Fire Exit is Morgan Talty's debut novel, following his collection of short stores Night of the Living Rez. Charles is a white man who grew up on the reservation of Penobscot First Nation, raised by his white mother and his Penobscot stepfather. He lives across the river from the house where his ex, Mary, and his daughter, Elizabeth live. In order to provide his daughter with everything that comes with a First Nations identity, Mary insists on raising her daughter as the child of Roger, who is Penobscot. For over twenty years now, Charles has watched his daughter from a distance, and he is now ready to tell her about her true identity. He's also struggling to help his mother, Louise, who has dementia and lives on her own. While Charles is desperately trying to reach his daughter, his mom is starting to lose all sense of who he is.

This novel has so many layers. The characters are woven together so well and the story is unique. I really enjoyed it, and I think fans of Richard Wagamese and Thomas King would enjoy Talty's style. It delves deep into the importance of identity, but also how much who we believe we are can shape our lives. Funny at times, sad at others, it was a good rollercoaster ride. I really enjoyed Night of the Living Rez and I was not disappointed in this novel. If you haven't read any Morgan Talty, I recommend you give him a try!

I don’t really know how to describe this book, except for weird. And not weird in a bad way, but a good way. Charles is our main character and you get to follow his life through some time. He lives on a reserve in Maine.
I went to through all the emotions while reading this book. I cried, I laughed, I was surprised and angry.
The first half of this book you will feel like what is going on, where are we and what am I reading. But about halfway through it starts to make much more sense.
I throughly enjoyed this book, Charles was such an interesting character to be in the mind of.

“I wanted the girl to know the truth. I wanted her to know who I was - who I really was - instead of a white man who had lived across from her all her life and watched her grow up from this side of the river” - Morgan Talty 💜💜💜💜💜 Thank you @penguinrandomca and @netgalley for this E-ARC. What a remarkable and unforgettable read. “Fire Exit” is about everything and nothing all at the same. Morgan Talty is a wizard with words and I was captivated throughout. This story touches on family, secrets, loss, love, blood, addiction, mental health, death, dementia, colonization, racism and everything in between. This is a story that I wanted to never end but at the same time ended so poignantly that it will rest among my top reads thus far this year. This is a highly recommended read and I for one cannot wait to read more from Morgan Talty.

"Fire Exit," a debut novel by Morgan Talty, offers a blend of Indigenous history and compelling themes. While these aspects contribute to the novel's intrigue, the pacing, at times, can be slow, which didn't resonate with me. For those looking to explore Indigenous stories, this book is worth considering. For myself it landed flat, I wish there had been more about the daughter's story, or perhaps her point of view. I felt that it was missing something.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada, Knopf Canada and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this one expecting to love it, but unfortunately it fell a little bit flat for me. I found the plot to be a bit slow-moving and the writing felt a bit dry. I did enjoy the themes that were explored, including the universal themes of family dynamics and substance abuse, and the themes specific in indigenous culture.

Fire Exit stands out as a powerful debut novel. Its strengths lie in its rich character portrayals, its thoughtful exploration of themes, and its engaging narrative style. Morgan Talty has crafted a story that is both touching and gritty, offering readers a profound look into the lives of its characters. The book's weaknesses, if any, are minor and do not detract from its overall impact. Fire Exit is a must-read for those interested in stories about family, identity, and the intricate connections that shape our lives.

I gave this book a 3 star. It read as a YA book to me but had adult themes within it. I’m not sure what I was expecting when I started it but I felt unsatisfied when I finished it. I couldn’t relate to the characters and I wanted to know more about the daughter’s story. The story itself was good and we really felt the emotions of someone dealing with a loved one with dimentia.

"Fire Exit" by Morgan Talty is a compelling exploration of trauma and resilience. The novel intertwines personal struggle with broader societal themes, using a narrative that is both intimate and expansive. Talty's prose is striking, filled with vivid imagery and emotional depth. The characters are richly developed, and their journeys are portrayed with a raw authenticity that resonates deeply. The book's pacing is well-crafted, keeping readers engaged while unraveling a poignant and thought-provoking story. Overall, "Fire Exit" is a powerful and moving read that leaves a lasting impact.

Interesting story of one persons life, his mother developing dementia, his unacknowledged daughter that he wants to educate ipabout his indigenous family history and mental history., in a gentle manner.

Still struggling with my attention span these days. In the beforetimes, I would have gobbled up this book very quickly, so don't read too much into how long it took me to read! Each time I did pick it up, I was very engaged and taken with the story. But then I'd go ages before picking it up again, and that's a me problem, not a failing of the book. The author does an amazing job of really communicating to the reader the emotional and mental state of the narrator, Charles. Recommended for those interested in indigenous issues, blood quantum, dealing with an aging parent suffering from dementia, and family drama.

Charles lives across the river from his daughter. He’s only had one chance to meet her, which did not go all that well since then he’s not seen her other than from a distance from his house across the river with his mother, sick and suffering from dementia and him, wondering, how to take care of her and how to honour her when she goes thinking he finds out that his grown-up daughter has taken off somewhere and her neighbour does not know when or where when she’ll be back or when she’s gone, these things in his mind these things make him think about death and legacy, and he thinks his daughter needs to know about him, his family his past but when he
<blockquot talk to her, she’s gone and the neighbor, not knowing when she’ll be back, begins thinking about his which is filled with tragedy, loneliness, addiction, abuse, and happiness

Charles Lamosway grew up on the Penobscot Reserve, but, not being Penobscot, he was forced to leave when he turned eighteen. All his ties, however, are on the reserve, including his stepfather Fredrick, now dead in a hunting accident.

