Wow, this was so so good. An indigenous coming of age story, where a boy is learning how to run a trapline from his grandpa, but he was sent there also to keep him safe while an investigation is on for a house fire that he is a suspect for. This book has a really interesting vibe - like, it almost felt like magical realism without ever actually tipping into magical (I swear I was CERTAIN there was gonna be a werewolf reveal for a good chunk of the book).

Overall a 5⭐️ read and I'm so appreciative to Netgalley for the digital ARC!

Overall I really enjoyed this book. The relationship between grandfather and grandson was special and I loved reading about their time in the woods. Two critiques: I wasn’t super compelled by the “mystery” of it all; I think the book was beautiful without needing that catalyst; and sometimes it felt like the characters were just spewing facts about Ojibwa culture but in ways that didn’t sound authentic to the conversation or their voice. I would recommend though and think it would be good YA reading.

I don't normally like many YA books, but the description captured my interest. I really enjoyed this YA novel by Dr. Anton Treuer about a teenage boy (Ezra) discovering the traplines and life close to nature with his grandfather Liam. I loved Liam's humor and frankness. The story discusses some deeply emotional and unjust things that indigenous North Americans go through. It was beautiful, but terribly sad. I definitely teared up a little at the end. I really loved the descriptions of the Canadian wilderness and wildlife. This book was descriptive without being too verbose, so I believe that it can be enjoyed by a wide range of readers. There are some slight references to sexual activity, but nothing graphic, so I would it is suitable for most middle grade to high school students. I would recommend this book if you love nature but also want to learn more about indigenous North American ways of life.

The book delves into the challenges faced by the Indigenous community, intertwining Ojibwa traditions with a captivating thriller narrative. It offers a deep and insightful look into the struggles experienced within Indigenous families. The book's themes may not be widely understood, as they are not typically taught in schools, which could make it less engaging for some readers. As a member of the Indigenous community, I found this book to be a relatable and enjoyable read. It resonated with me on a personal level, and I always appreciate finding literature that reflects my own Indigenous heritage.

Where Wolves Don't Die is, to me, a classic case of a work with great potential but flat reality. There is an abundance of potential when writing about underrepresented cultures, especially when touching upon both sensitive and severe issues, but I don't think the execution gives justice to the vibrance that both the characters and their surroundings could have shone with.

I'll give credit where it's due: the groundwork is there. The depth with which Ojibwe beliefs and practices are described is wonderful. The author does not hesitate to firmly establish who this story is about, the kind of community they hail from and the challenges they face (e.g institutional racism). The dichotomy between the urban world and the natural world is portrayed in a way wherein one can practically feel the difference in the air that's breathed in either environment.

It was "easy" to read but it wasn't necessarily the most "engaging."

I don't know if there's a singular word to describe it, but it often felt as though the story was drawing from too many different genres without strongly leaning into them. There's an overarching mystery that sets the plot in motion, but there's an odd lack of sustained momentum to engage the audience in the kind of tension that is essential to a 'mystery.' With the changes that the protagonist undergoes, this story can also be thought of as "coming-of-age"— and yet there's an recurring, unnatural awkwardness to the pacing with which this protagonist faces the intricacies of life. Couple this with the odd choice to over-emphasize minor details when unnecessary (like outfit choices), while also skimming over others... I just think there was a lot left to be desired.

My thanks to the author (Anton Treuer), the publisher (Levine Querido), and NetGalley for providing the eARC through which I was able to read the work and write this review.

Ezra Cloud hates living in Northeast Minneapolis. His father is a professor of their language, Ojibwe, at a local college, so they have to be there. But Ezra hates the dirty, polluted snow around them. He hates being away from the rez at Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation. And he hates the local bully in his neighborhood, Matt Schroeder, who terrorizes Ezra and his friend Nora George.

Ezra gets into a terrible fight with Matt at school defending Nora, and that same night, Matt’s house burns down. Instantly, Ezra becomes a prime suspect. Knowing he won’t get a fair deal, and knowing his innocence, Ezra’s family sends him away to run traplines with his grandfather in a remote part of Canada, while the investigation is ongoing. But the Schroeders are looking for him…

From acclaimed author Anton Treuer comes a novel that’s both taut thriller and a raw, tender coming-of-age story, about one Ojibwe boy learning to love himself through the love of his family around him.

This book had a lot of potential, but, I'm sorry, I found it so boring.

It has all the right stuff there, like the honest discussions of the horrors the Natives have faced throughout history (From police brutality to the boarding schools). The representation of Ojibwe traditions, beliefs, and celebrations were well done; you can really tell how passionate and knowledgeable Treuer is about it. But, besides those two things, I couldn't find myself to invest in anything else.

