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magsisreadingagain's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
barnstormingbooks's review
4.0
This is an interesting set of short stories. Dunning's collection of (mostly) contemporary inuit stories is unflinching without turning bleak. Themes of mental health, aging, addiction, residential schools, poverty, abuse, and violence are treated in a hopeful way. There is no attempt to hide, cover or downplay, instead the stories remind the reader that even the bleakest moments of one's life still have beauty.
Dunning has a talent for magical realism and the weaving of inuit mythologies/histories into stories. Whether women turn into owls and ravens, or the appearance in corporeal form of long dead grandfathers, the stories treat these moments with the same normality of the average day to day interactions of life, and in this normality there is power.
Voice is well used, usually in the 1st person, each character, no matter the length of the story, is unique and well defined.
Roughly half of the book is a continuation of a single story told from multiple perspectives, the rest are stand alone. This is somewhat jarring in reading, the middle demanding a connection that is lost in the rest of the book. A slightly different structure in the naming and table of contents would have made it a smoother read, but the stories themselves are strong.
Dunning has a talent for magical realism and the weaving of inuit mythologies/histories into stories. Whether women turn into owls and ravens, or the appearance in corporeal form of long dead grandfathers, the stories treat these moments with the same normality of the average day to day interactions of life, and in this normality there is power.
Voice is well used, usually in the 1st person, each character, no matter the length of the story, is unique and well defined.
Roughly half of the book is a continuation of a single story told from multiple perspectives, the rest are stand alone. This is somewhat jarring in reading, the middle demanding a connection that is lost in the rest of the book. A slightly different structure in the naming and table of contents would have made it a smoother read, but the stories themselves are strong.
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
With Inuktitut language and land weaved throughout this collection of short stories, this really was a love letter to Inuit culture. Written in a conversational way and incredibly personal to Norma Dunning’s own family history makes the reader feel invested in these stories. Be prepared for each story to be devastating in their own ways, but look for the infusion of love and humour as you go along. My favourite story was My Sisters and I, which grapples with holding each other, your traditions, close in the face of colonialism and residential schools.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Death, Cancer, Forced institutionalization, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Rape, Terminal illness, Sexism, Grief, and Racism
careinthelibrary's review
4.0
Annie Muktuk and Other Stories was a great short story collection. I loved how diverse the tones of the stories were. Funny moments, romantic, tragic, infuriating scenes. And the stories were all interconnected with overlapping characters, themes, and locations. Themes of health and wellness, love and sexuality, agency and power, language, trauma, cultural loss and revival. Not all of the stories affected me strongly, but a few were really powerful and moving. Definitely recommend to fans of short stories and those looking for Inuk authored writing.
lauren_endnotes's review
5.0
There is quite a thrill to choosing a book at random, knowing very little about it, and jumping right in. Sometimes it works well, and sometimes it is an unfortunate situation. Thankfully, jumping in to Annie Muktuk and Other Stories was the former - a total gem.
Norma Dunning's collection has some linked stories, some longer historical pieces, and some more experimental/esoteric pieces. All of her stories have this larger theme of representation of First Nations/native peoples - particularly women - in the larger society. The title story of Annie Muktuk is actually part of a larger story told from multiple perspectives of this young, attractive, and "promiscuous" woman, Annie Muktuk. We see her through other people's eyes first, and then we get Annie's side. It's a crafty storytelling mechanism.
The most compelling stories were "Elipsee"- a story of love and illness with a side of mysticm, and the final two stories, "Husky", the Hudson Bay Company trapper who "goes native", and "My Sisters and I", the story of three girls taken from their family and sent to live in Catholic mission schools, for better and worse.
ETA 12/5/2017
I have been thinking about this book alot - especially the last story "My Sisters and I", and putting it on my Best of 2017 list.
ETA 12/6/2017
I was reviewing some of my faves and my Book Riot challenge books, and researched a bit more on this one - and found this great CBC article about Dunning and the book: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/norma-dunning-inuit-stories-annie-muktuk-1.4203698
Norma Dunning's collection has some linked stories, some longer historical pieces, and some more experimental/esoteric pieces. All of her stories have this larger theme of representation of First Nations/native peoples - particularly women - in the larger society. The title story of Annie Muktuk is actually part of a larger story told from multiple perspectives of this young, attractive, and "promiscuous" woman, Annie Muktuk. We see her through other people's eyes first, and then we get Annie's side. It's a crafty storytelling mechanism.
The most compelling stories were "Elipsee"- a story of love and illness with a side of mysticm, and the final two stories, "Husky", the Hudson Bay Company trapper who "goes native", and "My Sisters and I", the story of three girls taken from their family and sent to live in Catholic mission schools, for better and worse.
ETA 12/5/2017
I have been thinking about this book alot - especially the last story "My Sisters and I", and putting it on my Best of 2017 list.
ETA 12/6/2017
I was reviewing some of my faves and my Book Riot challenge books, and researched a bit more on this one - and found this great CBC article about Dunning and the book: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/norma-dunning-inuit-stories-annie-muktuk-1.4203698
krys_kilz's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was an powerful and beautifully written collection rooted in people and place.
There was a lot of violence and heavy subject matter, so be aware of possible triggers before reading.
tw: residential schools, anti-indigenous violence, colonization, racism, sexual violence, child abuse, misogyny, suicide
There was a lot of violence and heavy subject matter, so be aware of possible triggers before reading.
tw: residential schools, anti-indigenous violence, colonization, racism, sexual violence, child abuse, misogyny, suicide
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Colonisation, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, and Suicide
krista_lm's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, and Death
Moderate: Suicide