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Bad Cree
In this gripping debut tinged with supernatural horror, a young Cree woman's dreams lead her on a perilous journey of self-discovery that ultimately forces her to confront the toll of a legacy of violence on her family, her community and the land they call home.
When Mackenzie wakes up with a severed crow's head in her hands, she panics. Only moments earlier she had been fending off masses of birds in a snow-covered forest. In bed, when she blinks, the head disappears.
Night after night, Mackenzie's dreams return her to a memory from before her sister Sabrina's untimely death: a weekend at the family's lakefront campsite, long obscured by a fog of guilt. But when the waking world starts closing in, too--a murder of crows stalks her every move around the city, she wakes up from a dream of drowning throwing up water, and gets threatening text messages from someone claiming to be Sabrina--Mackenzie knows this is more than she can handle alone.
Traveling north to her rural hometown in Alberta, she finds her family still steeped in the same grief that she ran away to Vancouver to escape. They welcome her back, but their shaky reunion only seems to intensify her dreams--and make them more dangerous.
What really happened that night at the lake, and what did it have to do with Sabrina's death? Only a bad Cree would put their family at risk, but what if whatever has been calling Mackenzie home was already inside?
When Mackenzie wakes up with a severed crow's head in her hands, she panics. Only moments earlier she had been fending off masses of birds in a snow-covered forest. In bed, when she blinks, the head disappears.
Night after night, Mackenzie's dreams return her to a memory from before her sister Sabrina's untimely death: a weekend at the family's lakefront campsite, long obscured by a fog of guilt. But when the waking world starts closing in, too--a murder of crows stalks her every move around the city, she wakes up from a dream of drowning throwing up water, and gets threatening text messages from someone claiming to be Sabrina--Mackenzie knows this is more than she can handle alone.
Traveling north to her rural hometown in Alberta, she finds her family still steeped in the same grief that she ran away to Vancouver to escape. They welcome her back, but their shaky reunion only seems to intensify her dreams--and make them more dangerous.
What really happened that night at the lake, and what did it have to do with Sabrina's death? Only a bad Cree would put their family at risk, but what if whatever has been calling Mackenzie home was already inside?
259 pages, Hardcover
First published January 10, 2023
822 people are currently reading
41.6k people want to read
About the author
Jessica Johns
11 books268 followersJessica Johns, Cree writer from Canada, is a nehiyaw-English-Irish aunty and member of Sucker Creek First Nation in Northern Alberta.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,776 reviews
March 28, 2025
After an extremely-vivid dream involving a seemingly-evil murder of crows, Mackenzie wakes with a start to find that she has the severed head of a crow in her hand.
Trying to shake off the fear from the dream, Mackenzie is shocked at what she is seeing. After a few breathless moments, the head is gone. Was it really there, and if so, what does it mean?
Rattled from the dream, Mackenzie is even more shaken the next day when she discovers crows seem to be watching and following her through the city streets. As if the dream itself weren't disturbing enough.
She confides in her one close friend in the city, hoping they will be able to help her make some sense of what is happening to her. Unfortunately, the nightmares persist. Mackenzie is losing sleep and her health takes a blow. She needs to do something.
She needs to figure this out. She can't go on like this. She decides she needs to go home. Her gut tells her that the answers are there, but the idea of returning to her rural prairie town fills Mackenzie with apprehension. Having fled home after the death of her beloved kokum, Mackenzie now feels estranged from her close-knit family.
It doesn't help that when her sister, Sabrina, passed away suddenly, Mackenzie, unable to face it, didn't even go home for the funeral. She carries a lot of guilt because of that.
Once home, she's enveloped quickly back into the fray. It's like a warm, though tentative hug. The reunion goes better than she expected.
Mackenzie finds herself slowly gaining strength from her family, it's a physical reminder of who she is and where she came from. She has such loving, supportive and wise women in her life. Her Mom and Aunties, even her cousins, surround her with energy.
Her dreams do continue and seem to be escalating, however, she now has someone to share them with. She's confiding in her family and together it feels like they may be able to actually figure it out.
Mackenzie spends a lot of time with her cousin, Kassidy, and sister, Tracey, trying to decipher the meaning behind the nightmares. It's clear they're connected to a night they shared at the lake, where the girls, along with the now deceased, Sabrina, took an ill-fated walk home from a party.
But how can that long-ago night possibly be connected?
