The father-daughter relationship is one of my favorite relationships to read about. Continuing to quench my thirst for such books, my latest read is The Theory of Crows by David A. Robertson.

I find myself gravitating towards indigenous reads in the winter. It seems like an odd trend but I am still happy to notice it because it means I like reading books about the culture of the place I call home. The Theory of Crows is a beautiful and heart-breaking story with two characters at its centre: Matthew, the father, and his teenage daughter, Holly. Matthew and Holly have a tough relationship. Matthew has gotten more and more withdrawn from his family over the years and they are all at a breaking point. Something has to change because their family is getting destroyed in the suffocating silence. Matthew realizes that but he seems stuck and unable to believe that anything in life matters. In the first half of the novel, I read about their family. I met Claire, the mom, and how the family dynamics had deteriorated. Matthew is having panic attacks and Holly has turned to stealing his anti-anxiety meds.

Matthew is Cree and the one pillar of reality for him is his father, an Elder in the community. Though they don’t live at the reserve they still have roots in their culture and Matthew turns to his father in his time of desperation. His father reminds him that his healing will be found in the land but before they can journey together and discover Moshom’s lost cabin in the woods, the trapline where he spent many years, grief strikes the family. Taking Moshom’s advice, Matthew decides to find the cabin and experience his father’s memories and stories to heal him. Holly offers to accompany him and together they reconnect and find peace in their presents.

I loved everything about this book! It was raw and emotional and I felt for all the characters. I could see how Matthew lost hope and how much the trauma of losing their language and culture through residential schools still affected the family decades later. Beautifully depicting the struggles of not being able to share an ancestral language, the change in lifestyle that didn’t allow for sharing ways of living of their people, The Theory of Crows is a humanly magical journey to find strength in oneself through our family and roots. I was rooting for Holly and Matthew the whole time and Moshom had a warmth and comfort like no other.

Cree teachings, stories and traditions were woven seamlessly into the narrative. I loved how both Holly and Matthew remembered and used their roots to get support, Holly from the school Elder counsellor, and Matthew from his father. The Indigenous connection to land is heartwarming to me. Having grown up in a culture focusing on gods, I like the physical attributes of the indigenous cultural roots and love how grounding it is. It makes me appreciate this land that I moved to and find strength in it.

Even though Matthew and Holly were drifting apart, they still knew they had things in common – their love for music and Moshom – and they had to find a way using their commonalities to bridge the growing gap between them. Claire was immensely important in all of this and I loved her for her strength and compassion. I had read a What makes Love Last by John Gottman and I was reminded of many strategies he had shared for couples who were having problems. There is so much to be learned from this book about surviving a family and putting our children first. The pain of losing a parent and watching a parent lose their parents brought tears to my eyes. I have felt that pain, and inevitably, I will feel that pain again. When Matthew shared stories about his upbringing with Holly, when he worried about the memories that he was making with his daughter and how he wanted to leave her with good ones, the heart ache of wanting to be better was hard to miss.

The Theory of Crows is a beautiful story and as I followed the characters and cried and laughed with them, I saw my own life in a way. Of me and my family when I was a teenager, this time as an adult when I am married and don’t have kids yet, what the years ahead may bring and the joy of sharing culture, language, stories and home with our loved ones.

David Robertson has become an autobuy author for me, and I am never disappointed with his books. He has a storytelling ability that is incomparable, drawing me into the setting and the story, and walking me through the struggles and joy. The Theory of Crows, his first adult novel, was no exception from the delights he offers in his middle-grade and YA books. The relationship between Matthew and Holly is beautiful in its poignancy and pain, and reminded me that the simple moments with our loved ones are the most precious we have. I highly recommend this, and all his other books.

Thank you to Harper Collins Canada and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy, in exchange for an honest opinion.

Phenomenal. I am a huge fan of all David A Robertson's works. Thank you for the opportunity to read The Theory of Crows early.

A beautifully written, character driven book focusing primarily on the father/child relationship and how this relationship can change throughout one’s life. I really enjoyed learning more about Cree culture. This is this authorsy first adult novel and I really hope it won’t be the last.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. LOVE this author and everything he writes. I love that he writes within so many genres and mediums. I will always buy what he puts out.

I'm not sure why I kept delaying reading this book, but I did and I regret that. Robertson is a good storyteller who keeps you captivated - I read this in a little over a day. I'm looking forward to his future writing and definitely checking out his blacklist.

Loved this novel. A Winnipeg family of Cree origin, is experiencing tension between the father, Matt, and the teenage daughter, Holly. The mother, Claire, is caught in the middle. After visiting his father, Moshom, on a cold, winter day,Matt’s father dies in his sleep. They had agreed to travel north in the summer to Norway House, to walk the old trap line. Matt has suffered from anxiety since childhood and his father suggests this trip will help. Matt and Holly set out to find the trap line, and, in so doing, they resolve their problems. This is a wonderful coming of age story about family, tradition, and understanding.