After the inciting incident (Ezra getting sent to Canada after Michael's house burns down), most of the book is spent on Ezra and grandpa trapping. I do not care about the specifics of that, and it certainly didn't help that all of their convos were stiff and awkward as hell. The characters felt more like mouthpieces for Treuer to use to project knowledge onto the reader rather than individual people to connect to. The women characters, especially (Nora, the grandma, and the dead mother being the main examples), felt more like props to either lift up or give the men growth.

Overall, I wish I was able to enjoy this read, but I couldn't get past how lifeless the story and characters were.

Thank you to Levine Querido and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Where Wolves Don't Die by Anton Treuer by a stunning new YA novel featuring an Ojibwe boy living in Minneapolis. The story revolves around Ezra, whose father works as an Ojibwe professor at a local college. Ezra hates living in the city and wishes they could go back to the reservation where they grew up. When a bully threatens Ezra's best friend, he gets into an altercation with the bully. When the bully's house burns down, the police suspect Ezra. With his father's permission, he leaves to a remote part of Canada to live with his grandfather.

Here is an atmospheric excerpt from Chapter 1:

"I hated the snow in Northeast Minneapolis. It looked pretty when it was falling from the sky, sometimes in large gentle flakes that made you want to stick out your tongue to catch them and sometimes whipping in harsh winds across the Plains and into the city, where the houses and stores and police station couldn't shield you. But the problem with the snow in Northeast Minneapolis wasn't the snow-it was Northeast Minneapolis. When the snow was falling from the sky, humans hadn't been able to taint it yet. But once it hit the ground, it started to melt and turn to slush and refreeze and change to ice. It made you slip and slide and forced you to walk differently, more carefully than you should have to."

Overall, Where Wolves Don't Die is an amazing new YA novel that will appeal to fans of Diary of Part-Time Indian or The Firekeeper's Daughter. One highlight of this book is how it is an #ownvoices novel featuring Ojibwe characters. I feel like this is a severely underrepresented area of YA fiction right now, and I am so happy to be able to support this author. I hope that he continues publishing more books and that the number of Native American fiction books continues to expand.

I did take off 1 star because although the synopsis of this book makes it seem like a thriller, it really wasn't one. The thriller aspects of this book were over in a second as soon as they began. In addition, the ending of this book, where everything is explained, was completely unsatisfying because the explanation felt so unbelievable. I understand that this is fiction, but the beginning felt realistic. But I truly think that the author will improve this area in his future books. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of Native American YA fiction in general, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in June!

I'm so sad I could not get through this book. I really wanted to love it because of its representation, the beautiful cover and the fact that I can never have enough shorter books for my students. Maybe I wasn't in the right head space for this book and maybe I'll try again when the physical copy is released.

I got through half of this before I set it down. I appreciated the fact that the author clearly has a lot of knowledge regarding the contemporary issues that the Indigenous communities are fighting against, many related to the historical discrimination the communities have faced. These are really important topics for us to read about. However, I feel that the way the main character, Ezra, spoke about some of these issues felt forced. I kept hearing an adult's voice rather than a teenage boy's, and it pulled me out of the overarching mystery/thriller plot of the book just a bit too much. I wish that Ezra's insights into the world around him was told in a more organic way that didn't slow down the pacing of the plot., because the premise of the mysterious fire and the wolves is super.

Thank you to Levine Querido and NetGalley for the review copy.

Thank you to Levine Querido and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book!

Unfortunately, I do not think I am an age range that would do well for it. While there were many aspects of the book I did lie-- connections, grief, love, loss-- I felt as if some things were written by someone clearly an adult in ways that stuck out a bit, such as the handling of the romance. Some too, were parts of the story where Ezra would be expected to have knowledge of the situation and therefore not need to think about it as deeply to inform the reader of what was going on, and then because Ezra would be telling us, he'd be distracted or out of it, making it clear it's not just.... information for us, but something Ezra is actively thinking about to explain it to an invisibly audience.

Conversations between Ezra and his grandfather often seemed similarly stifled, where they might be having conversations that made it seem like they'd never truly talked to each other, giving all sorts of information that it might have been thought Ezra would know already.

One thing that I did like is how little a part Matt played in the story. Bullies-- particularly racist bullies, even with terrible things that have happened to them-- do not need a redemption arc in diction!

Where Wolves Don't Die is an intricate look into the life of Ezra Cloud. He hates living in Northern Minnesota. The cold, the snow, being away from his reservation. He gets into a huge fight with his best friend and his best friend's house burns. Ezra has to clear his name from the suspect list in this thriller. This book was very interesting and kept me pulled into Ezra's world. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

A powerful tale of resilience, identity, and the enduring strength of family bonds.

At the heart of the story is Ezra Cloud, an Ojibwe teen in Northeast Minneapolis grappling with the complexities of belonging and self-acceptance. When tragedy strikes his high school bully, Ezra becomes a prime suspect, and his journey takes an unexpected turn as he seeks solace with his grandfather at the Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation.

While a suspenseful thriller in its own right, the story takes on real charm with the parallels of his grandfather's Ojibwe teachings woven into his modern life.