'This is serious. These dreams, the crows. It's all telling you something. You need to listen.'
Y'all, I fell completely in love with Jessica Johns' debut novel, Bad Cree. It's an exceptionally well-constructed, slow burn Supernatural Horror novel, full of inspired imagery and thought-provoking themes.
There's no way I will be able to adequately explain my love for this, but I'll give it my best shot.
From the very first pages I was pulled into this story. Johns goes dark and quickly. Mackenzie's dreams are at the forefront at the start of this novel and I was digging the tone.
I really enjoyed Johns' style of storytelling. The writing is blunt, to the point and perfectly descriptive without beating it to death. I appreciated how incredible the imagery was without being so flowery that the plot got buried.
I also really enjoyed the mystery at the heart of the story. Trying to find out how the current situation was related to the past was so enthralling.
Additionally, I loved watching Mackenzie's journey as she reunited with her family and began opening up to them. She really needed to get to a place where she was okay asking for help and that touched me.
I felt everything she was going through. I felt those feelings, hesitations, grief, guilt, etc. It was all so well done. It was super believable and relatable.
Another thing I really appreciated about this story is that there is no romance. This is a story of family and culture, of history and growth, and it didn't need a pointless romance shoved in to gain popularity points.
It's also a very female-focused story, which was so refreshing. All the main characters in this story are either female, or nonbinary. To have an entire novel focused on familial relationships, and nothing else, is pretty rare and I loved how it was done here.
I highlighted so many passages in this book. I absolutely adored this from start-to-finish. The family in this story is total life goals. The Indigenous experience and lore weaved throughout made it captivating and eye-opening.
I could seriously go on for many more paragraphs, but at this point, I think you probably get it: I LOVED THIS STORY. 10-out-of-10 recommend!!
Thank you so very much to the publisher, Doubleday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I am definitely buying a hard copy of this one for my shelves!! This should be on every Horror Lovers bookshelves!!
Trying to shake off the fear from the dream, Mackenzie is shocked at what she is seeing. After a few breathless moments, the head is gone. Was it really there, and if so, what does it mean?
Rattled from the dream, Mackenzie is even more shaken the next day when she discovers crows seem to be watching and following her through the city streets. As if the dream itself weren't disturbing enough.
She confides in her one close friend in the city, hoping they will be able to help her make some sense of what is happening to her. Unfortunately, the nightmares persist. Mackenzie is losing sleep and her health takes a blow. She needs to do something.
She needs to figure this out. She can't go on like this. She decides she needs to go home. Her gut tells her that the answers are there, but the idea of returning to her rural prairie town fills Mackenzie with apprehension. Having fled home after the death of her beloved kokum, Mackenzie now feels estranged from her close-knit family.
It doesn't help that when her sister, Sabrina, passed away suddenly, Mackenzie, unable to face it, didn't even go home for the funeral. She carries a lot of guilt because of that.
Once home, she's enveloped quickly back into the fray. It's like a warm, though tentative hug. The reunion goes better than she expected.
Mackenzie finds herself slowly gaining strength from her family, it's a physical reminder of who she is and where she came from. She has such loving, supportive and wise women in her life. Her Mom and Aunties, even her cousins, surround her with energy.
Her dreams do continue and seem to be escalating, however, she now has someone to share them with. She's confiding in her family and together it feels like they may be able to actually figure it out.
Mackenzie spends a lot of time with her cousin, Kassidy, and sister, Tracey, trying to decipher the meaning behind the nightmares. It's clear they're connected to a night they shared at the lake, where the girls, along with the now deceased, Sabrina, took an ill-fated walk home from a party.
But how can that long-ago night possibly be connected?
'This is serious. These dreams, the crows. It's all telling you something. You need to listen.'
Y'all, I fell completely in love with Jessica Johns' debut novel, Bad Cree. It's an exceptionally well-constructed, slow burn Supernatural Horror novel, full of inspired imagery and thought-provoking themes.
There's no way I will be able to adequately explain my love for this, but I'll give it my best shot.
From the very first pages I was pulled into this story. Johns goes dark and quickly. Mackenzie's dreams are at the forefront at the start of this novel and I was digging the tone.
I really enjoyed Johns' style of storytelling. The writing is blunt, to the point and perfectly descriptive without beating it to death. I appreciated how incredible the imagery was without being so flowery that the plot got buried.
