All the Indian children who were ever Indian children never stopped being Indian children, and went on to have . . . Indian children, whose Indian children went on to have Indian children, whose Indian children became American Indians, whose American Indian children became Native Americans, whose Native American children would call themselves Natives, or Indigenous, or NDNS, or the names of their sovereign nations, or the names of their tribes, and all too often would be told they weren't the right kind of Indians to be considered real ones by too many Americans taught in schools their whole lives that the only real kind of Indians were those long-gone Thanksgiving Indians who loved the pilgrims as if to death.
As much as I loved Tommy Orange's debut, There There, I loved Wandering Stars even more. It's a beautifully written account of Native American oppression over several generations of the same family. Starting with the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864, moving to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, which attempted to strip every Indian of their culture, and into present day Oakland, Orange creates a cast of characters that will both break your heart and inspire your soul. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in return for an honest review. This book will be published February 27, 2024.

4.5 rounded up

In this strong sophomore novel, Orange returns to the some of the characters he introduced in his debut, There There, and expanding on the family's history. Like the first book, Wandering Stars is structured around alternating POVs, but this book felt more intentional and more grounded in character than in plot. I love books that expand the standard narrative of American history, and this is certainly that. The book is grand in scope -- taking us from the 1875 Sand Creek Massacre to the current-day opioid crisis -- but stays close to the emotional lives of the character. Looking forward to pushing this book into readers' hands.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy.

This book follows some of the characters from There There through the aftermath of that book. It deals with addiction and generational trauma. I liked the historical fiction sections at the beginning that gave broader context to the contemporary characters' lives.

STARS consists of two parts. Part 1 follows the Red Feather family through generations, where readers spend little time with each character. Part 2 picks up immediately after THERE THERE and focuses on Orvil & his brothers.

With his signature style, Orange pulls no punches in examining "surviving survival" in the Indigenous community across time. After genocides, massacres, and the Indian boarding schools, there are still poverty, mass shootings, and addiction. How does one not just survive but thrive? That's the central topic Orange explores in STARS via multiple lenses.

STARS reminds me of a quote about how "sometimes we can only save ourselves in the face of insurmountable pain, and even that is enough." Especially toward the end of STARS, this revelation made me sob. As bleak as the themes are, I loved the ending and how Orange ties in the idea that sometimes we must wander to come home into the story.

Stylistically, parts 1 & 2 seem a bit jarring when read as a single book. I wonder if reading part 1, followed by THERE THERE, and then returning to part 2 will provide a smoother transition. Additionally, while part 1 can be read as a standalone, I'm not sure if the emotional impact will be the same in part 2 without having read THERE THERE first.

Overall, while the format is a bit awkward, STARS is a phenomenal read for fans of THERE THERE, and I can see both books becoming modern classics in American literature.

It is hard for me to write a clear review because I have so many thoughts about being a Navajo woman who seeks out indigenous writers, about how the weight of history is still carried by Native peoples in the U.S. and for many this weight and trauma affects how we live our lives right now, about how Native peoples are so incredibly strong, but wouldn't it be amazing if we didn't always have to be, about how family means so much, and about how Tommy Orange is becoming one of my favorite contemporary writers. I would have given a five star review, but I felt the beginning raced through the lives of characters I would have liked to have spent more time with. I hope we will read more about Orvil Red Feather again. The disco/rave scene will stay with me for a long time and I hope many Native people learn to dance again. If you have any interest in great writing, just read this book. I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley. The content of this review is my own. Posted on Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/174147294-wandering-stars

Major thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for offering me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts:

"𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘦. 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘥."
.
"𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. 𝘛𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯."

In this inter-generational narrative, Orange tries to track and map out how trauma is formed. Does hurt hurt here? Or there? Before? After? How does hurt echo? Could it have been prevented? How tight must the tourniquet be to stop bad blood bleeding into later generations?

