Morgan has been in foster care for so long, she can't even remember what her life was like before. Her life has been a series of foster homes, some better than others, but it has always been clear she was never part of the family. These new foster parents seem better than most, but she can't let go of her anger or the feeling that everything is temporary.
Her new foster brother, Eli, has only been there for a few days, but it's clear he's miserable. He doesn't carry the same anger, but he is surrounded by an air of sadness. They live with a white family now, but Eli grew up in a Cree community with plenty of opportunities to learn about his culture. Morgan is older, but she knows nothing about her people other than what she's learned in school.
In an effort to connect with Eli, Morgan invites him to her secret spot in the attic. It's just a quiet place where she likes to read. Eli brings his drawing pad, and Morgan is amazed at his realistic drawings of frozen landscapes and fantasy animal creatures. They are both shocked to realize the drawing is actually a portal to another reality.
When Eli disappears, Morgan knows where he has gone, and she follows her protective instincts to cross over as well. There she finds Eli living with Ochek, a fisher who can walk on two legs and talk. Time moves differently in Misewa, and though Eli's only been gone a couple of hours, he's been there for two weeks. Many years ago, a man appeared and stole all the summer birds leaving the land in perpetual winter. The animal beings who inhabit the land are near starvation.
Morgan and Eli decide to go on a quest with Ochek and a squirrel being named Arik to defeat the man and return the summer birds to all the people of Misewa. The journey will be long and dangerous, and they are short on time since Morgan wants to keep her promise to not run away. Will they be able to restore life to the land in time or will they fall victim to the many dangers along the way.
This is the first book in the Misewa Saga by David Alexander Robertson, and I was pleasantly surprised. The book is simultaneously grounded in modern reality and drifting on the wings of traditional tales. The Canadian author is a member of the Norway House Cree Nation, and he infuses indigenous culture into this fantasy tale centering Cree culture and the indigenous experience. Morgan begins learning to control her anger by recognizing her own strength and through her desire to protect Eli and create a family. Highly recommended for fantasy fans, particularly those who like animal fantasy.
No comments:
Post a Comment