I also really enjoyed the mystery at the heart of the story. Trying to find out how the current situation was related to the past was so enthralling.
Additionally, I loved watching Mackenzie's journey as she reunited with her family and began opening up to them. She really needed to get to a place where she was okay asking for help and that touched me.
I felt everything she was going through. I felt those feelings, hesitations, grief, guilt, etc. It was all so well done. It was super believable and relatable.
Another thing I really appreciated about this story is that there is no romance. This is a story of family and culture, of history and growth, and it didn't need a pointless romance shoved in to gain popularity points.
It's also a very female-focused story, which was so refreshing. All the main characters in this story are either female, or nonbinary. To have an entire novel focused on familial relationships, and nothing else, is pretty rare and I loved how it was done here.
I highlighted so many passages in this book. I absolutely adored this from start-to-finish. The family in this story is total life goals. The Indigenous experience and lore weaved throughout made it captivating and eye-opening.
I could seriously go on for many more paragraphs, but at this point, I think you probably get it: I LOVED THIS STORY. 10-out-of-10 recommend!!
Thank you so very much to the publisher, Doubleday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I am definitely buying a hard copy of this one for my shelves!! This should be on every Horror Lovers bookshelves!!
January 10, 2023
I am so happy I had the chance to read an advance copy of Bad Cree by Jessica Johns. It is a beautifully written horror novel that focuses on family and grief.
It opens with Mackenzie, a young Cree woman, waking from a dream in which she was fighting off crows. When Mackenzie wakes, she is shocked to realize she holds a severed crow’s head in her hands. She blinks, and it is gone. But the crows that have been following her during her waking hours remain. This nightmare is the beginning of a series of bad dreams that sets Mackenzie on a path of figuring out the cause of these nightmares that feel like memories.
After her kokum died, Mackenzie moved from High Prairie to Vancouver to escape her grief. Mackenzie also lost her sister a year ago. Now, she returns home to try to remember what happened on one of her family’s trips to the lake and to investigate why crows are still following her.
This supernatural horror is character-driven and is a bit of a slow burn. It focuses on Cree family dynamics. The slow parts might be a drawback for some readers, but as an Indigenous woman, I lapped it up. It reminded me of growing up and hanging out with extended family.
The author provides context for the handful of Cree words throughout the text. I know a scant amount of Cree, but fortunately, I understood nearly all of the terms and messaged a family member for the one word I didn’t. But as I said, context is there, and Google could be handy.
The tension ebbs and flows in this novel. It starts with a nightmarish quality (literally) and becomes more strained and eerie as it progresses.
It is exciting to see more Indigenous writers having a chance to share stories. I might be biased, but Indigenous people are great storytellers.
I can’t wait to read more from the author. I highly recommend picking this up as soon as you can.
Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
It opens with Mackenzie, a young Cree woman, waking from a dream in which she was fighting off crows. When Mackenzie wakes, she is shocked to realize she holds a severed crow’s head in her hands. She blinks, and it is gone. But the crows that have been following her during her waking hours remain. This nightmare is the beginning of a series of bad dreams that sets Mackenzie on a path of figuring out the cause of these nightmares that feel like memories.
After her kokum died, Mackenzie moved from High Prairie to Vancouver to escape her grief. Mackenzie also lost her sister a year ago. Now, she returns home to try to remember what happened on one of her family’s trips to the lake and to investigate why crows are still following her.
This supernatural horror is character-driven and is a bit of a slow burn. It focuses on Cree family dynamics. The slow parts might be a drawback for some readers, but as an Indigenous woman, I lapped it up. It reminded me of growing up and hanging out with extended family.
The author provides context for the handful of Cree words throughout the text. I know a scant amount of Cree, but fortunately, I understood nearly all of the terms and messaged a family member for the one word I didn’t. But as I said, context is there, and Google could be handy.
The tension ebbs and flows in this novel. It starts with a nightmarish quality (literally) and becomes more strained and eerie as it progresses.
It is exciting to see more Indigenous writers having a chance to share stories. I might be biased, but Indigenous people are great storytellers.
I can’t wait to read more from the author. I highly recommend picking this up as soon as you can.
Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
December 7, 2022
A murder of crows......
What could possibly go wrong?
A cluster of black-feathered creatures with their shrieking high-pitched sounds. Scavengers perched near battlefields and cemeteries.....never a comforting sign.
