Hunting High and Low

[dotinthesky]

Michael Crummey, River Thieves, 2001
I never in a million years would have picked up this novel if it hadn't been for my book club. And that's a sad thing to realise after finishing a very satisfying read. It turns out that Michael Crummey is a respected poet and prose writer in Canada, winning many awards with River Thieves as well as with his poetry collections. I can see why.

Set in the early part of the 1800s in Newfoundland (where Crummey is from), River Thieves is a sombre historical novel that charts the conflicts and misunderstandings between a group of tough settlers and the dwindling and mysterious Beothuk Indians. Bound to remote parts of the island, the Beothuk are like a people from a fantasy novel: entirely painted in red, remote and impossible to find, they entice search parties to go after them for the sake of a government wanting to create peace between the natives and the colonies. Who are the river thieves? Maybe they are the settlers who feel like they own the rivers and hunt natives who dare to interfere with their fishing. Or maybe they are the natives who are pushed into behaving like criminals in their own land by an expanding English colony that only sees them as a freakshow or gun target.

River Thieves deserves to get an audience outside of Canada because it's not only beautifully written but it shows a part of Canadian history that many are not aware of. When I studied in Canada, I heard some Canadian friends say that their history was boring. Well, this book proves them wrong. The description of Newfoundland's harsh winter landscape and what the settlers and natives had to do to survive it is worth the read alone.

I'd recommend it to:
standardfeature, kevyn_kronycles but especially dilvsy because of your interest in First Nations.
verybadhorse because of the poetic and nearly photographic descriptions of farm work, plants and animals.

Comments

[dilvsy.livejournal.com]

sounds really good!and i bet Val would enjoy it even more, as she is part Mohawk, so truly native american

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I thought of you exactly because of Val!

[dilvsy.livejournal.com]

i saved this entry under my memories, so i can have a record of it to show Val.thanks Ollie

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

It's a tough read - some really shocking scenes - but it's very good and worthwhile... poetic and thoughtful. If Val or you end up reading it, would love to talk about it with you.

[dilvsy.livejournal.com]

truthfully,i have so much books waiting to be read,not sure when i'll get around to it,but that is why i have added it for future

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Get off the net and get cracking with those books! ;-)

[dilvsy.livejournal.com]

geez...is there a book report due? lol.
i am trying to finish IT, then have to re-read all 8 sookie novels again,and then can read the 9th,but after that, back to stephen king with pet semetary,and insomnia.
sadly, i am a one book at a time kinda gal.