Review: Indian Horse

Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



They should teach this book in schools.

You know, I never would have come across this book. Living outside of Canada, if I do happen across a Canadian author among the used books, I have to have heard of them. Even if I'd picked the book up, I might not have been all that convinced by a book about hockey. And until this year Canada Reads was something I sort of vaguely recall hearing about that year I lived in Vancouver, but I knew almost nothing about it. But I can't go to a book signing and not have a book signed and here I am.

Here being awake at 5 a.m. because I decided to read just a chapter or two before bed. I couldn't stop reading this book until I'd torn through every last page. The emotional impact of this book hits you hard, from the family that was stolen from him by despair and snow, to the horror of the residential school and then to the stain of racism. And the hockey - I'm not really much of a sports person, but that hockey read like what it feels like to run.

This is the most Ontario book I've read in years - and yet, here it is, representing the BC region in Canada Reads. Amusing, that. I will need to read the rest of Wagamese's books, as well as the other Canada Reads contenders. I've heard it said that this is the book to beat and I see that.



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