Mackenzie feels their presence outside her window. They seem to follow her along the streets of Vancouver where she works as a cashier at the local Whole Foods. Mackenzie resorts to putting her head down and following her familiar footsteps back to her sub par apartment. But it's the intense dreams that she can't escape from. Sleep never comes.....only the nightmares.
Mackenzie considers herself a "bad" Cree. She left her family and her home in Alberta after her sister, Sabrina, died suddenly. She never even went back for the funeral. Disconnect became her middle name. But the guilt is seeping in powerfully, especially after she finds a black crow feather on her nightstand. It's time to deal with it all.
Jessica Johns presents her debut novel lined with unresolved grief alongside the intense grip of family and culture. She carves Mackenzie into that one element of humanity that sets the heaviness and burdens of life's situations somewhere on a shelf to be dealt with later or not at all. Mackenzie, moreover, dismisses what is at the heart of the Cree....family. And she'll pay the price for that.
Bad Cree leveled out at a 3 to a 3.5 Stars for me. It lingered far too long in some areas with repetition and treading water. The pacing definitely needs some fine-tuning. Johns' strength came in her characterizations.....so very human and raw. And as we approached the conclusion, there were solid elements taking place and the beauty of the Cree began to shine through. That's when the 4 Stars began to twinkle for a gem in the making now and in the future for this author. I want that voice to be captured, once again, in her next offering. Jessica Johns is one to watch.
I received a copy of Bad Cree through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Doubleday Books and to Jessica Johns for the opportunity.
What could possibly go wrong?
A cluster of black-feathered creatures with their shrieking high-pitched sounds. Scavengers perched near battlefields and cemeteries.....never a comforting sign.
Mackenzie feels their presence outside her window. They seem to follow her along the streets of Vancouver where she works as a cashier at the local Whole Foods. Mackenzie resorts to putting her head down and following her familiar footsteps back to her sub par apartment. But it's the intense dreams that she can't escape from. Sleep never comes.....only the nightmares.
Mackenzie considers herself a "bad" Cree. She left her family and her home in Alberta after her sister, Sabrina, died suddenly. She never even went back for the funeral. Disconnect became her middle name. But the guilt is seeping in powerfully, especially after she finds a black crow feather on her nightstand. It's time to deal with it all.
Jessica Johns presents her debut novel lined with unresolved grief alongside the intense grip of family and culture. She carves Mackenzie into that one element of humanity that sets the heaviness and burdens of life's situations somewhere on a shelf to be dealt with later or not at all. Mackenzie, moreover, dismisses what is at the heart of the Cree....family. And she'll pay the price for that.
Bad Cree leveled out at a 3 to a 3.5 Stars for me. It lingered far too long in some areas with repetition and treading water. The pacing definitely needs some fine-tuning. Johns' strength came in her characterizations.....so very human and raw. And as we approached the conclusion, there were solid elements taking place and the beauty of the Cree began to shine through. That's when the 4 Stars began to twinkle for a gem in the making now and in the future for this author. I want that voice to be captured, once again, in her next offering. Jessica Johns is one to watch.
I received a copy of Bad Cree through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Doubleday Books and to Jessica Johns for the opportunity.
February 1, 2023
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Bad Cree was one of my most anticipated 2023 releases and while I did like it, it didn’t quite live up to its premise as it ultimately reads as one of those debuts that manages to be both refreshing (in its imagery, in its lack of the usual romance subplot) and cliched (in its storyline, in its language, eg: “I exhale a breath I hadn’t noticed I’d been holding” and “[i]t takes a minute to realize the scream is coming from my own mouth”). Maybe I have read too many female-driven thriller-esque stories where the mc’s sister (occasionally best-friend, sometimes her mother) is dead and or has disappeared and in their search for answers they find themselves going to their childhood home or revisiting their past. As I was reading Bad Cree I found myself waiting for something to happen, for the storyline to flesh out the characters’ personalities, to deepen the characters’ relationships, and to elaborate the worldbuilding, but the narration remains fairly superficial, more interested in maintaining suspense and drawing out the mystery. Our main protagonist could have been made into an interesting, nuanced even, character, but she very much exists to push the story forward. There are glimpses of something more, in terms of her character and her relationship and role within her family, for instance, she believes that she is often on the outskirts of her family, a spectator to unfolding conversations and drama. Her friendship with Joli also could have added a much-needed level of warmth and intimacy to the story, but upsettingly enough soon after Mackenzie’s return to Alberta, Joli is pushed to the sidelines and seemingly forgotten (which makes our mc into a rather crappy friend) for plot reasons.
