Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf for the ebook. The first part of this book follows a Native American who survives the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and follows his survival and lineage. The second part follows his modern day family, as they are trying to figure out how to move forward and survive in Oakland. A shooting will lead one son to a long recovery, but a growing drug habit and another who embraces cutting rituals as a way to keep everyone safe. It shows a family at risk of falling apart as they also try to question what it means to be a modern day Native American.

Beautifully written, difficult to read, but it’s important to know and to acknowledge history and the impact of that history on the present. Wow , can this man write - from the heart soul as he depicts the Indigenous American experience at different times . The prologue itself should be taught in high schools. It’s a multi generational story of identity, belonging, legacy and family, reflected through loss, blood shed, addiction. This is a follow up to Tommy Orange’s first novel [book:There There|36692478]. But it’s more than just a follow up taking me back to memorable characters that I loved in that novel. It goes further back in time to earlier generations of the family, back to the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 with Jude Star and to 1924 with his son Charles Star focusing on the infamous Carlisle Indian School.

As in his first novel, this one is told through multiple points of view. I can’t quite give this all the stars as I felt the strength of the connections between the stories stronger in [book:There There|36692478]. Having said that, meeting Orvil Red Feather again as he continues on his journey to find himself, meeting again Jacquie Red Feather, still healing , and Opal Viola Victoria Bear Shield, my favorite character, still fiercely loving and protecting her family is a moving experience . Tommy Orange has once again educated me and reminded me of the brutal past of the Native American, an important story to be told.

I received a copy of this book from Knopf through NetGalley.

I enjoyed this book, as it told the story of a family across multiple generations as they dealt with addiction and the legacy of oppression against the Native people of the United States. I didn't always feel like the stories meshed together super well, and it was occasionally difficult to parse where we were in the story (I found myself flipping to the family tree often).

Wandering Stars is part sequel to There, There and a look back at several generations of one character's family.

A shooting at a Pow Wow that involved Orvil Red Feathers is an important part of the story/journey. Then the book goes back to the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre and begins the path to the present, detouring to include the Carlisle Indian Industrial School all the way into the present. As in There, There, each chapter introduces us to generations and reminds us of the attempted decimation of these Indigenous people.

WOW this book is great - in my opinion, it really cements Tommy Orange as one of the best American writers to come out of the last few years. It is epic and intimate all at once, and so skillfully done. Orange pulls off the difficult task of making each section of a multi-pronged story equally compelling - I was gripped by the stories of Star, Charles, Opal, Orvil, and Lonny, without ever wishing to go back to a previous main character. His writing is so tactile and just a pleasure to read - I will be shocked if this isn’t nominated for the National Book Award next year.