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The Strangers
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
16 posts | 16 read | 14 to read
From the bestselling author of The Break comes a staggering intergenerational saga that explores how connected we are, even when were no longer togethereven when were forced apart. Cedar has nearly forgotten what her family looks like. Phoenix has nearly forgotten what freedom feels like. And Elsie has nearly given up hope. Nearly. After time spent in foster homes, Cedar goes to live with her estranged father. Although she grapples with the pain of being separated from her mother, Elsie, and sister, Phoenix, shes hoping for a new chapter in her life, only to find herself once again in a strange house surrounded by strangers. From a youth detention centre, Phoenix gives birth to a baby shell never get to raise and tries to forgive herself for all the harm shes caused (while wondering if she even should). Elsie, struggling with addiction and determined to turn her life around, is buoyed by the idea of being reunited with her daughters and strives to be someone they can depend on, unlike her own distant mother. These are the Strangers, each haunted in her own way. Between flickering moments of warmth and support, the women diverge and reconnect, fighting to survive in a fractured system that pretends to offer success but expects them to fail. Facing the distinct blade of racism from those they trusted most, they urge one another to move through the darkness, all the while wondering if theyll ever emerge safely on the other side. A breathtaking companion to her bestselling debut The Break, Vermettes The Strangers brings readers into the dynamic world of the Stranger family, the strength of their bond, the shared pain in their past, and the light that beckons from the horizon. This is a searing exploration of race, class, inherited trauma, and matrilineal bonds thatdespite everythingrefuse to be broken.
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Creadnorthey
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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Pickpick

Great read as the saga continues! So happy to hear that the third book of this trilogy (?) is out. Yeah!

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Berryfan
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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Exquisite! Absolutely exquisite! Each character is perfectly imperfect and drawn perfectly. I felt I knew all of the characters and had my eyes opened to their pain. Each reveals themselves in language and thought that is exclusively theirs. The writing is perfect.

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Kazzie
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
Pickpick

Great book! I loved the multigenerational character development. Lots of grief and trauma, and lots of love

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keepingupwiththepenguins
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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Pickpick

Despite the (very) heavy subject matter, and Vermette‘s talent for stark realism, The Strangers is surprisingly readable. The pages fly by! It really exceeded my expectations, and I‘m still mulling over it days later. Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/the-strangers-katherena-vermette/

Cathythoughts I‘m looking forward to this one. 2y
jlhammar I loved The Break. Can't wait for this one! 2y
48 likes2 comments
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Jolynne
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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Another beautifully written story from this author.

This one not only about love, survival, traditions, endurance and moving forward with hope for future generations, it‘s about loss, it‘s about generational trauma.

Very moving.

7 likes1 stack add
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xicanti
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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THE STRANGERS isn‘t as instantly gripping as Katherena Vermette‘s first book, THE BREAK, but it builds so damned well. I read a little, then I read a little more, then I couldn‘t make myself put the book down because I felt so much, and wanted so much, for each of the characters.

Read this. Keep the trigger warnings in the front in mind, but READ IT. 4.5 stars

BkClubCare That is quite a recommendation! 2y
xicanti @BkClubCare Katherena Vermette is amazing. 2y
jlhammar I absolutely loved The Break. Looking forward to this one. 2y
xicanti @jlhammar it‘s a worthy follow-up. I can‘t wait to read whatever she writes next. 2y
46 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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xicanti
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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Casey helped me start THE STRANGERS this morning. I think it‘s gonna pack a huge punch.

We read in the hallway because little dude‘s in pain from a kidney stone and this is where he feels most comfortable. Hopefully he‘ll manage to pass it today.

BkClubCare Poor thing. Hope he feels better soon 2y
xicanti @BkClubCare 🤞He does seem a bit better after his walk. 2y
BiblioLitten I hope he does. 💕 2y
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xicanti @BiblioLitten he‘s doing so much better this afternoon. Whew! 2y
WJCintron 😍 😍 😍 2y
BookNAround Poor Casey! Kidney stones are horrible. I hope he passes it quickly. 2y
xicanti @BookNAround it looks like it‘s out now. What a relief! 2y
47 likes7 comments
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janeycanuck
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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Pickpick

This was so. damn. good. The writing, the structure, the character growth - all of it was just so damn good.

Soubhiville Great photo! This is on my TBR. Hope I can get to it soon! 2y
Tamra Did you read The Break? It‘s been on my shelf for so long and I do want to read it. 2y
EvieBee Been meaning to read The Break too, @tamra and now need to add this to my TBR! 2y
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janeycanuck @Tamra I haven‘t yet but I want to get to it soon! 2y
janeycanuck @Soubhiville hope you enjoy it when you pick it up! 2y
janeycanuck @EvieBee it‘s so good! 2y
32 likes2 stack adds6 comments
blurb
janeycanuck
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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I‘m on my own this weekend so I should have lots of reading time - I‘m listening to Wahala right now for #JoyousJanuary but my library book is due on Thursday and I‘m really enjoying The Strangers so those are high on the list this weekend, too. What‘s everyone else reading?