The novel follows Mackenzie, a young Cree woman who after the death of her kokum and Sabrina, her sister has been laying low in Vancouver where she works as a cashier. That is until her dreams and reality begin to coalesce. Her recurring dreams eventually reveal a pattern that leads to a night when her sisters, Sabrina and Tracey, and their cousin, were camping by the lake. Something happened, something that has Mackenzie feeling guilty and confused. Eventually, persuaded by her aunt and Joli, Mackenzie takes time off work and returns to her hometown where at first she tries her best to assuage her loved ones that all is well and that her dreams are no longer encroaching on her reality, but she soon realizes that ignoring the problem won’t make it disappear. As she confides in her family, she learns that all of them have been hiding something, and their dreams may be all pointing to that night and that something may be indeed after them.
The narrative maintains its initial suspense however I kept waiting for things to be taken up a notch, for the tension to be amped up, which doesn’t seem to happen. There are elements that could have been scary but they are executed in a rather anticlimactic way. Mackenzie’s grief and her decision not to return home after her sister’s death are certainly touched upon, but I found myself wishing for more depth, or at least, more page time spent on unpacking or elaborating these themes and on conveying Mackenzie’s inner voice. While reading it I was brought to mind Monkey Beach, which is an underrated gem, and a recent release, Erika T. Wurth’s White Horse, which also dabbles in horror.
Overall Bad Cree was by no means a ‘bad’ read but I did find it ultimately rather forgettable and unsatisfying. Don’t take my word for it, as we know, YMMV, so if you are interested in this debut I recommend you give it a try.
Bad Cree was one of my most anticipated 2023 releases and while I did like it, it didn’t quite live up to its premise as it ultimately reads as one of those debuts that manages to be both refreshing (in its imagery, in its lack of the usual romance subplot) and cliched (in its storyline, in its language, eg: “I exhale a breath I hadn’t noticed I’d been holding” and “[i]t takes a minute to realize the scream is coming from my own mouth”). Maybe I have read too many female-driven thriller-esque stories where the mc’s sister (occasionally best-friend, sometimes her mother) is dead and or has disappeared and in their search for answers they find themselves going to their childhood home or revisiting their past. As I was reading Bad Cree I found myself waiting for something to happen, for the storyline to flesh out the characters’ personalities, to deepen the characters’ relationships, and to elaborate the worldbuilding, but the narration remains fairly superficial, more interested in maintaining suspense and drawing out the mystery. Our main protagonist could have been made into an interesting, nuanced even, character, but she very much exists to push the story forward. There are glimpses of something more, in terms of her character and her relationship and role within her family, for instance, she believes that she is often on the outskirts of her family, a spectator to unfolding conversations and drama. Her friendship with Joli also could have added a much-needed level of warmth and intimacy to the story, but upsettingly enough soon after Mackenzie’s return to Alberta, Joli is pushed to the sidelines and seemingly forgotten (which makes our mc into a rather crappy friend) for plot reasons.
The novel follows Mackenzie, a young Cree woman who after the death of her kokum and Sabrina, her sister has been laying low in Vancouver where she works as a cashier. That is until her dreams and reality begin to coalesce. Her recurring dreams eventually reveal a pattern that leads to a night when her sisters, Sabrina and Tracey, and their cousin, were camping by the lake. Something happened, something that has Mackenzie feeling guilty and confused. Eventually, persuaded by her aunt and Joli, Mackenzie takes time off work and returns to her hometown where at first she tries her best to assuage her loved ones that all is well and that her dreams are no longer encroaching on her reality, but she soon realizes that ignoring the problem won’t make it disappear. As she confides in her family, she learns that all of them have been hiding something, and their dreams may be all pointing to that night and that something may be indeed after them.
The narrative maintains its initial suspense however I kept waiting for things to be taken up a notch, for the tension to be amped up, which doesn’t seem to happen. There are elements that could have been scary but they are executed in a rather anticlimactic way. Mackenzie’s grief and her decision not to return home after her sister’s death are certainly touched upon, but I found myself wishing for more depth, or at least, more page time spent on unpacking or elaborating these themes and on conveying Mackenzie’s inner voice. While reading it I was brought to mind Monkey Beach, which is an underrated gem, and a recent release, Erika T. Wurth’s White Horse, which also dabbles in horror.
