This Tender Land

The premise was interesting, but for all the research into Indian boarding schools the author talks about in his notes, he has given us a 444 page novel about White kids (yes, the White kids) who attended a boarding school as orphans and their escape of the brutality they saw there.

The three Native characters are minor and played as side kicks, ghosts or tropes. I find it beyond inappropriate that the main minor Native character doesn't even have a voice - he's mute. I am not kidding. And even worse, when he decides to claim his native name, in the end as it's difficult for his White friends to wrap their heads around it, he signs to them that they can still call him Moses. Jesus help us all.

If I could give this book zero stars I would.