Moon of the Crusted Snow

September 24, 2018
Fall is just about to turn into winter when cell service goes out in a Anishinaabe community in Rice’s chilling post-apocalyptic novel (following Legacy). The novel centers on Evan Whitesky, a young father to two children living on a reservation in northern Canada who is attempting to relearn and maintain the traditional ways in a world where society has collapsed and electricity, cell phones, land lines, and satellites have all disappeared. In the absence of all the things that make the long, harsh winters of northern Canada easier, the community has to band together to ensure its survival, doling out canned provisions and trying to ensure running water and heat for everyone for as long as possible. When a man arrives seeking refuge from the chaos in the south, Evan and his community allow him to stay in spite of their misgivings. As the winter progresses and hunger sets in, hostility rises and small-town power struggles become a life-or-death affair. This slow-burning thriller is also a powerful story of survival and will leave readers breathless.

Cree actor Billy Merasty lends an authentic voice to Anishinaabe writer Rice's apocalyptic novel, set on a reserve in northern Ontario. The story is told through the eyes of Evan Whitesky. While many of his neighbors have become accustomed to the fixtures of contemporary life--Internet access, cell phone service, food trucked in every few weeks--Whitesky and his family have tried to maintain traditional ways. Suddenly and mysteriously cut off from the power grid, the community must come together to survive. Merasty's cadence, which sounds like that of Indigenous storytellers, allows the novel to unfold at a deliberate pace that is well suited to Rice's rich descriptions of Anishinaabe culture and history. There are a few mispronunciations of English names; nonetheless, this is a memorable listening experience. S.G. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine