A warm and humanizing story

This story has very human characters in a double material and spiritual dimension, who are able to express a love of cause with ethical capacity and to decide beyond personal benefit, and even manage to locate death as a new starting point for a fullest experience. The narrative is simple, very fluid, which makes the story charming. I experienced a couple of pleasant moments in which I identified a lot with the characters. The prose is not sophisticated, it is very warm and focused on the heart, which results in a very pleasant and accessible reading for teenagers. Contains certain details of unfamiliar customs for me, apparently from Lkwugen and WSÁNEC people, as the author mentions that spent time with them and this is very enriching culturally.

I am glad that Monique Gray mentions that she has visited the places in her book to gather information, but the most significant thing is that she shares and transmits in her story the importance that women in her family or Soul Circle have for her in her life. It is a valuable custom that stands out in indigenous cultures and that I have also seen up close in indigenous people of Latin America. In my opinion, this point is central to the book, which gives it a large part of its purpose. In addition, to make known the customs, the women's circle, the indigenous cosmogony where one lives in constant gratitude for the sacred life and in communion with the ancestral spirits, the Cultural Council, all this is a way of honoring, giving continuity and rescuing deep ancestral wisdom of humanity to which we all have a right.

My appreciation to the Publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to review the book

Hmm. I'm slightly at a loss to describe this book accurately. It was... fine. I was excited to read it and wanted to absolutely love it, but it did not quite reach that level for me.

Tilly and some Elders take a road trip. There were so many characters that none of them truly felt fully developed, which I think was my main concern with the book. I sometimes found myself mixing up characters -- partly because I usually devour books, but this one moved a bit slowly, so I read it over a few days instead of in one night or over maybe two days. Residential schools were brought up often and are an important and dark subject, but I feel the surface was barely touched about those as well. I enjoyed reading more about some of the traditions and will say I am now inspired to go to (or at least learn more about) the annual pow wow in Albuquerque.

The book has some light humor, love, friendships, a trip to Vegas, a bit of redemption... All in all, I'm glad I read it, but I was just hoping for a bit more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes books start a little slow but then pick up and that is how this book is.
This is a story about a women who has one thing she has wants to do before it is to late. She is dying and so her friends help her make an important dream come true. As they “the crazy eight” head on this journey together to see different things they learn about each other and the struggles they have been through. There is a lot of sadness in this book but it is real and honest about what life is like for a lot of people. It makes me think of the people in my life and how I think I know them but how I can’t really know the depth of what each one has experienced.
I think it is eye opening and others should read it.
I received a copy from NetGallery. This is my opinion

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

To begin, I liked it so much that I plan to pick up and read Monique Gray Smith's prequel to this, Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resiliance. I don't think it's necessary to read them in order. It will just be delightful to spend time with this character again and get to know her better.

In this novel, Tilly and a group of indigenous elders head out on a road trip to Albuquerque for the world's biggest Powwow.

The trip originated in the women's stitch and bitch group with Sarah, one of the ailing members, talking about her dream of dancing at the Powwow. Then two older men join them. They managed to raise enough money for the trip by having film nights and baked goods sales. Each one of them has a specific bucket list item they want to cross off while on their journey. Tilly, the youngest, left her husband and children to look after them and be their driver.

Shortly after they are on the road they name themselves Tilly and the crazy Eights. We get to know a lot about each of the characters as they travel from Vancouver, Canada, to New Mexico. I ended up caring for all of them although I wish Mable had had more of a presence.

It's a coming of age novel for the older crowd. Sure it's loaded with laughter and tenderness, but there is also loss, heartache and romance. A lot of learning and growing takes place. Each of them has issues to grapple with. Not the least are their histories of residential schools. I ended up weepy at numerous points in this book.

Ultimately it's a heartwarming feel good read about a group of people who are survivors. What more can you want?

The beginning of this book was a bit slow. I almost put it aside but am very glad I didn't.

The premise of the story is that Sarah has seen a movie and mentions a "bucket list" of things to be done before a person dies. She has one thing she has always wanted to do. This is significant because Sarah is dying of cancer. The other women in her crafting group decide to support her and help her make her dream of dancing at the All Nations Pow wow in Arizona come true. One of the women is willing to drive the bus, but it is determined that there should be two drivers, and Tilly is recruited to be the second driver. Two men decide to accompany the six women who are soon dubbed "The Crazy Eights" Each person has something they want to do while on the round trip from Canada to Arizona by bus.

