When I finished reading [book:Moon of the Crusted Snow|39082248], I was left wanting to know the fate of the characters , so I was glad to see there was a sequel. Evan and Nicole, First Nation people of the Anishinaabe tribe, their family and other families who “survived the collapse” have managed to keep on living a decade later in the bush in northern Ontario, Canada where they moved to after the lights went out at the rez. But sources of food are becoming scarce and it becomes clear that they need to find a new way to survive . A handful of people make the harrowing expedition to see what is south, to find the old homeland before moving the whole community to a place they call home. They encounter adversity, loss, bears and extremist militia groups who are pretty scary as they are into “some white power shit”. Scary because it’s relevant now. We never know what caused the power to go out, but it stands as a warning for sure. The adversity is tempered by bravery, hope, resilience, a dedication to their ancestry, friendship and love.

Thanks to my Goodreads friend Jodi for bringing it to my attention. Here’s her review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5516574147

I received a copy of this book from William Morrow/Harper Collins through Edelweiss and NetGalley .

In Moon of the Turning Leaves, author Waubgeshig Rice continues a riveting tale and proves his earlier success was no mere one hit wonder.

In this book, ten years after the events of the Moon of the Crusted Snow, a community of Anishinaabe have built a life for themselves, relying on the strong bonds of kinship and tradition, in a world plunged into chaos after all electric power gives out. But, the community knows their current settlement cannot be a permanent home, due to lack of the resources needed to feed a growing population; they know they’ll have to move on, and soon before the food runs out. The tribe decides to plan a migration to their ancestral homeland on the Great Lakes and in early Spring sends a scouting party out to make the trek first.
This book was a captivating read and while not entirely necessary, it definitely benefits from the reader having read the previous book. Rice writes in a beautiful, economic style, with a real emphasis on the natural world. I won’t give any spoilers here but suffice it so say that in addition to a well written novel, Rice paints an image of apocalypse and aftermath that feel both unique in modern fiction and grounded in our current reality.

If you like apocalyptic fiction or survival stories at all, do yourself a favor and pick up this series!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice

The second installment of a post-apocalyptic story of survival of a native Canadian group. It’s been years since we last left off and the group is thriving by living off of the land in the ways that have been past down by generations, however they are slowly recognizing that they are using up the resources of the land and that they will not have a future if they continue in this way. A group decides to embark on a walk south to their generational homeland in search of new land and the possibility of more people to live life with.

Much like the first, this book is a beautifully written slow account of a what would happen if the world lost power and who would be equipped to survive and what would happen with different outlooks on what survival means.

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Waubgeshig Rice is phenomenal. A recommended first purchase for collections where litfic and thrillers are popular.

This sequel to “Crusted Snow”was just as enthralling. The community that Evan and the others from their village left to create in the first novel has survived for almost twelve years, isolated from everything around them and living from the land. But the time has come to find new, richer lands and, perhaps, a wider community of survivors. Evan and five companions, including now teenaged Nangohns, set out to see if their ancestral lands to the south are habitable. I love this community and its members, who are doing their best to reestablish the old ways and to look after their loved ones in a new world. And now I hope for a sequel to THIS sequel!

Moon of the Turning Leaves is a post-apocalyptic, futuristic, novel. It is the sequel to Moon of the Crusted Snow. I haven't read the first book but this book stood alone for me.

When survivors of the apocalypse form a community, how do they live and care for each other.

Complete with villains this look into the future is a page turner.

A decade after the end of Moon of the Crusted Snow, what's left of Evan Whitesky's rez community has established a new village, Shki-dnakiiwin, in the bush, returning to their roots. The community has just welcomed a new child, Evan's first grandchild, but they know that their resources are dwindling and their community may as well. Their world is out of balance, and though scouts have headed out to learn what happened to the rest of the world after the power went out, none have returned to share the story. So Evan and a group of five leave on a month-long trek to their ancestral homeland along the great lake, hoping to learn if there are others like them -- and if there is a place for them in this new land.

I picked this up after re-reading the first book and refamiliarizing myself with the world Rice has created, and the scenarios he writes feel more possible than before, making this novella hauntingly realistic and ultimately hopeful. Evan, one of the main characters from the first novella, appears here as a leader of his community, growing in wisdom and able to face hard decisions, like having his 15-year-old daughter Nangohns join him on the journey. His example has clearly helped Nangohns become the sensible and skilled young hunter she is, and their relationship with each other and with their friends was one of the many highlights of the story.

I really appreciated how life in the new community was described, not romanticized but also not drawn with longing for what had been lost, and the solid grounding the walkers had in that new way of living made their journey less challenging in some ways while more challenging in others. All is not perfect or idyllic in this new world, especially since there are other pockets of survivors with a much less cooperative attitude, but despite the losses, the future of their community contains a rich well of hope. As we face more serious ramifications of climate change and more emergency situations in our world, a novella like this reminds us that we are stronger in community and in creating a life-giving and life-nurturing future. 4 stars.

Thank you, William Morrow and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.