Prairie Edge was a really well-written book. I appreciated the character exploration and nature almost being another character in the story.

Set in the prairie province of Alberta, Canada, this is a gritty eco-thriller about two Métis cousins who, in a pique of activism, steal a herd of bison and offload them in a downtown Edmonton park. Rife with generational trauma, loss, and reckonings both cultural and personal, this is a quieter, slower, more considered book than the conventional eco-thriller. It covers a lot of ground re: life, culture, social justice and innumerable injustices of Indigenous people in Canada, not to mention the Land Back movement and its emphasis on self-determination for Indigenous people.

[Thanks to University of Minnesota Press and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

This is a transcript from the All the Books podcast:

This is a novel about two Métis cousins who steal a herd of bison and release them as a way to reclaim land in a downtown Edmonton park.
So it makes sense that it’s being marketed as a crime thriller, but I think that’s misleading.
There is crime, and there are some thrilling scenes, but I’d consider this more of a character exploration than a thriller.
In the first chapter, we follow a group of Métis people on a bison hunting caravan.
They lament the shrinking numbers of this animal they rely on for so much of their survival and culture.
There are rumours this will be the last bison hunting caravan.
The main character asks an elder what they’ll do if the bison are gone.
He replies that the bison will come back, even if it’s lifetimes later, because “these prairies were meant for the bison.”
Then we meet the main character, Ezzy.
He’s floating through life, not sure what to do.
He used to steal car parts and sell them, but now that he’s out of jail, he doesn’t have a whole lot of options left.
Ezzy grew up in a string of foster homes and group homes, none of which offered stability.
His closest family is his aunt, who he stays with often, but he still holds resentment that she wasn’t able to take care of him when he was younger.
When he meets Grey, he really admires her.
She’s educated, and she is always at the forefront of protests, speaking powerfully about colonialism and the land back movement.
She’s frustrated by how little has changed in years of protests, so she plans something dramatic.
When she calls him up to help smuggle a herd of bison from a national park to the downtown Edmonton park, he immediately agrees.
This turns out to be a lot easier than he expected, but slowly, that night starts to catch up to them both.
There’s a lot going on here, including the intergenerational effects of colonialism and the way activism can be hijacked for selfish purposes, but what stood out to me the most was the generations of Ezzy’s family damaged by the foster care system.
Like residential schools, this is another way the Canadian government has torn apart Indigenous families continually.
It’s so difficult for Ezzy and his aunt to pick up the pieces of their family, even with the best intentions.
There is a lot of darkness in this book — I want to give content warnings for racism, gun violence, murder, and a threat of sexual assault.
But the relationships between the characters keep this from feeling completely bleak.
And that’s Prairie Edge by Conor Kerr

This book ended up being much deeper than I originally expected it to be, in the best way possible. In this day and age of performative activism, I think satire is one of the best ways to expose people to their bad habits and misaligned ideologies.

Feeling the need to make a "statement" and losing sight of the consequences, these two cousins will cause a disturbance no one could have predicted when they herd bison through urban Edmonton. Their lives have not been what they envisioned when younger, so they are determined to become enviromental legends. Of course, no plan survives first contact and they will learn lessons along the way.

Taking #landback protests to a new level, two Metis youth move a herd of bison into a downtown Edmonton park. Having grown disillusioned with activism, Grey is determined to make a 'real' difference while Ezzy, whose been in and out of institutions his whole life, just wants to be with Grey. Their plan works, sort of. But it also opens up a new set of problems and challenges, especially once Grey decides she wants to release a second herd. Of course there are no easy fixes to colonialism or its impact on generations of Indigenous peoples. Helping the bison doesn't save Grey or Ezzy from facing their own demons or finding their own paths.
There was lots to like about this novel AND I found it took me a long time to read. The novel flips back and forth between Grey and Ezzy's perspectives. I preferred being Ezzy's narration as I found the writing of Grey's character didn't work as well for me.

Maybe, and I mean this in the nicest way, we can call this a literary pulp fiction indigenous eco-thriller. The top-level plot is a classic noir trope: a femme fatale leads the hapless male anti-hero into a spiral of crime while manipulating the men around her into becoming her accessories.

But Kerr tells this old story in new ways. The crime spree is not concerned with personal riches or revenge, but is rather on behalf of western Canadian indigenous people and a degraded environment. Half of the book is told from Grey's (the femme fatale) viewpoint, and she mostly sees herself as a victim (not without reason) involved in a heroic struggle for her people and her ecosystem. The other half is told by Ezzy, a rootless young man buried under modern industrial society and largely forgotten. His voice is convincing, his fall inevitable but not complete, and he does find some kind of family by the end of the book. In terms of the dreams Grey and Ezzy share at the beginning of their time together, Ezzy may come closer to realizing them.

For some reason, when I first heard about this book, I expected it to be YA, according to the supplementing information. Which it is not. Don't get me wrong, it is a great book, it is many different things, but it is not YA. If you come here looking for a YA-appropriate take on decolonization, indigenous activism, and ecoactivism, this book probably won't meet your expectations. Otherwise, it is a very profound take on the situation of the indigenous people in present-day Canada, their socio-economic marginalization, and their deplorable loss of connection to the natural habitat.
The story is focused on two young Metis people living in Edmonton, who happen to be very distant cousins. Again, was the book marketed as YA because they are "young"? But they are not YA-young, more like in their late 20s, already pretty conscious of being failed by society and disenchanted by the possibilities of change suggested by the existing avenues of social activism. That's exactly where Grey's decision to take upon a more radical action comes from: she corals some bison from a national park and lets them out in downtown Edmonton. Not that it is any kind of solution in itself; rather, just a starting point of further events that entangle both her and Ezzy in many more ways.
Highly recommended if you are ready to confront these complicated topics. Not YA, I repeat, not YA ;)

I am grateful to NetGalley and U of Minnesota Press for an eARC. The expressed opinion is fully my own.

I am so thankful to the publisher, NetGalley, and the Author for granting me advanced access to this one before June 11, 2024. This one wasn't for me, but I am still really thankful for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Prairie Edge is a deeply emotional novel that delves into the legacy of multigenerational trauma and colonialism on two young Métis protagonists and the extended circle of people around them. At the core of the story is an act of activism - bison are relocated to city parks. However, bison are not always predictable, nor are people, leading to unintended consequences that resonate with the reader.
The characters are nuanced and complex, each having a notable growth arc during the novel. Chapters alternate between Ezzie's and Grey's perspectives; each has a distinct voice and unique challenges, which help the reader understand the conflicting interests of the narrow and broader communities in and around Edmonton.
The concluding chapters had multiple large time jumps, which left me wondering what impressions the author wanted to impart. The ending left many unanswered questions, but mostly in a good way, as it left space for me to sit and reflect on what might come.


PS - I'm working my way through books centered in each Canadian province, and this was an exceptional pick for Alberta.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an electronic ARC in exchange for a review.

This is a story is a raw reckoning with wounds that persist across generations, and it challenges us to imagine a beautiful future where change is possible. I loved the characters Ezzy and Grey and their daring act of protest.
Many thanks to University of Minnesota Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved this book. It started a little slow, but then it consumed me. I loved every character. They were all so flawed and so human. Often I don’t enjoy multiple POV books, but I think it worked so well here.

The plot was very loose, but you don’t read this book to find out what happens. You read it to learn and to feel.

Prairie Edge tackled a lot of tough issues (colonialism, land back movements, child welfare systems, etc) and handled all of them with the gravity they deserve. I’ll probably be thinking about this book for a long time, and recommending it frequently.

Thanks to NetGalley and University of Minnesota Press for the ARC.

This is a difficult one for me to review because I really love the idea of this book. I love the themes and the activism of it. However, the writing of this book felt very form over function. I think that Kerr had a very clear idea of how he wanted this story to unfold, but I think that it isn’t going to appeal to some readers, myself being one of them. I’ve seen other reviews where they talk about it jumping all over and making it impossible to read, and I think that is just the way that the Kerr is imparting background knowledge, but it does give some literary whiplash, especially in the beginning when you’re just getting to know the characters. This book is told in dual POV between both Ezzy and Grey, but I have to admit that I found Grey to actually be the more compelling character to read about. Ezzy didn’t have particularly clear motivations to me except maybe survival and staying out of prison. Grey was more clear with motivations, but a little over the top, but her form of activism at least makes more sense than throwing soup at the Mona Lisa.

Overall, I think this mostly comes down to that the writing of this story didn't work for me. I really wish that it had, but it didn't, but it does seem to be really working for other readers and I am fine being in the minority here. I think that this is a book that will really speak to the right audience and I just really wish that audience was me. I wanted to feel more connected to the characters and I wanted more scenes related to the bison. I'm willing to try another novel by Kerr in the future, but for now I'm just going to be sad that I didn't enjoy this more.

Prairie Edge, as the cover suggests, is about the North American Bison, the "Land Back" movement in Canada, activism, and what it means to commit a crime. Ezzy and Grey, Metis young adults, concoct a plan to move bison into the cities that sprung up in their old habitats. This naturally is not viewed as legal by the Edmonton RMCP. Ezzy struggles with the law, addiction, housing and employment, while Grey is part of the indigenous crew.

Conor Kerr has written a wryly funny, critique as novel that should be required reading for all high schoolers. The apocalypse has already happened for the indians of the Americas. Their spunk and ability to adapt is phenomenal. Kerr harnesses this. Well done.

