Winner - Shelf Unbound 2023 Best Indie Book
Minnesota, 1956
Unknown human remains are discovered deep within the mosaic of rugged forests and interconnected waterways once home to the native Ojibwe people.
More than 30 years later, fresh news of the cold case reopens old wounds for an Arizona family, from a time when gender stereotypes, racial bigotry, and small-town gossip led to tragedy. Now, three generations — a mother, son and granddaughter — embark on a cross-country journey in a search for truth and a hope of redemption.
As long-buried secrets are unearthed, they each begin to question their memories, motives, and basic notions of good and evil.
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: As three generations of a family set out together on a long distance trip, the central idea—retrieving memories and discovering ties between the past and present—is skillfully woven into the story's backdrop of murder, mystery, and cultural heritage.
Prose: Timelines alternate fluidly between the 1950s and '90s, gifting the story unique perspectives on racial tensions and gender stereotypes in each time period. McCann's prose is above average, crafted with vibrant imagery and stark contrasts between the past and present.
Originality: This is a memorable portrait of the Ojibwe culture and their stories, spirituality, and customs as an indigenous tribe. McCann treats important topics, including discrimination, racism, and sexism, with grace and a gentle spirit.
Character/Execution: The story's grandmother, Evelyn, along with her son Frank and his daughter, April, are well-honed characters with intricate thoughts and emotions. Maakade, a Black Ojibwe man in the 1950s timeline, is a study in the devastating effects of assimilation. His nature-born wisdom is delightful, and his influence in both Evelyn and Frank's development is moving.
Date Submitted: July 11, 2023
This is a remarkable, eminently readable novel about a family of three who have lived under the burden of their secrets and conflicting memories for thirty years, between the Fifties and 1990. McCann develops three narrators and three protagonists: Evelyn, a mother; Frankie, her son; and April, Frankie’s daughter. The novel traces the challenged lives of these characters with intelligent and sympathetic candor. The plot is the classical journey of discovery. It follows the trio as they literally travel by car from their current home in Phoenix, Arizona, to Bitter Rapids, Minnesota. They are compelled to this journey by the discovery of unknown human remains in a place they once knew.
The book also follows Maakade, half-Black and half-Ojibwe, who survived harsh Indian school and wrongful imprisonment to literally save both Evelyn and Frank. Maak’s experiences in nature shine in lyrical terms. To top it off, the novel includes Scout, an intrepid dog, that contributes his own strength to both characters and plot!
Between chapters, McCann interweaves excerpts from non-fiction books, news stories, and various articles that reveal important aspects of the culture during this time period. These excerpts provide factual perspectives on such topics as women’s health, Native American education, and interracial marriage. The cumulative point of these excerpts is a pithy, ironic judgment on the America that the characters in this novel inhabit. -- Joanne Vickers
Every year, we receive entry after entry in our annual Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book Competition. We received hundreds of entries this year in all manners of genres.
You can find the overall winners, our five finalists, ten long-listed, and our 100 top “Notable” books in this issue.
To everyone who entered, we want to let you all know how much we enjoyed reading your books. This year, judging our entries was incredibly hard as we were graced with many great works.
Our overall winner is BITTER THAW by Jessica McCann.
“I like to shine a spotlight on ordinary people living through extraordinary experiences, and on critical the connection between humanity and nature." – Jessica McCann
