Welcome back to our Top 5 favourites! The first book in the Bird Family trilogy follows two young Cree from Mushkegowuk (James Bay, northern Ontario) who have set off to fight in the Great War. Xavier and Elijah have honed their tracking and shooting skills and believe they are ready to fight in the trenches and the killing fields of Ypres and the Somme. Due to Xavier and Elijah’s hunting and sniping skills, they are sent on increasingly risky missions. Each react very differently to the pressures and violence of war.
Boyden captures the horrors of trench warfare, drug addiction, and spirituality through suffering. Three Day Road will give you insight into traditional “bush living” by older generations of Cree, how the fur trade and white culture impacted the current generation of Cree people, the idea of spiritual sickness and the myth/reality of the windigo. Heartbreaking and honest, a truly unforgettable read.
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