Litsy

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

No surprise that Indian Horse was the best book I read in February and that it topped West with Giraffes. The rest of the books I read in February were just ok and while West with Giraffes is good - Indian Horse is in a class of it's own.

Note: Not my template - off Pinterest.

#ReadingBracket #ReadingBracket2025 #BookBracket2025 #BookBracket

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CarolynM

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

#BookReport for February

My favourite this month was Indian Horse.

melissajayne Indian Horse is such a sad, but beautiful story. 19h

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Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

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Saul is such a strong character. I don't think many would make it through what he goes through at such a young age and then all through childhood. To have such focus on a sport while he is being abused and his culture and way of life have been completely ripped away from him shows a strong will to survive.

Thoughts on Saul?

Pictured is a Birch Bark Canoe - one of the main forms of transportation for the Ojibwe.

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten #OhCanada 3d

Ruthiella My heart broke for him. I did like, however how the book opens with him already on a healing journey because reading the rest and not knowing if he‘d make it through would have been tough. 3d

Jess861 @Ruthiella I agree. I also like how Wagamese subtly hinted at the abuse but didn't confirm it until closer to the end. It really made you think again at the end of the book about everything he'd been through. 3d

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Jess861 Birch was critical to the Ojibwe lifestyle. It is interesting to read about if you are interested. Another interesting fact is that Birch Bark Canoes were a great transportation form for the inland waterways. It is thought that the Europeans would not have been able to discover and explore much of the land without this type of transportation. The boats they had weren't made for inland waterways. 3d

Tamra The revelation was startling, even though there were hints, but they were easily dismissed. 😔 Speaks to the survival strategy of victims and craft of Wagamese‘ writing! (edited) 3d

Kitta @Ruthiella agreed, I liked having the certainty that he would pull through. I missed or dismissed quite of few of the hints that abuse was occurring tbh. I even thought partway through the novel that it was strange other kids were being abused but not Saul 😆 2d

DogMomIrene Saul was so real. Agree that the opening pages help me cope with the set up that this character will survive. I had the same thought “strange he‘s not abused” and dismissed it. Makes me think that may be Wagamese‘s point in hinting at abuse. I think people, me included, tend to not see abuse and dismiss the hints, even when we shouldn‘t. I want a sequel, even just a short story, to know that Saul‘s okay. 23h

Jess861 @DogMomIrene Sadly, Wagamese passed away in 2017 so we will never get a sequel. 20h

kwmg40 Saul was a great character. I love how Wagamese makes us care so much about characters who are usually marginalized or disdained by society. I loved his novel Ragged Company about four homeless people. 12h

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Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

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Another major part of the book is hockey. Saul manages to find an escape through hockey although it only masks the suffering he is going through. It isn't until much later in life that he digs deep into that past so that he can truly heal.

Thoughts on the hockey portion of the book? Did you know this book was originally only supposed to be about hockey?

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten #OhCanada 3d

Ruthiella I have to say, as beautiful as the writing was, it lost me with hockey ! 😂 I‘m not a sports person at all. 3d

Jess861 I enjoyed the hockey portion of the book as I find Wagamese can write about anything and it's still magical. I think a bit less hockey would have been ok with me though.

The fact that Saul finds an escape through hockey and then manages to bottle away his abuses for years is quite something. Sad that he didn't realize he was using hockey for something else as he did seem to love the sport. 3d

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Jess861 @Ruthiella I agree, a bit less hockey would have been ok with me! 3d

Tamra I was surprised at the hockey middle section. I‘d didn‘t mind too much because it was well written and personable. Had it not moved on to post hockey life, I would have been disappointed. 3d

Jess861 @Tamra I agree, the book wouldn't have been as complete if it had ended with hockey. I really felt like we went on the journey of Saul's life in this book. 3d

CarolynM I loved the hockey part of the book, but I wondered how much it would alienate people who weren‘t familiar with the sport. I can imagine some readers outside Canada just switching off from it, which would be a shame as I think the way it makes Saul feel, in both positive and negative ways, is really important to his journey. It‘s a reminder that, although similar in some ways, our countries each have cultures of their own. 2d

Kitta I am not a sports person except for gymnastics and I actually loved the hockey part of this, I am Canadian though and familiar with the rules and gameplay which must have helped. I think the intricate detail spent on discussing the hockey was a way for Saul‘s mind to switch off from the abuse and purposely forget about it or ignore it as much as possible. He had to dive into a passion to distract himself. 2d

lauraisntwilder I loved the hockey parts. My son played hockey for years. We're originally from TN and follow the Nashville Predators. This book made me think about former-Pred Jordin Tootoo, the first Inuk player in the NHL, and how he also played for the Blackhawks. (Imagine wearing that jersey.) I also remember watching a game on TV where Boston fans were yelling the n-word at PK Subban. There are still people who think of it as a white man's game. 2d

