Winner of the 2017 Governor General's Literary Award (Young People's Literature - Text)
Winner of the 2017 Kirkus Prize
Winner of the 2018 Sunburst Award
Winner of the 2018 Amy Mathers Teen Book Award
Winner of the 2018 Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit and Mtis Young Adult Literature
Just when you think you have nothing left to lose, they come for your dreams.
Humanity has nearly destroyed its world through global warming, but now an even greater evil lurks. The Indigenous people of North America are being hunted and harvested for their bone marrow, which carries the key to recovering something the rest of the population has lost: the ability to dream. In this dark world, Frenchie and his companions struggle to survive as they make their way up north to the old lands. For now, survival means staying hidden - but what they don't know is that one of them holds the secret to defeating the marrow thieves.
An interesting dystopian novel.
"I found this book an adequate read. Dimaline's tremendous use of fiction and intricate similes paint an excellent setting of a dystopian world. I particularly loved how Dimaline manages to integrate the historical events and oppression Indigenous culture has faced into a novel about survival and kinship. I do feel that the characters felt underdeveloped, making it harder to emotionally understand the complexity of some of the supporting characters. The plot is where the story declines the most. The pacing was slow and the ending felt abrupt. Rather than the same monotonous plot — travel northward, find shelter, continue heading northward, etc. — I had hoped the story would focus on the deeper topics. Ultimately, if you are looking for a captivating read on a dystopian near-future novel, I would highly recommend. The story creates a unique environment and an engaging read, it just lacks in some aspects."