Name: Through Black Spruce
ISBN: 9780670020577

Joseph Boyden

Maintaining a bedside vigil for her comatose uncle, Annie Bird remembers a painful search for her missing model sister; while her uncle Will, a legendary Cree bush pilot, ruminates on a tragic betrayal that cost him his family. By the author of Three Day Road.

Through Black Spruce

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.

Jade Flynn

Don't get me wrong, Boyden accurately portrays the vast beauty of the wildness area of Northern Canada but I did feel a disconnect with the characters, more so with Annie, than with Will. I would have been happy with the entire book being dedicated to Will's narrative and if it was it probably would have been a four star read for me but unfortunately the beautiful descriptions of the landscape and the enjoyment I felt whilst reading Will's story didn't outweigh the sheer boredom of having to trudge through Annie's.

Will Bird is a legendary Cree bush pilot, now lying in a hospital. His beautiful niece, Annie, has returned to sit by his side.

Ember Skies

Lisa Lindquist 

Jill Clark

Peter Read

Fran Lewis

Elyse Peter

Anna Campbell

Justin

A young Cree woman who has been searching for her missing sister sits at the hospital bedside of her unconscious uncle, an injured bush pilot. Both share family tragedies and personal resiliance.