Jess861 @CarolynM Agree - I can see how the hockey portion could turn off a reader who isn't into hockey or sports because there are so many chapters that are just hockey. But it was critical to the book so hopefully most aren't turned off by it. 2d

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder I remember Jordin Tootoo as well and got to see him play a time or two in Canada. Even though he was a 'fighter' he was quite skilled at the game. 2d

lauraisntwilder @Jess861 In Nashville, fans loved Tootoo. They would bring train whistles to the games, a play on Tootoo rhyming with "choo choo" that I sincerely hope didn't bug him, and they'd blow them whenever he was on the ice. It was a special cheer, just for him. And they continued to do it after he was traded, but came back to play on opposing teams. 2d

DogMomIrene I‘m not a sports person, but I loved the hockey section because it was serving as his escape. I wondered if Fr. Hockey Coach had been abusing him, but thought “why would he let him go?” But when Saul refused to fight, then blew his chance at a pro-career, I knew. That was the most heart-breaking part for me. This beautiful skater who played the game with skill & grace who should have had every hockey success had that ripped from him bc of abuse. 23h

kwmg40 I loved the hockey part. I grew up in Montreal, and my father, a Chinese immigrant, completely embraced the hockey culture (as a spectator if not a player). I grew up watching Hockey Night in Canada every week. In Quebec, it was really a sport for everybody, rich or poor. 12h

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Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

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A Residential School is a big part of this book. Saul is sent to one after losing both his siblings to them, his parents to grief and his grandmother to the cold. Due to his hard work and skills in hockey he manages to find a way out but not until he has suffered from many abuses. This will require him to take his own healing journey.

Thoughts on Residential Schools and/or that aspect of the book? Crazy that 1996 was when the last one was closed!

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten #OhCanada 3d

Ruthiella Crazy that they closed so late and yet, not. They still exist in the US though attendance is not compulsory as far as I know. 3d

Jess861 I can't even begin to imagine having my kids ripped away from me and never seeing them again. These were babies! I also feel that this portion of the book shows exactly what happens when the Church is put in charge of schools. Absolutely disgusting! 3d

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Jess861 @Ruthiella Really? I'm surprised they still exist at all. That is sad. 3d

Ruthiella @Jess861 I think it‘s now more a case that reservations don‘t have local schools so children go to boarding schools run by the BIA more than forced assimilation but I don‘t really know. 3d

Tamra Isn‘t Canada still struggling with how to deliver education to rural First Nations people? 3d

Jess861 @Tamra Yes, it is a huge struggle. While the Residential Schools are gone the government still lacks in understanding that the First Nations deserve a curriculum more in line with their culture and identity (just my opinion). In general, I also don't think kids education should just be about sitting at a desk all day and there should be more hands on learning. 3d

CarolynM It is horrifying to me that both Canada and Australia engaged in the shameful practice of taking indigenous children from their families until so very recently. In Australia we call them the “stolen generations” and some (inadequate) effort has been in the last decade or so to redress the harm done. The callousness of the system is heartbreaking and so well illustrated in this book. 2d

Kitta @Ruthiella wow they still exist in the US? I don‘t know what the answer is in terms of education for First Nations children, but the system we have currently isn‘t working. 2d

lauraisntwilder What I find especially sad is how few non-Indigenous people seem to know about residential schools. As a Caucasian of mostly European descent, living in the US, I only know about them because of specifically seeking out diverse books, movies, and TV shows. I was never formally educated that they exist -- and they did (and still do??) while I still in public school. 2d

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder I could be wrong but I think now most Canadians understand these existed. That is only because of a recent movement which brought the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. I was not taught anything about them in school but they do talk about it in schools now days. Our son is in grade 3 and has learned about the Residential Schools the last few years. Last year was the year he really understood. 2d

lauraisntwilder @Jess861 Yeah, definitely a different situation in Canada! I don't think the US has ever been good at owning up to its mistakes. 2d

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder I wouldn't say Canada has been good at owning up to their mistakes but it is progress. Many issues still exist today. But the fact that it is being taught in schools brings me hope that the younger generation will know and understand the history and hopefully learn from it. 2d

lauraisntwilder @Jess861 I hope that's the case, too! 2d

DogMomIrene The National Day for Truth & Reconciliation brought awareness to me as a PR. I looked up the Truth & Reconciliation Commission to see what data they had. There‘s several reports. I read the summaries and they‘re horrific. Not sure I could make it through the reports. Saul escaping the school through hockey is a great plot device, but I‘d guess most kids didn‘t have a way out until they aged out. 23h

DogMomIrene We moved from BC (progressive) to PEI (conservative) for slower pace, but sometimes I question our decision. There‘s a local councilor who posted a sign on his personal property “Truth: mass grave hoax”. He was suspended, fined, and told to apologize. He refused. He applied for judicial review (late). Case may go before the PEI Supreme Court as a freedom of expression case. https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7452388 Curious if judge will allow case to move 23h

Jess861 @DogMomIrene I agree, the government only recognized this day because there was enough pressure. However, even though I don't believe the government necessarily had true intentions with this day - I believe it has brought more awareness about Residential Schools. When our son came home from grade 2 last year he truly understood what a Residential School was. He does not necessarily know about the full abuse but understands kids died because ofthem 19h

kwmg40 @Jess861 @DogMomIrene I too had wondered about the effectiveness of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission and National Day for Truth & Reconciliation. However, I'd recently finished a memoir by Marie Wilson, one of the commissioners and feel more optimistic about these efforts.

