Through Black Spruce is a double-narrative told by Will and Annie Bird, two members of a Cree family in Moosonee, Ontario. Moosonee (and Moose Factory across the river) is accessible only via the Ontario Northland Railway, since there are no roads up there. Moosonee is the northern terminus for the Railway. Its population is about 3000, over 80% Cree. Boyden shares the unheard voices from this remote community, which prove to be fascinating.
Will and his niece Annie are both hunters and trappers who find strength from their ability to live in the bush and keep “the old ways” alive. Through the settings of Moosonee as well as Toronto and New York City, Boyden is able to carefully articulate the challenges that First Nations people meet in the modern world. The content and topic of this book is enough to grab me, but Boyden’s writing style is so engaging that the book would be enjoyable for anyone even if they’re not too interested in the topics.
Will’s relationship with an old sow of a black bear is touching and also really funny (he describes feeding it a rotten ham off his deck.) Will develops this relationship because he feels remorse about all the bears he killed in his lifetime as a hunter and I think he also sees a part of himself in the old bear, hoping someone will show him the same kindness when he grows old and useless in the eyes of others.
Boyden gives a mainstream voice to a community that is quite off the radar for Canadian literature. I am ecstatic that Boyden won the Giller. It’s been a long time since any Canadian writer has gotten recognition for books about the North. Canada needs to read this novel.
I had the pleasure of meeting Joseph Boyden the week before it was announced that his newest book had won the Giller Prize. We talked about hunting and he is supposed to be hooking me up with some goose hunting guides in Moosonee, ones who inspired the characters from Through Black Spruce. I plan to visit Moosonee sometime in the new year.
