early 1300s. Protagonist Anoki is a young Omamiwinini man whose nation is nicknamed the Piminashkawa ("Pursuers or Chasers") by their neighbors. Anoki's daily life consists of protecting the nation's families and allies from potential dangers from enemies. During their travels, the Omamiwinini gain the friendship of the northern Anishinaabe and band together with them to engage in warfare with the Lakhota. The story alternates Anoki's first-person narratives with those of Zhashagi, an Anishinaabe boy, and Chanku Waste, a Lakhota; all three read rather like a docudrama than a novel, as they are full of the intimate details of hunting, meal preparation, vision dreams, moving camp, and so forth, with place names and some words expressed in the appropriate Native language, followed by a pronunciation key and then a translation. Sometimes characters go into long bouts of storytelling that often provide a thorough account of tribal histories. Readers interested in the details of Algonquin life and warfare in the 1300s will find the author's knowledge of Native languages and attention to historical detail engaging. Those in search of a Louise Erdrich-style, character-driven story will not find it here. Revelle loses the personalities of his characters underneath the historical re-creation of this pre-colonial Native American existence. An informative read for those with an interest in Algonquin history. (author's note, afterward, glossaries, pronunciation guides, resources) (Historical fiction. 12-adult)

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