North of Nowhere: Song of a Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner

12h

Jess861 @kwmg40 Thank you so much for the recommendation - I'll have to pick that book up! 12h

kwmg40 You're welcome. I hope you will find it interesting. 12h

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Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

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Constantly moving to try and keep your kids from being kidnapped - all while trying to preserve your culture, faith and beliefs. Multiple generations damaged by stealing and abusing kids, trying to destroy an entire peoples and pushing them to live on a Reserve. Many battling addictions due to their suffering.

These are all topics throughout the book - general thoughts on the book?

Ruthiella Books like this are important because they show that genocide is not only extermination camps but also an accretion of unfair policies and actions taken by those in power. 3d

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten #OhCanada 3d

Jess861 This books is such an important book for Canadian history. What happened and in my opinion continues to happen is absolutely disgusting. I can't even begin to imagine as to what it feels like to have entire generations destroyed by such horrendous actions. Every country seems to have a story like this - just enacted in different ways. May we learn to be better people from this book! 3d

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Jess861 @Ruthiella - That is such a great way to put it. This comment is so accurate. Canada has a dark history that is hidden behind policies and red tape. Sadly, it still goes on today and I can only see it getting worse with the current political climate. 3d

Jess861 Pictured is an Ojibwe Spirit Horse - they are endangered and Canada's only Indigenous horse breed. 3d

CarolynM @Ruthiella Hear, Hear! 2d

Kitta @Ruthiella absolutely!!! @Jess861 Agreed this type of novel should be required reading in school (books selected age appropriate of course) in my opinion 2d

lauraisntwilder @Ruthiella That is it exactly. 2d

Jess861 @Kitta When reading books in English in middle school and high school - I wish it was more about reading books that teach us histories or lessons and less about what does the colour yellow symbolize in a particular book. Not every book because I feel it's important to read a variety of texts but there wasn't enough of it. That was my experience in English class anyways. It may have changed though, that was a long time ago! 2d

DogMomIrene @Ruthiella 100% And as a former MS English teacher who taught in 🇺🇸, I remember dozens of HF books about the Holocaust. I‘m sure that took years to get to that point. Authors see schools building curriculum. Museums are curated. Guest speakers sharing their stories. I hope more people start listening to more voices to recognize that suppression & extermination happen under unfair policies. Build a new momentum that‘s more inclusive. 23h

kwmg40 I found it impressive that Wagamese could cover all the themes that you'd listed and interweave them into a really compelling story in such a short novel. He really was a very gifted writer. 12h

Kitta @Jess861 agreed! And school was a long time ago for me too - maybe things are changing? I was at school in Canada and I felt we didn‘t learn about this at all. We did symbolism to death for 1984 when I was in school and it almost ruined it for me. 12h

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Kristin_Reads

February | Lisa Moore

My February reads. It was another fantastic reading month. Now, on to March!

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Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

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This book is just as good as a reread. Wagamese is masterful when it comes to writing - you are truly transported into the time and place of the book. He even makes hockey sound magical. I could have done with a little bit less hockey - but that's not a big deal. Truly terrible that any of this was allowed to happen but I'm so glad he wrote about it as it is important to remember and know this part of history.

#DoubleBookSpin @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 5d

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TreenaReads

Denison Avenue | Christina Wong

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A moving story told in visual art and fiction,following an elder Chinese Canadian living in Toronto‘s gentrifying Chinatown–Kensington Market neighbourhood,as she attempts to cope with the sudden death of her beloved husband. As well as giving a voice to an often unseen demographic,this touching novel also captures a side of the city and a neighbourhood that outsiders often don‘t get to experience: its compassion❤️

#ohcanada #canlit #iamcanadian

Amor4Libros This sounds wonderful, stacked! 😊 6d

TreenaReads @Amor4Libros 🙌🏽Yay! 6d

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CarolynM

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

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What an extraordinary book! The outrage of the treatment meted out to indigenous people in the mid C20th is all the more affecting because it is depicted in such a matter-of-fact way. There are direct parallels with Australia. In contrast, the hockey scenes are sublime. I can‘t imagine such transporting writing about Aussie Rules 🤣 I‘m glad I‘m sufficiently hockey literate to be able to appreciate it. Looking forward to the discussion. #OhCanada

Jess861

thecheckoutstack Ohhh this seems right up my alley, I just got into hockey this year with the Four Nations tournament! 7d

TreenaReads My favourite author! 7d

Jess861 So glad you enjoyed it! Can't wait to discuss! 6d

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