Reviews tagging 'Trafficking'

Die Traumdiebe by Cherie Dimaline

17 reviews

cepbreed's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

“It began as a rumor, that they had found a way to siphon the dreams right out of our bones, a rumor whispered every time one of us went missing, a rumor denounced every time their doctors sent us to hospitals and treatments centers never to return.”

 

So much about this book is traumatizing, it’s so hard to read. I say that, but no matter how evil the atrocities translated onto the paper I couldn't stop reading because of how beautifully Cherie Dimaline writes. Each coming-to story makes my heart physically ache, I feel like I know these characters and each of their lives is so personal to me. Thank you Dimaline for bringing them to life on these pages. I also loved having chapter titles. I feel like so many books forego them these days in favor of just the name of the POV character or nothing at all. Another element essential to the story and my enjoyment of it was all the foreshadowing. While in the dilapidated Four Winds the women of their group tell their stories, all of which are a dark premonition of the events of the following days. Those moments were harrowing. I love how Dimalinen made sure to highlight the voices of those women, and bring awareness to the mistreatment many like them suffer because of their presenting gender. The class on indigenous fiction that I read this book for has opened my eyes entirely to a whole new genre of books. I am unsure if I would've enjoyed this book as much as I did if I read it outside of a classroom context because my professor always offers very valuable insight on certain indigenous traditions that enriched the books meaning. For example the legend of the rougarou and its application to Minerva's story.

 

Minerva being taken absolutely killed me. This kind woman, understand her old age hindered their progress. She trusted in the younger generation to survive and sacrificed everything for them. I don’t have to see my own Harmoni in her to absolutely love the character but I do and it makes me all the more sad to see the consequences of her age. In the same way she is wise and essential to the survival of their culture her health is rapidly deteriorating. I dismissed her character before but now I admire her so much, one scene changed everything for me.

 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Animal death, Death, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Body horror, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Violence, Trafficking, and Misogyny

Minor: Pregnancy

leahkarge's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Violence, Death of parent, Child death, Racism, Colonisation, Grief, Rape, Stalking, Confinement, Death, Animal death, Blood, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Cannibalism, Pregnancy, and Medical trauma

directorpurry's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Gun violence, Colonisation, Blood, Racism, Kidnapping, and Violence

Moderate: Child death and Death of parent

morganpearcy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is Dystopian Speculative Fiction written by an Indigenous author about Indigenous peoples after the climate crisis reaches a point where the world shuts down and most everything dies. Indigenous peoples all over the world are being hunted by white folx to harvest their bone marrow so that white folx (who have lost the ability to dream and are dying in droves) can dream again and survive.

One of the reasons why I love Dystopian Speculative Fiction so much is because I personally find it profoundly hopeful - the kind of thing I read when I need my faith in humanity restored. This book has moved me in so many ways. I couldn’t put it down. It explores what it is to be human. What it is to survive - and empathy. There are some really good topics explored, including:

- Creating your family of choice.
- Caring for an aging Elder. 
- Protecting children to let them be kids for as long as possible. 
-  Humanity and the motivations of those who have lost theirs. 
- Community repair and harm reduction, even when the world is burning down.
- What it means to have enough.

Highly recommend. Very applicable to today. This book is such a joy to read, and such a great exploration of indigeneity and our humanity. 

Be prepared with a box of tissues. And TW for chapter, “Wab’s Coming-To Story” for sexual assault. Surprisingly, handled delicately - but still very triggering.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Colonisation, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Dementia, Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Genocide, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Rape, Murder, Sexual violence, Torture, and Trafficking

el_pacheco's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Trafficking, War, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Genocide, Torture, Death, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent

katsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

“Sometimes you risk everything for a life worth living, even if you're not the one that'll be alive to see it.” 

“When we heal our land, we are healed also.” 

“Do you think circumstances make people turn bad? Or that people make circumstances bad to begin with?” 

What a journey. This book deserves all of the stars. The beginning was a bit slow but really picked up. At one point, I was listening during my commute and something tragic happened; I guarantee anyone who happened to look my way would have thought I had just gotten the worst news of my life. I definitey teared up. This book was a great allegory for settler colonialism and how Indigenous people of the Americas have been treated (and continue to be treated) by society and governments. I think this story is great for young adults or those getting into Indigenous fiction. The cultures of multiple Indigenous nations are represented and it really touches on the importance of being able to pass down traditional practices like language. I would note trigger warnings for rape, murder, racism and child death.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Violence

Moderate: Child death

gdobson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Genocide, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Trafficking, Violence, and Hate crime

Minor: Torture, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault