by Thomas King
ISBN: 0802138403
I’ve read three of King’s books before: the knockout nonfiction The Truth About Stories, One Good Story, That One which is actually a collection of good short stories, and the magical novel Green Grass, Running Water. At this point, I think it is safe to say I’ll read any of King’s books that I can find, and I’ll probably be glad that I did.
The central figure in the story is (the rarely mentioned by name) Tecumseh, a fifteen year old kid who is struggling to make sense of his world. Truth & Bright Water is his story, which is to say it is also about his dog Soldier, his separated parents, his cousin Lum, his Auntie Cassie, the returned “famous Indian artist” Monroe Swimmer, the tourists who show up for Indian Days, and the folks living in and around Truth and Bright Water. It’s about borders and politics and environmental crimes and poverty and art and family secrets. It is about what anything people want to call a “coming of age” story should be: confusion, questions, unfairness, yearning, and uncertain outcomes. (I don’t like “coming of age” as a genre, or a descriptor, so it really bugs me this book was marketed that way.) It is a book about a fifteen year old kid, yes, and also about identity and race and what is wrong with the world.
If really good stories are your thing, and you don’t need every little thread knotted up and tied off because part of what you enjoy is the room to turn things over a bit, it’s probably time you started reading Thomas King. Highly recommended.
