Birdie

The main character Bernice is really moving and I felt really connected to her. Her traumatic life experiences are so heart wrenching that there were moments where I just had to put the book down and cry because I really felt her pain.

This book is truly artistic and powerful. It is a beautifully written story filled with hearbreak. It's a challenging read at the beginning, especially the parts where Bernice is, how I would describe, having an out of body experience. But once I caught on to that, the book became easier to read. It also became apparent when those moments happened, why they were happening. Usually it occured during intense traumatic and emotional states in her life.

At first, I felt disappointed with the other female chracters in Bernice's life. But as I continued to read, I tried to put myself in their positions. As Lindberg puts it, in the book club notes, “no one takes responsibility in the text.” But I think that was the point. They too have gone through very traumatic experiences in their own lives, and trauma is very difficult to talk about and face. Even Bernice has a hard time talking about her trauma and instead would shape shift during those times. The author demonstrates so well how each character deals with their trauma differently.

The author also presents the cycle of trauma that continues to happen throughout generations and onto Bernice as well. We can only hope that it ends after Bernice as there is a poignant part in the book where Bernice and her cousin Freda encounter Bernice's uncle. As a way to save Freda from ever going through what she had gone through, Bernice saves Freda from experiencing that trauma. (I read through this part many times, and if I am wrong please let me know :)).

This was a slow-paced book for me but for a good reason. It's not a book that is meant to be rushed through. Every moment needs its time and this book really demonstrates that while still being very engaging.

I gave it 4 stars.

Challenging non-linear narrative, foregrounds First Nation women's voices in a particularly effective way. Difficult to understand the implications for Cree law aside from what I read in interviews afterwards. Seriously interested in WHO and HOW law schools are uses this as a course text - some CBC interview mentions it vaguely and I wasn't able to figure out in the short time I had which were the universities/courses in question.

I have no problem admitting that this book confused the heck out of me.

At first I didn't understand what Birdie was doing. Was this a dream? Was she pretending? Was she actually dead? Then, I didn't understand where she was in her narration. The past? The present? Was she a child, a teen or an adult?

I get that the book is written in a “non-linear fashion” but I feel like it should have made some sense.

I suppose I thought it would address directly issues like sexual abuse and missing/murdered aboriginal women, but everything is wrapped up in mystery that I couldn't decipher any meaning.

Also, I found nothing comedic about this “darkly comedic” book.