The story touches on so many different topics: divorce, homosexuality, abuse in the reservation schools while people were children, infidelity, illness, getting in touch with a person's faith, the grand nature of the southwest.

I hadn't been prepared to read about so much sadness, but it was all told in a gentle way. It gave me pause to think about all the trials people have gone through and how those affect the way they live. It is impossible for me to know my own neighbors to that depth and I need to be aware that there might be much in their lives that account for their beliefs and actions.

Upon further investigation, I learned more about the author and look forward to reading her creative non-fiction book based on her own life which is titled "Tilly."

This one was a big change of pace for me. I wouldn’t say it is a book that kids couldn’t read but it doesn’t read like it is written for kids. I only mention this because it is a rare thing for me to write about this type of book in this space. The characters are adults with the majority being elders. There is a large group that decides to go on a bucket list type trip from Vancouver to the Gathering of Nations Powwow in Albuquerque, New Mexico. All of the individuals in the group are going through personal challenges of one sort or another and the strength of the book is how they use each other as a community to get through some of life’s big moments. Another strength is many of the mentions of the Indigenous ceremonies and ways of living that go beyond simply stating but describing them for readers who may be less familiar.

Beautiful blending and mixture of traditional foundations, beliefs, acceptance and dependance. Native American elders decide to go to Nationwide Pow Wow. Along the way truths and memories are shared. Some are so painful they bring tears to your heart. Some are so joyful that you are elevated. I cried many tears for the strength of these elders in surviving the awful abuses done in the name of religion. Especially since these things actually happened. This book handles them with grace while paying honor to the strength of their religious traditions. This is not a dark or dreary novel but instead is uplifting and sweet. Highly recommend.

A delightful story! Time is running out for the elders in this community and they all want to complete their bucket list before time on earth is done. It's a trip with a lifetime of memories and for Tilly who is the driver of The Crazy Eights and learns her own lessons on living and life.
It is a book on life, loss, friendship and love that you will not want to miss!

To call this book a road trip, undermines what this book is really about. Yes, it is a trip from Vancouver, BC to Albuquerque New Mexico, but, as they say, the journey is the reward, not the destination.

To call this book a story about Elders trying to complete their bucket list also diminishes what this book is about. Yes, there is that goal, but there are reasons for the choices they make in the said list.

And to call this story a story of cancer, also diminishes what this story is about. Although Sarah has had cancer, there are eight other people on this trip, as well.

So, suffice it to say, that this is a lot going on in this book.

Tilly become the drive for a group of Elders from an unnamed First Nations group of women and men, who want to complete a bucket list. Each of them has a reason for going on the trip. Sarah, who has been fighting cancer, wants to dance at the world pow wow, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Pancho, wants to visit the redwoods. Lucy wants to visit Las Vegas.

It is not an easy road trip. There are obsticles along the way, and Tilly keeps seeing the vision of her grandmother, who is trying to give her advice.

And then, there is the Residential School scars that are left on some of the group. Or the marriage problems.  Or the alcoholism.  It is a tight group, but they each have their battles to fight, and live.

I have been to some of the places the group has been to, but not all of them. It was an interested, detailed trip, but the best part, if there can be a best part, was the arrival at the pow wow, and how resonating it made them all feel.

<blockquote>With pauses between her words, Lucy said, "Look...at..all..the Indians." Her tone was somewhere between a whisper and her regular voice.</blockquote>

When I was a young teen, I discovered Science Fiction conventions. It was an amazing feeling, being among like-minded people, that shared the same thoughts, the same likes, the same obsessions as you did.

The way the group felt at the pow wow was how I felt discovering others like me, though I'm sure that sounds disrespectful, it is not meant to be.

This is a wonderful, sad, funny, touching story. And this is coming from someone who doesn't like to read journey books. But this was a journey of the soul, as well as the body, and it was and is well worth it. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

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I enjoyed this book. Makes me want to find a group of seniors and take the trip of a lifetime. I recommend this book. Thanks netgalley for the opportunity to read it. The opinions are my own