The Only Good Indians

Yeah, that title, the cynical implication that the Indian race is worthless but there might still be a few decent ones out there.

It's an unerringly deep and spiritual book.

There's psychological madness, revenge and retribution in a modern day world where American Indians are marginalized and made to feel inferior at every turn, not necessarily from the 'white man' but from their own traditional perspectives and prejudices.

There's nothing bitter or acrimonious about this book, but a deep seated respect for beliefs, love and nature, understanding the hardships and just getting on with it, full of zest and passion, it's the best compliment I can give the author for not hating on anyone other than punishment for your own mistakes and errors, it's got nothing to do with race and discrimination but more about accepting the consequences of unfortunate circumstances.

The parallels are often amazing too:

"all her big plans are falling off their flimsy metal shelves, clattering down into the pit of her stomach."

And the clever way SGJ uses allegories to move the plot forward - imagine a themed carnival float - elks, guns, open plains maybe - you know what that's supposed to represent without needing words, with events unfolding through organic feeling instead of technical descriptions  - an art, a skill.

A tremendous action writer when needed, but also calm, collected, ambiental, then with rushes of fluid activity.

The book does get bogged down at times; too deep and retrospective maybe, repressed and even depressive, but that's the style - years of racist discrimination and oppression as you perceive exactly what it's like to be a marginalized minority.

The horror element is strong but also subtle, unnerving rather than intense, psychological and even intellectual, occasionally abstract and hard to grasp, but real, imaginative and alive.

My only real criticism is for coming to a halt at 50% and needing to gather pace again before turning into a great thriller. And maybe something about the way it's marketed? Or perhaps my negative preconceptions for expecting a placid work of historical fiction?

I'm giving this 5 stars - while not always exciting, it's surprisingly passionate and real at giving an indigenous perspective most people usually dismiss, for its surprisingly ramped up fluidity at the right times, and the desolation and hopelessness that goes full cycle as new life begins and repeats, washes itself clean and learns from past mistakes in the giant melting pot of life, love and experiences.

And most of all for telling it how it is with no hatred or bitterness.