Winter Counts by  David Heska Wanbli Weiden

Winter Counts

David Heska Wanbli Weiden

A propulsive read. We follow local vigilante Virgil in his attempts to cleanse the Rosebud Reservation of drug gangs. Vivid descriptions of Native American spirituality are mixed with hard-boiled noir, as Virgil navigates the conflicting elements of his identity. The combination is memorable, delivering both the punch of a crime thriller, and an enlightening insight into systemic challenges facing contemporary indigenous American life.

Extract

I opened the glove box in my car, grabbed the Glock, and pulled the clip. Loaded. But I didn’t have any extra ammo, so I popped the trunk and got my backup, the little Smith & Wesson revolver that held only five rounds. I stuck it in the inside pocket of my denim jacket. It made a crunching noise, and I realised I still had the old items from my medicine bag in there – the sage, feather, and rocks. The items I’d carried with me as a kid.

Parallels
  • All the Beautiful Sinners by Stephen Graham Jones
  • Girl Gone Missing by Marcie R. Rendon