Joseph Boyden se zaměřuje na témata týkající se dědictví a kultury Prvních národů, čerpaje ze svých irských, skotských a métiských kořenů. Jeho próza se často zabývá složitými vztahy mezi tradicí a modernitou, zkoumá dopady historie na současné životy. Boydenův styl je charakteristický svou silnou atmosférou a hlubokým vhledem do psychologie postav. Jeho díla jsou ceněna pro své autentické zobrazení a vypravěčskou sílu.
Chanie Wenjack je indián z kmene Odžibvejů. Stejně jako nespočet jemu podobných kluků a holek byl v útlém věku odebrán rodičům a poslán na převýchovu do takzvané indiánské internátní školy stovky kilometrů od domova. Cizí prostředí školy a kruté zacházení ze strany učitelů vyhnalo Chanieho a jeho dva spolužáky jednoho pozdně říjnového odpoledne na útěk. Jejich snahu o návrat do ztraceného domova sledujeme nejen očima samotného Chanieho, ale také prostřednictvím manitou, kteří na sebe berou různé zvířecí podoby a doprovázejí chlapce na jejich strastiplné pouti.
It is 1919, and Niska, the last Oji-Cree medicine woman to live off the land, has received word that one of the two boys she grudgingly saw off to war has returned. She leaves her home in the bush of Northern Ontario to retrieve him, only to discover that the one she expected is actually the other. Xavier Bird, her sole living relation, gravely wounded and addicted to the army’s morphine, hovers somewhere between the living world and that of the dead. As Niska paddles him the three days home, she realizes that all she can offer in her attempt to keep him alive is her words, the stories of her life. In turn, Xavier relates the horrifying years of war in Europe: he and his best friend, Elijah Whiskeyjack, prowled the battlefields of France and Belgium as snipers of enormous skill. As their reputations grew, the two young men, with their hand-sewn moccasins and extraordinary marksmanship, became both the pride and fear of their regiment as they stalked the ripe killing fields of Ypres and the Somme. Inspired in part by real-life World War I Ojibwa hero Francis Pegahmagabow, Three Day Road is beautifully written and told with unblinking focus, it is a remarkable tale, one of brutality, survival, and rebirth. Summary was taken from the OBOC website for Waterloo Region.
Exploring themes of love, identity, and loss, this haunting novel delves into the complexities of human relationships and the search for self amidst grief. The narrative weaves emotional depth with rich character development, drawing readers into a poignant journey that reflects on the impact of personal and collective histories. The author, known for their acclaimed work "Three Day Road," crafts a compelling story that resonates with universal experiences, making it a profound read for those seeking insight into the human condition.
From internationally acclaimed author Joseph Boyden comes a powerful novel about two native Canadian sisters and the forces that pull them apart. Fifteen years after the death of their patriarch, the Bird Clan finds itself struggling to survive on the hardscrabble reservation they call home. On Christmas Day, the youngest of the clan, Suzanne, leaves with her boyfriend Gus Netmaker, against both families' wishes, hoping to find purpose and a better life in Toronto. When word from Suzanne and Gus suddenly ceases, the Netmakers and Birds fear the worst and tensions between the two families escalate to violent levels. Suzanne's sister Annie decides to search for them, leaving behind their uncle Will, a man haunted by loss. While Annie travels from Toronto to New York, from modeling studios to A-list parties, Will encounters dire troubles at home. Both eventually come to painful discoveries about the inescapable ties of family.
