A fascinating collection exploring identity through Indigenous experience. I appreciated the honesty and examination of relationship in different facets. Not one person’s life is the same as another, but human growth is where we can find common ground. I enjoy reading human experiences in the hopes of understanding and growing.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Books, and author m.s. RedCherries for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A collection of poetry and prose about native culture, childhood to adulthood, and finding your family and roots. The poetry felt the most concrete of the collection, and while the prose was well written, it didn't hold up against the rich metaphor and punchiness of the poetry.
RedCherries uses the term "Indian" and while I don't like using the term and prefer to use "Native American" or "Indigenous" that is not all native peoples preference and I will respect their perspective.

I enjoyed the introspection about what makes someone "truly" native and what culture "truly" feels like. As someone who is a white native, it hit home for me as it can be hard feeling like you are truly part of a culture you come from.

My favorite poems are: "america never looked for us", "red is the only color i see", and "new mass."

Every year I write a column for Ms. magazine with my favorite poetry collections of the year, and this was one of them. I choose three words to describe each book I select, and for this one, I chose "Stillness, americanness, continuous." A beautiful volume.