Publisher’s Description:
Meet Jared Martin: sixteen-year-old pot cookie dealer, smoker, drinker and son with the scariest mom ever. But Jared’s the pot dealer with a heart of gold–really. Compassionate, caring, and nurturing by nature, Jared’s determined to help hold his family together–whether that means supporting his dad’s new family with the proceeds from his baking or caring for his elderly neighbours. But when it comes to being cared and loved, Jared knows he can’t rely on his family. His only source of love and support was his flatulent pit bull Baby, but she’s dead. And then there’s the talking ravens and the black outs and his grandmother’s perpetual suspicion that he is not human, but the son of a trickster.
My Review:
Son of a Trickster (Trickster Trilogy, #1) by Canadian First Nations author Eden Robinson, a contemporary fantasy inspired by folktales and beliefs of several First Nations tribes in the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America and Canada.
The protagonist is Jared, a teenage boy struggling to find his place in the world, his self-destructive mother who, despite a fierce love for him, is often more a danger than a help. Jared has his own personal issues to fight and, despite caring for his elderly neighbour who offers what comfort his mother cannot, Jared is largely alone in his world.
The turmoil of Jared’s life begins to boil over when several strange experiences start occurring, ravens begin talking to him, and the lingering words of his maternal grandmother, insisting he is the son of a raven trickster. Struggling to hold his family together, his only money making venture (pot-dealing) is crushed, and desperate to keep his family afloat, Jared soon discovers his mother is more than he ever imagined as the supernatural world of Tricksters and those who oppose them seek him out.
Final Thoughts:
Son of Trickster is a fascinating exploration of Canadian First Nations culture with the ever-present backdrop of life in a small town. The sense of otherness caused from discrimination, whether it is racial or socioeconomic, adds lived heartache to the story.
My Conclusion?
A recommended read for anyone interested in Canadian First Nations cultures of the Pacific Northwest, the complex and quirky characters are delightful and bring the story alive with the uniqueness of each. A modern fable for growing up, finding strength and independence….with the added pressure of a Trickster heritage.
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