Moon of the Crusted Snow

Ominous, intriguing, and powerful, this post-apocalyptic novel isn't my usual kind of read, but I'm glad it caught my attention when it was chosen as Waterloo Region's 2020 One Book, One Community (OBOC) selection. OBOC is a program that encourages citizens to read a selected Canadian work and attend author events in the area (this year online due to Covid-19). This book review incorporates my feelings for this book as well as insight gleaned from watching the author event where Metis-Cree author Jesse Thistle (From the Ashes) interviewed Waubgeshig Rice about this book. (Link to author event on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIJ7EMlApFs )

I loved this book and at only 213 pages, it packs a powerful and compelling punch. Rice's writing draws readers in, and they will immediately notice that he does not waste words. The plot is concise, eerie and will give readers much food for thought. The story is set in a post-urban/post-technology setting (not necessarily post-apocalyptic, according to the author) in the northern reaches of Ontario that combines traditional Indigenous history and culture with literary realism for a truly chilling read. 

One of the things that I love is how Rice weaves in bits of indigenous history, Anishinaabe language and culture into the story and through his characters he shows the vast spectrum of Indigenous experiences and how they connect to culture and Indigenous knowledge differently. He also includes couple of cultural ceremonies (smudging, funeral) that should be well-known to non-Indigenous peoples and I respect that he kept the more sacred rituals private. 

There are several themes throughout the story - reciprocity/balance, our disconnect with nature, the importance of dreams and the changes forced upon Indigenous communities. I also appreciate how Rice subtly blends a couple myths from Anishinaabe culture (wendigo and Nanabush) to call attention to some of these themes. 

Rice calls this a 'love letter to the land' and hopes it encourages people to reconnect with the power of nature. I am thrilled to hear that he is currently researching for the follow-up book which he has said will take place ten years after Moon of the Crusted Snow. He admits to keeping the reason for the catastrophe and disconnect from the outside world purposefully vague (which created an ominous feel and fantastic tension) and that only makes me all the more eager to learn what caused the panic. Write fast, Waub!

This is a short read, but it is packed with intense scenes, important societal issues facing our Indigenous Canadians and showcases their deep sense of pride in their culture, language, and beliefs. Well-written, haunting, and powerful, this is a must-read and a perfect book for group discussion. 

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Author: Waubgeshig Rice

Genre: Dystopian, Suspense, Canadian

Type and Source: Paperback from public library

Publisher: ECW Press

First Published: October 2, 2018

Opening Line: A crack echoed through the boreal landscape, 

a momentary chaos in the still afternoon air. 

Book Description from GoodReads: A daring post-apocalyptic thriller from a powerful rising literary voice

With winter looming, a small northern Anishinaabe community goes dark. Cut off, people become passive and confused. Panic builds as the food supply dwindles. While the band council and a pocket of community members struggle to maintain order, an unexpected visitor arrives, escaping the crumbling society to the south. Soon after, others follow.

The community leadership loses its grip on power as the visitors manipulate the tired and hungry to take control of the reserve. Tensions rise and, as the months pass, so does the death toll due to sickness and despair. Frustrated by the building chaos, a group of young friends and their families turn to the land and Anishinaabe tradition in hopes of helping their community thrive again. Guided through the chaos by an unlikely leader named Evan Whitesky, they endeavor to restore order while grappling with a grave decision.

Blending action and allegory, Moon of the Crusted Snow upends our expectations. Out of catastrophe comes resilience. And as one society collapses, another is reborn.