The Theory of Crows was a fantastic father daughter healing story. It presented a large amount of grief that comes from losing your sense of self and how sometimes whats required is to return to your roots to find that again, and how these experiences can be passed generationally.

I am already a fan of David A. Robertson's middle grade writing so I was thrilled to dive into an adult novel of his. I was not disappointed.

There is so much to appreciate about The Theory of Crows. This is a book that explores the connection that Indigenous people have with their heritage and their historic homes. It dives deeply into familial relationships, in particular, several aspects of parent and child dynamics. It takes the reader on an outdoor adventure across the land. David Robertson's portrayal of the connection between his protagonist Matt and his daughter Hallelujah is the centre of the story and it is a sweet and rewarding journey. Though this book is written with adults as its intended audience, it would also do well for a mature teen reader.

I loved this story soo much, from its GORGEOUS cover to the lyrical, beautiful prose. David Alexander Robertson is a writer of supreme talents and nowhere is this more evident than in his latest adult fiction novel.

Ultimately a father-daughter story, Matthew and his sixteen year old daughter Holly are struggling. Estranged from each other, it takes a family tragedy to bring them together as they set out to rediscover the family trapline.

Full of great mental health rep, wonderful Cree culture and essential messages about the healing power of the land and the importance of being there for those we love.

I switched between the physical and audio copies of this book and enjoyed both formats immensely. HIGHLY recommended! This has definitely landed in my favorite books of 2022 list. Much thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Canada for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

“You can’t know what a book is about by looking at its cover. Some terrible books have great covers, some great books have terrible covers, and everything in between. To Holly, it seemed as though reserves, for the most part, were books that had been given awful covers. She wasn’t naive— she knew there were struggles in First Nations communities, some that she was aware of, some that she couldn’t understand- but in driving through Norway House to get to the cabin she and her father had rented, she knew there was more. She knew there were good things.”

In case you aren’t familiar, David Robertson is a graphic novelist and has written many middle grade and children’s picture books. The Theory of Crows is a work of fiction about a journey between a father and daughter- they both are working to find themselves, but also to bridge the ever widening chasm that has been driving their relationship apart. The story was slow (until the last third of the book), but I found the tone of the writing to be quiet, emotional, and reflective. I appreciated learning more about Cree culture and teachings, and how it was integrated through the story.

I should note that I just really liked the passage I quoted above. I’m sure there were other quotes from the book that would have given a more accurate feel or description of the book. Thank you to @harpercollinsca for a gifted advanced copy of this book and @netgalley for a digital ARC. It publishes today!

Thank you Harper Collins and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Theory of Crows by David A. Robertson. As a Winnipeger, I really enjoyed all the references to our great city and always pleased me when I found one and knew where it was! The story started out slow for me, a lot of build up in Part 1 of the broken relationship between Matt and Holly. I enjoyed part 2 much more and wished there was more adventure. Overall, 3.5 stars!

This is a beautiful story about Matthew, his estranged teenage daughter, Hallelujah/Holly, and their relationship to each other and to their Cree heritage. Quiet, reflective, introspective character study in the first part of the book, infused with beautiful imagery. In the second half, Matthew and Holly embark on a journey to his father’s trapline to find closure after tragedy. Themes of connection with the land and nature and with family, mental illness, loneliness, finding meaning in life, self-love and acceptance run throughout the story. This is not a fast-paced read - although the pace flows more quickly in the second half - but it is a beautifully written story that has at its heart a wonderfully explored relationship between a father and his daughter. Letters written by Matthew (but not sent to Holly) are interspersed throughout the novel and add insights into Matthew himself and to his relationship with his own father. This is must read literary (Canadian) fiction.

Thanks to Harper Collins Canada and Netgalley for an advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

A beautiful and poignant story of the inheritance of stories and meaning.

Father, Matthew, and daughter, Hallelujah-Holly for short, take a trip to look for Matthew’s father’s trap line after a deep loss to the family. Matthew has disconnected from his family and his relationship with his teenage daughter has suffered because of it. Matthew seeks advice from his father, a well known elder in the community, and begins to write letters to his daughter that he may or may not give her.

Though it takes a good part of the book before the trip to find the cabin along the trap line occurs, when it does happen it is full of emotion and adventure. I particularly loved the letters Matthew writes to Holly and the stories and traditions passed on from his father.

Full of beautiful imagery, The Theory of Crows shares the healing power of quiet and reflection. It reminds us to take the risks and not let time go by without sharing our feelings.

Thank you to @harperprennial / @harpercollinsca and @netgalley for an eARC and physical ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions. the Theory of Crows publishes September 13, 2022.

Note: TW for self harm, addiction, family death, depression, addiction

The Theory of Crows by David A. Robertson is a multicultural contemporary fiction about family and the choices we make.

Told from dual perspectives this powerful novel is full of imagery, story telling and the authors Cree heritage.