I really enjoyed the culture, roots, and demographic feel to this story. Kerr writes with clarity, beauty and the tragedy that evolves from years of a persecuted people. I loved the characters and their evolution as people throughout the story. I also loved Joe and Auntie May as such kind, warm and inviting characters. I believe them to foreshadow who Ezzy and Grey will end up like. Great story, laced with great lessons. Kerr has been added to my list of authors to watch and read more of!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me preview this book and offer my review in exchange.

I enjoyed this novel quite a bit. It definitely kept me reading to learn what would happen next.

It tells of some indigenous people, the main characters young, but also featuring elders, as they try to find their ways of living within a culture foreign to them and their values. The young characters are struggling, dealing with their emotions, childhood, isolation, violence, and alcohol.

The public reactions after they release a group of bison in a city park are hilarious; the act reminded me of the sort of radical environmental group protests I miss hearing about these days. The ending seemed realistic to me.

Recommended for the right types of readers, which probably doesn't include conservative suburbanites.

Thanks to University of Minnesota Press and NetGalley for the advance copy to read and review.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed this. I felt like the characters were well developed, and the story did well wrestling with a complex topic in a way that was sometimes funny, but in a way that didn't feel to make light of the subject, and seriously, but in a way that didn't feel too heavy - a difficult balance to strike.

The struggle for me between 3 and 4 stars is almost exclusively related to the first 25% or so of this, during which, had I not read the description of this book I would have had very literally no idea what was happening. The way the narrative jumps around so quickly and throws you into the main events of the novel with almost no context didn't work for me - particularly because it didn't feel like that was how the last 50-75% of the book was formatted at all. I struggled a LOT through the first part of this, and was pleasantly surprised when the book seemed to figure out its structure in the second half. Even after finishing and liking the book, I would agree that the first part of this needs some re-working, and I can completely see how it would negatively impact the overall reading experience for a lot of people.

Stories reflect our lives and times back to us and this one is a reckoning- powerful if you truly listen. It is also human and messy and funny…

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of Prairie Edge by Connor Kerr from the University of Minnesota Press/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

This is a very good book, but make no mistake: It is also a very hard read emotionally.

At least for me it was.

What it was _not_ was what part of the Goodreads blurb styled it as: “a frenetic, propulsive crime thriller,” and “a gripping, darkly funny caper.” Oh, sure, there was crime in it, and there was some dark humor, and I was gripped by the story. But it’s not all that in the classic senses of the terms, so don’t go into it in that frame of mind.

Instead, think more along the lines of the recent incredible streaming series Reservation Dogs, and/or the 1998 movie Smoke Signals. Think along the lines of what was done to the land and the Indigenous Peoples who first called it home, and what that then meant for the generations to follow in terms of loss—of property, of income, of family, of culture, of sense of self.

The NetGalley description actually does a better job of summarizing what the book’s about, but it’s not accurate, either, in terms of depicting the characters and their motivations.

I think that at another time I might give this book 3 stars because it and I got off to a rather rocky start, and it really warrants 3.5 stars by my personal reaction standard. But, because it hooked me in deep after that and made me think, hard, and want to pay close attention—and because I am so interested in stories like this—I’m rounding up to 4. And putting Connor Kerr’s first novel, Avenue of Champions, on my To Read list.

DESCRIPTION
Set loose a herd of bison in downtown Edmonton: what could go wrong?

Métis cousins Isidore “Ezzy” Desjarlais and Grey Ginther have beef with their world. With the latest racist policy rolling out. With whatever new pipeline plowing through traditional territory. With the way a treaty (aka, the army) forced the Papaschase Cree off their home on the prairie. And, on the other hand, with how Grey’s friends think if they all just went back to the Rez or the settlement, life would be so much better—pretty, like an Instagram ad. Then there’s the warming planet. And their future, which they seem to be screwing up quite well on their own. Being alive can’t be all cribbage, Lucky Lager, and swiping the occasional catalytic converter.

One night, the cousins hatch a plan to capture a herd of bison from a nearby national park and release them in downtown Edmonton. They want to be seen, be heard, and to disrupt the settler routines of the city, yet they have no idea what awaits them or the fateful consequences their actions have. Balancing wit and sorrow in a work of satire, social commentary, and whip-smart storytelling, Prairie Edge follows Ezzy and Grey’s inspired misadventures as their zealous ideas about bringing about real change do indeed elicit change, just in unexpected and sometimes disastrous ways.

Conor Kerr imagines a web of Métis relationships strained by dislocation, poverty, violence, and cultural drift, but he also laces the ties that bind Ezzy and Grey—and forever bind the Métis to the land—to explore the radical possibility that a couple of inspired miscreants might actually have the power to make a difference.

Heartbreaking story about indigenous people but disjointed and difficult reading made it an almost impossible read. I hate when a book is so confusing and convoluted that the plot gets lost. Good premise but needs more editing.