Read:
Ice by Joseph Bruchac - I think the title and cover of this collection of stories are pretty uninspired. That lowered my expectations of the stories, but I was wrong. This story was amazing. He created an entire community and experience that I feel like I saw.

Wild Geese by Louise Erdrich - This story was confusing.

This was a good little collection of modern native american short stories. Each of the authors had a distinct and interesting style and voice. Some had a good mix of old and new story elements as well. All in all good storytelling and easy to relate to. ( )

My VOYA ratings: 3Q, 2P

Short stories are difficult. You just find yourself finally understanding the character or the plotline and then it's all over; leaving you left wondering what happened after (and before) the story began. That said, some of the stories in this collection stand up a little taller than the others. I particularly liked Sherman Alexie's "Because My Father Always Said..." and Linda Hogan's "Crow." They had strong, well-painted characters from the start. Others, however, like "The Last Snow of the Virgin Mary" left me wanting more. I couldn't quite flesh out the narrator or his love interest enough to keep me riveted to the point of being sad when the story was over.

I'd have a hard time recommending this collection to students since I didn't love it. I think a more full picture of Native American life can be found in full-length novels and works of nonfiction ... even graphic novels. Worth a read, but not my favorite. ( )