At the novel's open, Charles lives across a river from where he can see the home of Mary, a woman he was involved with years earlier lives. Mary and Charles had a daughter, Elizabeth, but Mary ended up marrying Roger, a man of the Penobscot nation. Elizabeth was raised with no knowledge of Charles. For years, Charles has desperately wanted a connection with his daughter.

This passage beautifully illustrates Charles' thoughts and emotions:

"It was Fredrick’s love that made me feel Native. He loved me so much that I was, and still am, convinced that I was from him, part of him, part of what he was part of. That was how I felt about Elizabeth—in truth, she was a descendant only from her mother’s side, and if that were to come out and she were taken off the census, would she feel any less Native? I didn’t think so. Blood matters only enough to keep us alive. She was Roger’s daughter in the same way I was Fredrick’s son, and I knew deep down he was as good to her as Fredrick had been to me."

Charles' mother Louise is gradually losing her memories, and has suffered for years from what seems to be depression. Charles then finds out that Elizabeth's health is compromised, prompting him to tell Mary that he must tell Elizabeth the truth of her parentage. Mary opposes this, as Elizabeth would then lose her tribal membership.

This is a complex story of family and identity, and the various controversial means (such as blood quantum) the government has used to gradually reduce the numbers of indigenous people from their population statistics, and consequent allocations.

Interestingly, for a story so much about indigenous identity, and the legacy of genocide and difficult circumstances on reserves which can lead to poor health, among other things, author Morgan Talty chooses to speak about these things form the perspective of an outsider, but whose heart still turns to his indigenous connections. At the same time, Talty comments on racist legislation, while not obviously harmful to whites, still has an effect economically on the working class and the poor, and how this has affected Charles and Louise.

While Talty keeps the focus around Charles' dilemma, his excellent story is large in scope, dealing skillfully with complex emotions, complicated history and the legacy of trauma.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC in exchange for my review.

While I typically go for more mystery/thriller type novels, I thoroughly enjoyed this book that was a change of pace for me. I really felt the emotion of this book and I loved the writing style, as it was beautiful “story telling”. Thank you for the opportunity to read such an excellent book - I am grateful to have found a new favourite author!

I didn’t like nor dislike this book. I feel like it was missing something that I can’t quite put my finger on. The writing was well done and it was a gripping read, just not as thrilling as I had hoped

‘We are made of stories, and if we don’t know them—the ones that make us—how can we ever be fully realized? How can we ever be who we really are?’

A beautiful and emotional debut novel that deals with mental health, aging, family dynamics and secrets, alcoholism, and how these issues impact a caregiver. Charles has spent over 20 years secretly watching his daughter Elizabeth grow up with a different father from across the way on Penobscot Reservation. He must care for his mother as she deteriorates from dementia, manage his best friend's addictions and grapple with whether or not to tell his daughter the truth. The emotions in this book are real and raw, and you truly feel how difficult things must be for Charles. This is a beautiful novel and a triumph of a debut.

4 stars for some confusions in the way the narrative went, but overall an incredible read.

Talty's narrative is both eloquent and immersive, drawing readers in with its rich descriptions and deft storytelling, ensuring a thoroughly engaging read from start to finish!

FIRE EXIT
Thanks to Penguin Random House and Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this debut novel by Moran Talty. I found it to be quite consuming and hard to put down
From the Penobscot Reservation Charles Lamosway reflects back on his life and the choices he made along the way He is a white man who was raised on the reservation, his father being native. He now lives across the river from the reservation where he watches a daughter he fathered with Mary, a Native American woman.
Even though he hasn’t been allowed to be part of his daughter’s life , he never gives up hope that they will someday form a bond.
The book winds back and forth from past to present. He grew up amid harsh circumstances but the love in his family was always present. The care he gives his ailing mother is ever present. The longing and brief glimpses of the daughter he hasn’t been allowed to see are heartbreaking,
This is a great novel, there is excellent narration and character development. I highly recommend this book.

Very well written story about the human experience.

This is a story about pain, and about guilt, and about those feelings in the face of loss. Loss of others and yourself.

It takes a while to get into the story but it is well written and to the point. It reminds me a lot of the way Kerouac writes, his stories that are just stories about life.

Fire Exit by Morgan Talty is an interesting story told from the perspective of Charles Lamosway as he watches his daughter from across the river grow and live without knowing who he is. This tortured tale of love and longing takes you through Charles life of addiction, his worry of his mother who is suffering from dementia and the past he wants to leave behind.

This was a very good story, with a few high points, but somewhat slow as there was not a real "climax" so it was more a slow burn. While I prefer books that have a definitive story, this one had many interwoven layers that built on each other, more a story of his life. It also touched on aspects of abuse and life on a reservation. Overall a good story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was an interesting journey. The life story was a bit sad but the ending was nice. To live a life watching from the other side of the river he must have felt disconnected. The way it was written I felt for the characters and their struggles. It was written like real life with hardships and human emotions that don’t always get resolved.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Charles Lamosway is just a river away from Maine’s Penobscot Reservation and a daughter he isn’t allowed to call his own. It’s a secret he has had to keep for over 20 years. However, when he starts to worry about her safety and with his mother’s dementia worsening, Charles doesn’t know if he wants to keep the secret any longer.

Morgan Talty’s writing truly brings you into the character of the introspective and sometimes ruminating Charles. You can really feel the layers of worries he faces as he cares for his mother (the past) and is always keeping an eye out for his daughter (the future). This book is one that really explores family, bloodlines, culture and the stories that are inside us, both the ones we know and the ones we don’t.

Thank you NetGalley, Knopf Canada & Penguin Random House Canada for the copy to read and review.