Orange has such a grip on language, lets it run its course like fate lines in the palm, like running rivers, in a very Oakland book. I love this voice and this voice for Oakland, and reminds us how important it is to take these narratives into account. Because the hurt comes from somewhere. And it's important to pinpoint where it all comes from, why it boils down to where we're at now.

I hadn't realized this was a sequel of sorts to There There, so it was a bit difficult for me to deeply connecting with some of the characters, so I think it's definitely recommended to pick up the author's debut before jumping into this full swing.

Another masterpiece from Tommy Orange. This is not a light read. The subject matter is important and rarely covered in such a beautiful way. This book is truly a piece of literature. Was it my favorite book? No. It was heavy and depressing at times, but overall it was so well written that I will definitely recommend it to others.

Tommy Orange is back with this lyrical, poetic style of writing - a great sophomore follow-up that gives a sort of closure to There, There. A tough read, nonetheless, that may be difficult for some readers. It delves into themes of violence and trauma, including enduring generational trauma that implores readers to take a step back and really analyze a multigenerational family saga that was so heavily influenced by the cultural erasure of Indigenous peoples.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.

“You’ll wonder about the name Victoria once you find out your real mother named you that while she was… birthing you…if she was saying the word victory…that she had birthed a living being, brought another Indian into a country that’d been doing its best to disappear you for hundreds of years, in countless ways.”

This is the theme I think Tommy Orange is focused on in his new novel. His writing is stunningly beautiful. I struggle with his style of storytelling. It seems like he is telling me a story with gaps in it and saying IYKYK. I obviously don’t know but I hope that I am learning and growing by trying to understand in the best way I can.

In this novel Orange goes back in history to bring forward the stories of generations of trauma and loss for the Cheyennes. It’s full of pain, pathos, and there is no justice, just holding it together and moving forward with the combined memory of the people.

I can’t adequately review this book because of my limited scope but I can definitely appreciate the care and the intention with which it has been imbued.

My thanks to @aaknopf, @NetGalley, and @penguinrandomhouse who allowed me to read this

Tommy Orange builds on the stories of several characters introduced in There, There. He deftly delves into generational trauma, tracing one family back to the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre and through boarding schools, prison, and slavery. Each character's attempt at escaping winds through the book, along with the title. This is a challenging and necessary read.

I loved There, There and was so excited to see another book by Tommy Orange, and one that carries on the stories of Orvil Red Feather and his family. Wandering Stars takes an interesting approach, by going back in history and showing how the generational trauma is impacting these characters.

We follow Orvil's ancestors from the Sand Creek Massacre, to the American Indian boarding schools meant to strip indigenous children of their history and culture, to the present day. Through this reflection, we see the devastating impact of the trauma across generations, resulting in the suffering we see by Orvil Red Feather and his family.

The book is beautifully written and the character development is solid.

Tommy Orange writes with an authenticity, rawness, and sensitivity I admire. I cannot wait to read more from Orange!

thankis to #WanderingStars #NetGalley for the eARC.

When I read the first pages of Tommy Orange’s debut novel There There, I was instantly gripped, emotionally and intellectually. I was thrilled to read Wandering Stars, which takes up the same characters, beginning with the inception of the family’s trauma at the Sand Creek Massacre.

A number of years ago I read a book on the Sand Creek Massacre that was commissioned by the United Methodist Church as part of their repentance and reconciliation with Indigenous people; the leader of the massacre was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church when he lead the attack on a group of women, children, and elderly men.

Orange begins his novel with a survivor of the massacre. Wandering and starving, he turns himself over to the authorities only to be arrested for a crime he did not do. He takes the name Jude Star after he is indoctrinated to be Christian and learns English.

Assimilation was one of the words they used for Indians becoming white in order to survive, in order that they might not be killed for being Indians.
from Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

The next generation finds Star’s son Charles taken to a residential school with the purpose of destroying Native culture and erasing its history. After leaving the school, Star and fellow student Opal Viola try to build a new life. But generation after generation carry inherited trauma, each struggling with issues of identity, lost heritage, and substance abuse. The latest generation includes Orvil Redfeather, who was shot while dancing in his first Pow Wow, as told in There There.