#WeekendReading

Andrew65 Hope you have a good reading weekend. 2y
44 likes1 comment
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GirlWellRead
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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jlhammar Can 2y
jlhammar Can‘t wait to read this. Loved The Break. 2y
8 likes2 comments
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Mpcacher
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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Wow! This is dark and filled with despair and yet there are glimmers of hope. It is a powerful look at Indigenous woman through a fictional family. Racism, sexism, abuse, unwanted pregnancy, the foster system, drug and alcohol addiction, crime...is is all there and yet this is a book whose characters will forever stay with me. While the number of characters can be confusing, it is so worth sticking with it. I gave it 5/5 stars.

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Lindy
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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A month after reading this, the characters are still with me, representing 3 generations of Métis women in Winnipeg. Their reality is intergenerational trauma, poverty, addiction & incarceration. On top of that, living in a time & place—Canada—that does not value Indigenous women, clearly takes its toll. They don‘t want pity from the reader. They face the world on their own terms. Above all, this is a powerful story of resistance. #Canadian

Cathythoughts ‘ They face the world on their own terms ‘ … love it 👍🏻❤️ 2y
TrishB Sounds fab, can‘t find here yet. 2y
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Lindy @TrishB It‘s a companion novel to The Break (one character is from the earlier book) so I imagine that it will be published in the UK eventually. 2y
Lindy @Cathythoughts This author seems fearless about facing the dark side of life. Like, is there anything worth writing about that isn‘t dark? 2y
Cathythoughts Probably not .. the darkness is part of us all ♥️ 2y
TrishB I enjoyed The Break so will keep my eye out for this. 2y
andrew61 I thought the break was excellent so can't wait to find this one. 2y
Lindy @TrishB @andrew61 Hope it‘s available in your part of the world soon 2y
25 likes1 stack add9 comments
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Lindy
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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Toby was nothing if not hopeful, and dim-witted. Hopeful and dim-witted were usually one and the same.

[note: this passage is through the viewpoint of one of the characters, Margaret, who‘s had a hard life]

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Lindy
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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Then the world went to shit, and everybody started wearing masks and face shields, but really Phoenix‘s life wasn‘t all that different. She‘d been social distancing her whole life.

Cathythoughts I see covid life is in some books now .. I‘m finding it upsetting, it makes covid so real ( I must be in denial on some level that this is happening to our world 🌎❤️ 2y
Lindy @Cathythoughts I‘m encountering covid in fiction a lot because I‘ve been reading recently-published work. It adds to the realism, relevance & urgency. On the other hand, if my motivation for reading was to escape our current reality, all that covid between the covers would distress me. If that was the case, I would deliberately pick up older titles on my TBR. What‘s your strategy? 2y
Cathythoughts I don‘t have a strategy yet , I only know the end of the last book I read was set in covid time , and I was tearful. To see it written down .. made it real , very upsetting. It felt personal .. so , I don‘t know what to think .. I don‘t think I‘m ready to accept it as part of life ( I want it be a bump that we‘ve got over ) 2y
Lindy @Cathythoughts I‘m sending you big hugs. It‘s okay to be sad. 🌻 2y
Cathythoughts Thankyou 2y
33 likes5 comments
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Lindy
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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I was doing a story for English. It was a slipstream, a girl who could travel through history and meet a bunch of strangers who turned out to be her ancestors. Her family.

[I like what you did there, Vermette: referencing one of your previous works within this novel.]

27 likes1 stack add
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Penny_LiteraryHoarders
The Strangers | Katherena Vermette
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Friday night reading. #ShadowGiller

Lindy I‘m right behind you! I plan to start The Strangers on Sunday. Finishing Dream of a Woman tonight. And I‘ll read Em tomorrow. 😅 2y
Penny_LiteraryHoarders @Lindy 👍❤️🤘 2y
Penny_LiteraryHoarders @Lindy how is Dream of a Woman? 2y
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Lindy @Penny_LiteraryHoarders Dream of a Woman is shortlist-worthy. I‘m impressed! 2y
Penny_LiteraryHoarders @Lindy that‘s one I guessed would be on the list. Surprisingly our library has not brought it in considering she lives here in Windsor! 2y
Lindy @Penny_LiteraryHoarders That‘s two Mennonite-background authors on my shortlist. 😁 2y
23 likes1 stack add6 comments