Overall Bad Cree was by no means a ‘bad’ read but I did find it ultimately rather forgettable and unsatisfying. Don’t take my word for it, as we know, YMMV, so if you are interested in this debut I recommend you give it a try.
March 12, 2023
4.0 Stars
As someone who loves Indigenous fiction, especially horror, I have been highly anticipating this release.
So, unsurprisingly, my favourite aspects of the story involved the cultural elements and related family dynamics. I felt that the ownvoices perspective gave an authentic balance perspective on being an Indigenous person here in Canada. I also loved the focus on dreams which is very important in Cree cultures.
As for the story itself, it had a good element of atmosphere and suspense. Yet the actual plot is a little sparse for my taste. For a story with such a slow build, I wanted more of a climax.
Overall, I liked this one and even if it didn't fully meet my high expectations, I would still recommend it.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I review books on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheShadesofOrange
As someone who loves Indigenous fiction, especially horror, I have been highly anticipating this release.
So, unsurprisingly, my favourite aspects of the story involved the cultural elements and related family dynamics. I felt that the ownvoices perspective gave an authentic balance perspective on being an Indigenous person here in Canada. I also loved the focus on dreams which is very important in Cree cultures.
As for the story itself, it had a good element of atmosphere and suspense. Yet the actual plot is a little sparse for my taste. For a story with such a slow build, I wanted more of a climax.
Overall, I liked this one and even if it didn't fully meet my high expectations, I would still recommend it.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I review books on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheShadesofOrange
November 2, 2023
I loved this.
More mystery with supernatural/folklore elements than horror, but it was exactly what I needed. Horror-lite, more focused on character development and moving on from grief than scary creepy.
I cried. Beautifully written.
More mystery with supernatural/folklore elements than horror, but it was exactly what I needed. Horror-lite, more focused on character development and moving on from grief than scary creepy.
I cried. Beautifully written.
January 19, 2023
It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on substance abuse, grief, intergenerational trauma, psychological distress, body decomposition, the death of an animal, animal mutilation, violence, & others.
When we stand alone we become aware of the world. Our individuality allows us the opportunity to reflect on proximity, warmth, the global experience & the alteration that we undergo deep inside when we live contrary to the collective. When the reader meets Mackenzie, she is another lost soul in the Acheron. Her personality & mannerisms read as very young yet, when we become acquainted with her we realize she is perhaps too old to be acting the way that she does. Though, I suppose it is fair to say that there is no age limit for grief. Regardless, Mackenzie maintains an ignorance bewildering in its stability within her person. How can an adult wander the world unknown to themselves to the degree at which Mackenzie does?
You will wager, early on, that I did not enjoy this book. I hesitate to say that I disliked it because there were moments that truly captured my attention. I adored the initial setting of this novel & was ever the more eager to see Cree beliefs take centre stage in a novel dedicated wholeheartedly to Indigenous storytelling. I have a soft spot for stories that take place in Canada—finding the places that are home to me in the stories told by others is a wonderful experience. The beginning of a story only lasts for so long before it becomes the essence of the tale. Johns’ lost her way as she developed a plot that held no semblance of intrigue or depth to the fear she was trying to cultivate.
First and foremost this is not a Horror as you might imagine. The premise of this story plays on folktales found within many Indigenous communities. Some people call them Windigo, others Skinwalkers, some cultures of people view them as shadow folks; others still as demons. In this case, wīhtikow is the named figure of the human eater who wanders the land in darkness set to feed on the weakness of our species. Depending on whom you ask, these creatures might be hard to distinguish between you & me. Their main purpose on earth is up for interpretation, but most people can agree that they are entities whose paths you do not wish to cross.
I have many issues with the plot layout, but I will start by encouraging others to read this book for themselves. Just because this is not a Horror as you might imagine does not mean that it is not worth your time. I am very familiar with the genre—I love it dearly—because of this fact, none of what transpired within this book felt interesting, engaging, or spooky. I knew where the story was going from the jump & spent the entire novel waiting for Mackenzie to get a grip on reality so that we could move forward with the conclusion of events. That being said, if you are someone for whom folklore, cereal-sweet writing, casual plum-sauce gore & the fear of the unharmed are thrilling, then I would encourage you to read this book.