It is an engrossing read with wonderful characters and storytelling, and a disturbing read as we are immersed in the experiences of these characters and are reminded of the horrendous acts against humanity that shaped our country.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book.

I am still digesting. This book is one of the best books I’ve read in the past few years. It’s so good that when I finished it, I started reading it again. This book will make you FEEL. It’s unsettling, uncomfortable, and raw. The writing is outstanding and beautiful and we learn about the inner workings, history, and traumas that get passed from generation to generation. Not everyone may like this book because of the way it makes them feel, but everyone should read this book. I will be highly recommending this to my networks(social, personal, and professional) in the months to come!

Publisher, I would love a hard copy to carry around with me all Spring!

Thank you for the memorable reading experience.

I have been so excited to read Tommy Orange’s second book, but I wish I had re-read There There before reading Wandering Stars. Jumping back in with the Red Feather family, we find out what happens after the powwow in Oakland. But first, several generations of family history are included, beginning with the Sand Creek Massacre to residential Indian schools and then to present-day Oakland, where the urban Red Feather family are trying to find connections to their tribe and culture.

The chapters are written in first, second, and third person. And, unsurprisingly, written beautifully. Orvil has survived being shot at the Powwow, but it continues to affect his family and himself—physically and mentally. Sadly, suffering pain and finding comfort in addiction, an all too common fate.

What I did not love: The characters at the beginning of the book deserved more development. I hope that is coming in subsequent books. What I did love: weaving Donnie Darko into the story.

Wandering Stars is a stunning tale of a Native American family and its intergenerational trauma and struggles with addiction. Every voice in the book is unique and compelling, from Jude Star, forced to suffer at the Carlisle school, to his descendants, who grapple with opiate addition and poverty in Oakland, California. I can't say it was a pleasant read, and not and easy one, but Orange's language is astonishing in its originality, and the story is essential.

Very well-written story--it kept me reading and engaged. Beautiful storytelling and imagery. I would definitely recommend this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Tommy Orange!

With snippets of generations revealed through the lenses of different characters within a Native American community, author Tommy Orange pulls together an intricate reflection on life, loss, and family. This novel builds on the characters we are introduced to in Orange’s debut "There, There"–a novel I greatly enjoyed–yet I found myself struggling to really get into "Wandering Stars."

Part one starts in the latter half of the 1800’s, throwing readers into the tumultuous history of colonization and murder of Native American peoples. Readers learn more about the personal struggles of several characters and how they are all connected to bring readers to part two, picking back up in the present day aftermath following the end of "There, There."

The emotional and mental resilience of the Native American community is the heart of this book as readers learn more about, for example, the genocidal boarding schools children and young adults were forced into–I appreciated the way such a charged historical subject was given a human perspective; the sense of strength was conveyed so purposefully through just a minor glimpse into the character’s history. To that end, though, the first half of the novel felt almost a bit too factual, and the brief introductions we are given to several characters did not feel like enough for me to feel engaged.

The distinct separation tonally from part one to two was too overpowering for me to really dig into the book, but there’s no doubt Orange is such an artistic and creative writer. I was intrigued by how well Orange conveyed how one seemingly small event can change the course of a family history for years to come, and, above all else, that despite colonizer efforts to wipe out Native American culture, they survived and fought and remembered their identity, ensuring their lineage would not forget either.

Wandering Stars is a novel that spans many generations of a family that is constantly struggling, starting way back when European settlers attempted to eradicate the Native people. With a number of characters and narrators, the family tree provided at the beginning of the book is absolutely necessary. Keeping the family members straight was a challenge, but the overall story was great.

Brilliantly written generational saga of an Indigenous American family and the harsh realities of being dispossessed by their subjugators. Coping as best they can in the society they live in, the importance of family support is clearly illustrated.

Well-written and affecting, and ultimately a challenging read about trauma, addiction, and the native american experience. Constant character jumping left development wanting and less interesting as a narrative structure.