One of my favourite books. An intriguing plot holds together a sympathetic and amusing narrative of life in native communities or the life of native americans who find themselves in other communities. One caution for the reader who gets into a book: put the book down when you finish and in particular don't read the bookish/academic questions for discussion at the end or the author's bio. The charm of this book is the way in which weaves a sense of the special atmosphere of small communities. The academic discussion questions at the end completely shattered (at least temporarily) what the book had taken hundreds of pages to create.

I don't read enough Canadian fiction, and I really should read more, because this was a great book. I found it hard to put down near the end. Well-written and really gave you a sense of what it is like to live in the Canadian north (even if it is just Northern Ontario).

Boyden gives us a beautifully written and insightful story of First Nation life in northern Ontario.

Two stories are masterfully told as a mystery unfolds, with beautiful imagery and depth of character. I loved that the characters were the descendents of the characters in Three Day Road, but it is not a sequel to that novel.

Great story set in Moosenee, Ontario about a native indian who relates the story of his life and the lives of people he loves through flashacks while he is in a coma

A good read, but certainly quite diffferent from Three Day Road, Boyden's first title, which I loved. This one was more of historical flashback of our main character Will Bird and his family. Since Will is in a coma for the book, we get to know him through memories. His niece, Annie, goes through her own life struggles as she searches for her lost sister, finally coming to terms with herself.

By far, one of the most engaging and beautifully written novels I have read in quite a long time. This is a book I intend to purchase and savor yet again. The author’s first hand knowledge of the Nishnawbe ways was remarkable and compelling. Having visited Moosonee and Moose Factory Island a few years ago, I was familiar with most all of the places the author makes reference to. The narrative was engaging and the plotline suspenseful. In my opinion, the characters were wholly believable and the story definitely reflected the realities and complexities of life in Northern First Nations communities. Highly, highly recommend this book!

I have heard great things about this Canadian author and looked forward to reading this book. I did not know what to expect, as the story told from two different people made for an interesting presentation. Will Bird, who is an old bush pilot, that was in a coma in the hospital and his neice, Annie, who just returned from modeling in New York trying to locate her missing sister. The stories they tell each other while dealing with their circumstances, their culture and their ties to each other is heart-breaking, but written with hope. Recommend.

Love Joe's very descriptive writing and how he holds my interst in this historical fiction.

A very worthwhile read. Wonderfully written and very interesting.