Not for me.

I wanted to enjoy this book about American Indians living on a reservation but lost interest after the first few pages of violence and foul language.

Imbali

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.

I have been interested in native American culture since I was 12 years old when I heard Buffy Sainte-Marie singing Soldier Blue and I wanted to know what she was singing about so I started reading books on the subject, and educating myself. 50 years later I am still reading and interested, and this book was right up my street. I loved the setting, and the authenticity of the story. I loved the central character, and other characters too. The story was good, and kept me guessing and trying to second guess the outcome, which I couldn't do. To me I kept picturing this book as a film, all the time I was reading this I was thinking back to ThunderHeart one of my favourite films and thinking how good this would be on the screen. I really enjoyed reading this book, the pace the characters, the setting were all great. Really good book, and one I will happily recommend.

The first thing that struck me about "Winter Counts" is how blunt the writing is. There are no frills to soften the potentially triggering events in this book. Having said that, the writing style works perfectly with the story, making it grittier and darker. It's an astonishing read (plot, characters, feel), but one you should probably pair with something light and fluffy.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

This extraordinary award winning multilayered crime debut from David Heska Wanbli Weiden is set primarily in South Dakota on the Rosebud Lakota Native American Reservation. What makes this character driven piece of crime fiction stand out is its insightful portrayal of the indigenous community, its culture, rituals, ceremonies, and more heartbreakingly its tragic history. A horrifying history that speaks of stolen land, broken promises, brutality and violence, racism and marginalisation and the harsh, grim realities of the present, of bone deep poverty, deplorable rates of unemployment, a failing educational and justice system, broken families, alcoholism, and the creeping growth of heroin addiction on the reservation.

Of mixed heritage, Virgil Wounded Horse has a personal history of being rejected by many in the indigenous community, with its culture and belief system that left him disillusioned when he lost his father, the loss of his mother and his beloved sister, Sybil, who died in an accident, leaving him the guardian of his 14 year old nephew, Nathan. Caring for Nathan pushes him to beat the lure of the demon drink and alcoholism, with Virgil putting the money saved into Nathan's college education fund. Virgil survives by serving as the community enforcer, ensuring there is some justice for those denied it by the lack of criminal prosecutions on the reservation. When Virgil is offered a lucrative pay day for taking care of Rick Crow, suspected of facilitating the drugs trade, he takes a cautious approach, until Nathan OD's on heroin.

Virgil goes to Denver with his ex-girlfriend, Marie Short Bear, in search of Crow, only to find danger at every turn, and when his nephew is arrested, he is willing to do whatever it takes to protect him. This is a story of heartbreak, despair, identity and hope, of corruption, betrayal, and privilege, where there are those in the community who will cross any line to ensure their family and children escape 'the rez'. Virgil finds himself in a nightmare of a predicament, a predicament that will test both him and Nathan, yet one which opens the way towards finding their way back towards regaining faith in the Lakota life, community and culture. This is a riveting crime read, tense and suspenseful, whilst providing a rare and invaluable glimpse into what is otherwise an 'invisible' Native American community, the pressures it faces, and the ever present repercussions of a history that can never be forgotten. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

“Winter Counts” is set in the Rosebud Lakota Indian Reservation in South Dakota, which immediately sets it apart from your ordinary crime novel. It is also a sobering account of modern Native American life on a reservation dealing with unemployment, alcohol, opioid and heroin addiction. Shortlisted for the Edgar Award for First Novel and many other prizes, Weiden created a critical, terrific story with well-drawn out, very likeable characters that stayed with me for some time.

Virgil Wounded Horse works as an enforcer on the Rosebud reservation meaning he deals out justice using violence for those who have escaped the tribal or American legal system, employed by victims or their families. Coming from a troubled, broken family himself, he is raising his nephew Nathan after his sister’s death. When Nathan nearly dies of an overdose, the reservations problem becomes suddenly very personal. Hired by a tribal member to investigate the narcotic trail pointing towards the Mexican cartel in Denver, Virgil teams up with his former girlfriend Marie Short Bear who once dated one of the suspected drug dealers. The situation becomes truly twisted, when Nathan is used as a pawn in a crooked set up facing a serious prison sentence forcing Virgil to work with the US narcotic law enforcement to get his nephew out of an impossible situation.

“Winter Counts” is an unusual debut I enjoyed immensely.