The Strangers

Books | Fiction / Literary

3.9

(119)

katherena vermette

WINNER OF THE 2021 ATWOOD GIBSON WRITERS' TRUST PRIZE FOR FICTIONLONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE#1 INDIGO BOOK OF THE YEARA HEATHER'S PICKFrom the bestselling author of The Break comes a staggering intergenerational saga that explores how connected we are, even when we’re no longer together—even when we’re forced apart.Cedar has nearly forgotten what her family looks like. Phoenix has nearly forgotten what freedom feels like. And Elsie has nearly given up hope. Nearly.After time spent in foster homes, Cedar goes to live with her estranged father. Although she grapples with the pain of being separated from her mother, Elsie, and sister, Phoenix, she’s hoping for a new chapter in her life, only to find herself once again in a strange house surrounded by strangers. From a youth detention centre, Phoenix gives birth to a baby she’ll never get to raise and tries to forgive herself for all the harm she’s caused (while wondering if she even should). Elsie, struggling with addiction and determined to turn her life around, is buoyed by the idea of being reunited with her daughters and strives to be someone they can depend on, unlike her own distant mother. These are the Strangers, each haunted in her own way. Between flickering moments of warmth and support, the women diverge and reconnect, fighting to survive in a fractured system that pretends to offer success but expects them to fail. Facing the distinct blade of racism from those they trusted most, they urge one another to move through the darkness, all the while wondering if they’ll ever emerge safely on the other side. A breathtaking companion to her bestselling debut The Break, Vermette’s The Strangers brings readers into the dynamic world of the Stranger family, the strength of their bond, the shared pain in their past, and the light that beckons from the horizon. This is a searing exploration of race, class, inherited trauma, and matrilineal bonds that—despite everything—refuse to be broken.

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More Details:

Author

katherena vermette

Pages

288

Publisher

Penguin Canada

Published Date

2021-09-28

ISBN

0735239622 9780735239623

Community ReviewsSee all

"A good book. Sad but ends on a positive note. Possible triggers for someone as book deals with alcohol & drug addiction and foster care. Book is fictional but just like "the break" you can relate to it because it's the reality of what happens in our communities and to our people. "

Tadie Bill

"Katherena doesn’t sugarcoat things in this book, which leaves you a little uneasy but I think that’s the point. She gives us a glimpse into the discrimination and generational trauma Indigenous women face in present day. I related a lot with Cedar-Sage’s character - being the kid that wants to achieve greater things despite the odds being stacked against you. Great read altogether. "

Sara SoDeezy

"This book was such a slow moving but intense look at mothers and daughters and the ways and reasons that people fail one another, but has a note of hope at the end."

Sarah Brown

"I was a little bit hesitant going into this one because I was worried it might turn into a sort of "redemption arc" for Phoenix where she's suddenly not at fault anymore for the part she played in the events of The Break. I really enjoyed it, though. At its heart, this is a book about mothers and daughters, and the way people try (and sometimes fail) to connect. The characters all have unique voices (though I don't get why some were first person and some were third person) and perspectives. It was interesting to read about the same events from the wildly differing points of view of two characters who were both there. There were a few parts that felt kind of like they were included to check off a list (one character’s abortion felt a little "okay I haven't included this experience yet" for me)."

awesome_user_984860

"Kathena Vermette is a Métis writer from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Vermette’s book follows a Métis family; Margaret, her daughter Elsie, and Elsie’s living daughters, Phoenix and Cedar Sage. The book looks at many issues including addiction, separation from family, and separation from their cultures. The Strangers comes after her previous book, The Break. However, it can be read as a stand alone. I found the book well written and you can easily get drawn into the characters’ stories. A lot of people have mentioned that the excessive swearing at the beginning was hard to push through, even for those who don’t mind it. The swearing does lessen down a lot. There was also the use of the R word where the character corrected herself, but really there was no need to put it there in the first place. Still, a great read and I would recommend."