A must read that will stay in your mind long after you have finished reading🏞️

Review: Theory of Crows by David A Robertson

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins Canada and Harper Perennial for approving me this ARC to one of my most anticipated releases of 2022.

The story focuses on Matthew and his 16 year old daughter Holly as they crappling with their personal anxiety as well as their fractured relationship. It isn't until the family is hit with tragedy that the two come together where Matthew and Holly venture out to find their familys trap line.

This story is also rooted in Cree culture as both David and the main characters come from Norway House Cree Nation and relates to some of the imagery through out the book. Also if you are a fan of David's Misewa Saga you might be familiar with some of the Swampy Cree words used.

This book has a lot of what I love in fiction like a family story that is messy, complicated and equal parts heartbreaking and heart warming. The first part of the book really fleshes out each character where I found myself attached and there was a moment that had me tearing up/out right crying because it hit me on such a personal level.

The second part is equally as captivating and had me glued to every page. But I can't go into detail because this is not a spoiler review.

This is David's first novel in the adult fiction genre and it comes out September 12th so make sure you check it out whether you are a fan of his other books he has written in various genres or not this is a must read.

TW/CW: Panic Attacks, Alcohol Use, Self Harm, Emotional Cheating, Death, Death of a Parent, Suicidal thoughts

I really enjoyed this book focused on family relationships and the impact of our littlest actions. Matt and his estranged daughter Holly embark upon the task of taking Matt’s father’s (Holly’s moshom) ashes to his elusive family home and trapline that Matt has only heard stories about. I was not prepared for this book to end. Wonderfully written!

Book Review
Theory of Crows by David A Robertson

Thank you to @harperperrenial for my gifted copy in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own. Release September 2022

⚠️Trigger Warnings⚠️
- Depression
- Self harm
- Alcoholism
- Suicidal ideation
- Anxiety

Themes
- Journey of self discovery
- Familial relationships
- Indigenous peoples connection to Turtle Island
- Teenage transition to adulthood/coming of age
- Storytelling
- Indigenous histories
- Family death

Characters
Hallelujah aka Hall
- teenager with growing pains, trying to understand her fathers depression and her own, desperately seeking a connection with her father, she feels lost and alone
Matthew
- a father and husband struggling with depression and anxiety, he has lost his connection to himself, he seeks to fill a void he cannot define

Thoughts
Powerful storytelling and imagery allow this story to flow fluidly
The bond between family members is strong… even with those we have lost… love when you are hurting is hard, compassion for others and their journey can be harder. It is those that support us at our worst and forgive us our sins that help heal us and move forward on life’s path.

This book is one whose message will stay with me for awhile.

💫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬 💫 ⁣
𝘉𝘺 𝘋𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘥 𝘈𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘴𝘰𝘯⁣
𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳: 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘭 (𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝟷𝟹.𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟸)⁣
𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦: 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 ⁣
⁣
trigger warnings: self harm. Loss of parent. Alcohol. ⁣
⁣
“𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦”⁣
⁣
And with this quote I won’t say too much except to say I want everyone to read this lyrical, beautiful novel about a father-daughter journey. How the relationship between our past and the history of pain can lead to a floundering of self despite seemingly having everything you ever wanted….⁣
⁣
It’s parenting. It’s generational love. It’s heartache. And at the heart of it all is a father and daughter love journey that finds its way into a huggable book. ⁣
⁣
I leave you with two quotes that were so poignant that I had to highlight them: ⁣
⁣
“𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺”⁣
⁣
“𝘐𝘧 𝘐’𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘶𝘱 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩, 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥’𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘮𝘦”. ⁣
⁣
Beautifully written. Love the growth of both Holly and her father Matthew.

I have followed Dave A Robertson For a while through his middle school and picture book stories. These are staples in my classroom library to help in learning about indigenous histories. I was over the moon excited to receive an ARC in ebook format for his upcoming fiction novel titled “The Theory of Crows” releasing this coming September.

The Theory of Crows is a fictional tale told from the perspective of a hurting and disconnected father and his daughter. This book was special. It was magical. But beyond that it was a story of loss, family struggles and healing. I experienced all the emotions while reading Matthew and Hallelujah’s (Holly) journey from page one to the final words. This was a finish in one sitting kind of story. I was touched in so many ways in this story. This is the power of a true story teller. The natural elements in this story were very vivid and you felt like you were there with the characters. The Cree teachings and the oral traditions were evident and pulled from David’s wisdom of the Swampy Cree.

In my opinion the book centred around children seeking connections with their fathers on a multi generational level. Which I think will also span the higher end of YA and then into contemporary fiction for adults. I would love to see some trigger warnings for this novel as there are scenes with self harm, alcohol and loss of a parent.

Thank you David for writing this story. It was melodic in nature to me and it spoke to my heart. I know that these stories that you write and share will live on for generations. I totally need this book on my shelf.

Thank you to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.