Review: SON OF A TRICKSTER, by Eden Robinson

SON OF A TRICKSTER, by Eden Robinson 

Penguin Random House 2017

 
















My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was an interesting story, though not easy to categorize. It has been classified as a coming of age story, but it isn't as simple as just that. While it is part coming of age, it is also part fantasy/mythology/horror. 

Jared lives in a small town northern British Columbia close to the local reservation.  His family life is dysfunctional to say the least. The book starts with Jared stating that his grandmother does not like him.  His mother is a drug user/dealer with violent tendencies. Jared is constantly paying his father's rent and utility bills with money he makes selling marijuana infused cookies.  The most stable element of his home life, for a time, is his dog Baby, and Jared is devastated at the loss when she dies. Even though Jared is underage, he drinks a lot, and does a lot of drugs.

Despite the level of dysfunction in his family, Jared is a pretty good guy.  One of those kids who is incredibly compassionate and caring despite his home life, not because of it. The way he cares for and helps his elderly neighbors makes him a remarkably likeable character.

But that level of family dysfunction breaks a person on some level. When he starts seeing and hearing things like talking ravens, you wonder if is due to damage from the drugs and alcohol, or if he is mentally ill, but even those questions may have answers that are not so simple.

Robinson deftly and delicately inserts tiny little hints that there is more to the story. A single sentence here or there. Like a firefly's light - a brief flicker and then you cannot see it, but you know it is there. As you get a closer, it is a little easier to see.

I really enjoyed the way Robinson blended First Nations mythology with modern culture. 
SON OF A TRICKSTER is the first book in a planned trilogy.  The second book in the series TRICKSTER DRIFT is slated for Release October 2, 2018. I am looking forward to reading and reviewing that book as well. 

Happy Reading, 
Christine