Dal Pages

Rice, W. (2023). Moon of the Turning Leaves. Penguin Random House Canada.

This book follows an Anishinaabe community twelve years after a societal collapse, and the events of Rice’s last novel, Moon of the Crusted Snow. They have successfully sustained themselves in the ways of their ancestors, through hunting, fishing and gathering, though natural resources have started to dwindle. A small group, led by Evan Whitesky and including his daughter, Nangohns, depart on a dangerous journey south to see if there’s any possibility of moving their community back to their ancestral homeland. Though perhaps not as fast-paced as a thriller, this novel is full of adventure and has numerous heart-racing moments, and is at times both beautiful and devastating. This is a classic adventure novel, in which we follow the characters as they encounter different natural landscapes, abandoned towns, and other survivors, who are not afraid to resort to violence. Though slower-paced and less intense, this book is a hopeful, and no less thrilling follow-up to Moon of the Crusted Snow.

Books with elements of the adrenaline genre, and thrillers more specifically, are some of the most popular books out there, and for good reason. Feelings of excitement and suspense are some of the best ways to suck readers into the story of a novel. I don’t tend to gravitate towards fast-paced, page-turning thrillers, and Moon of the Turning Leaves felt like a good combination of what I do look for: its lush, descriptive prose, focus on relationships and community, and emotional moments, as well as adrenaline-inducing elements like high stakes and plot twists. I guess this goes to show that there is something for everyone! If you are able to determine what appeal factors draw you to books, I believe there will be a book you will enjoy in any genre.