I enjoyed reading this book as an insight into tribal reservation life and how it can affect the people who are a part of it. I connected with Mitch who seemingly was just looking for a place to call home. And by wanting to belong somewhere, he puts his morals and values to the test. The outcome of his trials and tribulations helped him learn how to be the man he wanted to be.

It's kind of like "Succession" on the rez--political intrigue, family loyalty and individual aspirations, backstabbing and rumor mongering. I liked it.

I was looking forward to reading Jon Hickey’s debut novel, “The Big Chief,” because it seemed intriguing as it portrays the life of an Indian tribe in Wisconsin and I am always interested in learning about different cultures. Unfortunately, as explained more fully below, the book did not live up to my expectations. It didn’t seem to have much of a plot, if any, and the story was somewhat monotonous and repetitive.

The book’s protagonist, Mitch Caddo, is the attorney and political advisor for his childhood best friend, Mack Beck, who is the current Tribal President and is running for reelection employing any means necessary to win including banishing people from the tribe so they can’t vote. Mitch has lived in Mack’s shadow since childhood when Mack protected Mitch from bullies. As an adult, Mitch continues to be subsumed by Mack’s more powerful personality, following Mack’s orders even when they seem morally questionable. Although Mitch frequently feels disgust at himself for his part in enabling Mack’s actions he seems powerless to object or stand up to him.

The prose had a lyrical, literary quality to it and the characters, although not very likable, were nuanced and well drawn. However, the story itself was not very engaging. It consisted of a lot of internal monologues on the part of Mitch, filled with self-doubt and self-loathing, along with dialogs between him and various other characters about the upcoming tribal election, all of which became somewhat monotonous. Nothing really happens until halfway through the book when Mitch’s mentor, who is Mack’s adopted father, dies in what appears to be an accident, but could have been suicide with hints that someone had a hand in the “accident”. But even that event becomes anti-climactic as the specific cause of the supposed accident is never revealed. There were also numerous protests regarding the pending election held in front of the Government Center, but these too became all too frequent and tedious. And as mentioned previously it was hard to care what happened to the characters as they were not very likable.

Although the book did not appeal to me, perhaps other readers will find the themes more interesting and will also enjoy the well drawn characters and the literary style of the writing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me an ARC of the novel in exchange for my honest review.

This book was just okay. I read it quickly, but it seemed like not too much was going on while at the same time a whole lot of extra was going on.

Big Chief was different from anything I have ever read before, perhaps because I don't often read novels about political intrigue, unless they are also science fiction or fantasy. Big Chief deals with tribal politics, and its events are almost entirely confined to the week leading up to the tribe's presidential election. The author, debut novelist Jon Hickey, makes the brilliant decision of focusing the story on the reelection campaign following two years in office. We slowly learn more about how the idealism of the first campaign has given way to political corruption, resentments, and opportunism.

This is a subtle novel in many ways, though the parallels between the microcosm of the tribal election and the national US political moment were anything but. The subtleties come instead in its characterizations, particularly of its biracial protagonist, Mitch, and his relationship to his tribe and to his white adopted father and career mentor.

The protagonist (or perhaps a bit of an antihero) is slippery. I found it hard to get a handle on him, but I also got the sense he didn't quite understand himself, or was unwilling to fully confront the reality of his self, and so this was the point. Things seem to happen to Mitch, and yet we know both from others and his own (somewhat begrudgingly given) account that he is a schemer, the man behind the mirror of the actual tribal president, his childhood friend Mack. Mitch is first and foremost among the complex characters of the novel's cast--among which there are very few truly good people, despite all of their many good intentions.

The novel does contain frank depictions of political and police violence. Yet, these moments never felt gratuitous, but only inevitable, the mark of a truly well-executed plot. I was not always sure what to think about Big Chief while reading it, but the more I sit with the novel, the more I like it. I hope others do as well.

Mitch has a law a law degree that he’s using for his Nation’s political candidate as Tribal president. He’s about to confront hard choices as the climate of the upcoming election forces him to choose where his loyalties lie. The setting in inhospitable northern Wisconsin is completely foreign to me. Having read several multicultural stories who’s focus was native tribes, I always gain insight to the culture. There are power struggles with a constant threat of being thrown out, disenrolled or banishments as a member of the tribe based on proof of lineage. Crime, poverty and drugs live beside the massive Casino, fancy cars and ornate estates. Mitch must face his childhood best friend, his feelings for the woman he still loves, while dealing with politics, corruption, protests and unrest. The tension of the story builds as events unfold. His perception of his lifelong mentor is upended. It’s a powerful story of friendship, family, loyalty and finding your calling in life. While there were many takeaways the one that stood out for me was be careful who your heroes are. No matter their status, intelligence or accolades they’re human just like you. The story made me feel desolate, it’s depressing to visualize the ongoing struggles within tribal settlements.
Simon & Schuster (via NetGalley) provided an Advance Reader Copy of “Big Chief” by Jon Hickey, publication expected 04/08/2025. These are my honest, personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.