oh contemporary fiction....how i miss thee.the language of this novel is stunning. 1950's cree life in northern manitoba explodes into life with highway's lush and lyrical descriptions. the narrative jumps between the real world and a spiritual cree world where the fur queen and other fantastical, almost surreal myths exist.
semi-autobiographical, 'the kiss of the fur queen' is about jeremiah and gabriel okimasis. the narrative follows these brothers as they go from a magical and rustic life in the north, to a residential school where they're abused by their teachers, and finally to life in the big city of winnipeg. wherever they are, a trickster figure in guise of a fur queen watches over them as they struggle with balancing their cree heritage with their new world.
i'm always weary of novels like this. yes, it was terrible what happened to aboriginals at residential schools, but it's not my fault because i'm white. this novel doesn't place the blame or ask for an apology, but just tells a lovely story that is beautiful, melancholy, funny and clever - everything you require from literature.
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