Scan barcode
gregtheog's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
barefootsierra's review
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Child death, Blood, Death of parent, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, Child abuse, Car accident, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Death, Violence, Cultural appropriation, and Sexual assault
Minor: Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Murder, and Suicide
mayakittenreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, and Child abuse
tsapparelli's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
3.5
Interesting story. Well written, informative and engaging. It was really sad to learn about his experience in residential schools.
ninjakiwi12's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.5
Fun(ny) fact(s): Something about playing intramural basketball made me remember how much I actually don't hate sports.
Favorite quote/image: "I hope my story reminds my people that while it might not be a world made for us, it's a world we can make better by being proud of who we are and where we come from." (pg. 263)
Honorable mention: "Dave Rusnell used to say that the name-callers were trying to make me lose my focus, that they were only yelling those things because I was a threat on the ice. I should take the names as a compliment, he said. A lousy compliment, sure, but a compliment. I appreciated George's and Dave's advice, but I also knew they could never really understand what it was like. How one moment you could feel like just another guy on the team and the next you'd be reminder you were an outsider. How one word could shatter your sense of belonging, could remind you that others did not see you as an equal." (pg. 76)
Why: Sasakamoose's story is inspiring, but unlike some sports-related memoirs, sports truly remain just a part of his context, not his whole story, which he is keenly aware of in his writing as he poignantly describes the trauma of the residential schools, the importance of his family, and his work as a leader in his community and spokesperson, well before and after his professional hockey playing days. Yes there is grueling training, perseverance, and thrilling retellings of games, but also the triumphs and tragedies of everyday life that ground his story and give it such vibrant color and depth. Thank you, Fast Freddy.
Favorite quote/image: "I hope my story reminds my people that while it might not be a world made for us, it's a world we can make better by being proud of who we are and where we come from." (pg. 263)
Honorable mention: "Dave Rusnell used to say that the name-callers were trying to make me lose my focus, that they were only yelling those things because I was a threat on the ice. I should take the names as a compliment, he said. A lousy compliment, sure, but a compliment. I appreciated George's and Dave's advice, but I also knew they could never really understand what it was like. How one moment you could feel like just another guy on the team and the next you'd be reminder you were an outsider. How one word could shatter your sense of belonging, could remind you that others did not see you as an equal." (pg. 76)
Why: Sasakamoose's story is inspiring, but unlike some sports-related memoirs, sports truly remain just a part of his context, not his whole story, which he is keenly aware of in his writing as he poignantly describes the trauma of the residential schools, the importance of his family, and his work as a leader in his community and spokesperson, well before and after his professional hockey playing days. Yes there is grueling training, perseverance, and thrilling retellings of games, but also the triumphs and tragedies of everyday life that ground his story and give it such vibrant color and depth. Thank you, Fast Freddy.
jebooks's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
aflseniors09's review against another edition
3.75
parts of it felt very scattered and disjointed but enjoyed overall