Because the writing style of this book felt sloppy & disengaging, I meandered through the plot in circles. This is not necessarily my fault, I was following a slew of characters who seemed incapable of making different decisions than the ones they had already made thrice. Why did we need to read about Mackenzie’s dream sequences only for her to continuously be faced with the unanswered question? Why did Mackenzie start dreaming about her sister a full year after her death? I do not ask this question in vain. Certainly, the anniversary of Sabrina’s sudden passing is reason enough. However, why would the wīhtikow need to haunt Mackenzie who lived a full province away from the land in which it festered?
How did the wīhtikow garner the ability to send text messages? Did Mackenzie not recognize the area code preceding the number that sent her strange messages? I cannot speak to every location on earth but, in Canada, area codes are a simple & fairly standard way of pinning down a location. We also have many websites that allow a more narrow search so, I wonder why Mackenzie never Googled the phone number that was alleging to be her dead sister. I suppose I cannot expect such things from a person who saw a zombie figure of her sister in her dream & instantly thought about touching & coddling her—couldn’t be me but, I digress.
These annoyances do not necessarily break the story, many people will find it easy to look past the bizarre lack of action on behalf of many characters as simply the tang of the story. Why did Jolie become incapable of contacting anyone? If they feared that the wīhtikow was blocking their communication with Mackenzie why did they not play dumb & engage someone else in the communication? How far-reaching are the abilities of the wīhtikow? This creature is seemingly able to manipulate current-century technology, consume souls, & transport itself through geographical distance yet, it remained bound to the forest, only able to be inside the home when Mackenzie brings part of it inside.
I wonder why the author held back. Why didn’t any character that we were familiar with become faced with actual danger? Why was the main character able to escape harm at every turn? There existed no crux of reality within a story that held us to the belief that the world in which we live is filled with the unknown. There were no stakes to be won here because nothing was being gambled. Mackenzie didn’t care where she was in the world & her family was too closed-off to ever tell her that they cared so, where does that leave us? These are certainly issues in & of themselves but there is no resolution to them.
With the story rolling around in circles the reader is given no choice but to be faced with the lack of depth within each of the scenes. The sheer number of times we have to read about Mackenzie trying to talk or touch people while she dreams; the number of times everyone asks if Mackenzie dreamed; the number of times talk of mundane inconsequential things are brought up as though they were life-altering pieces of information, was brutal. The scenes that should have counted towards building the core of this story read as vapid exchanges between one-dimensional characters.
Every character sounded & acted the same. To a certain degree, I appreciate that we were able to connect every member of Mackenzie’s family to one another. They spent so much of their formative years closely intertwined, it only makes sense for some of their mannerisms to be similar. Yet, in all of the redundant conversations about random things, I found that it didn’t matter which auntie was speaking, or if it was in fact Mackenzie’s mom who spent time with her, or whether or not Kassidy or Tracey caught her eye in the room. Nothing mattered enough for it to be upheld as an agency for the characters.
The central conflict of the story is a tale as old as time. For the purpose of this review, I will not be detailing the consequences of colonialism on Indigenous folks on Turtle Island—I encourage you to do that when you have the time to dedicate to welcoming the information. However, intergenerational trauma is certainly a facet of life many people understand innately. In this case, we find ourselves faced with a slew of folk who, though filled with a certain degree of love for one another, experience life in an entirely singular way.
I am not here to judge the approach that any of the characters undertook to gauge their way through trauma. What I am going to do is pose the question as to why we never see those efforts take place within this story. The narrative ensues that Mackenzie harbours a great deal of self-degradation, manifesting these beliefs in the way she interacts with the world. She often reflected on how she believed that love was conditional; we only have so much to give & once we have run dry, there is none to give to anyone else. Why does she feel that way? What part of her life led her to feel that the adults in her life could not love her & her sisters—that they needed to choose?
We never explore the reality that plagues this family. Due to the lore that surrounds wīhtikow & in consequence, the approach towards trauma & grief; people are believed to have died because they harboured the consequences of traumatic events in their bodies. I am not a doctor by trade but, I am someone who has a leg to stand on in this race—I understand this to be true. Whether or not we recognize the effects of hardship, they play out on our bones like splinters through the skin. They eat away at us like wīhtikow in the pits of the forest.
That being said, I wanted to understand why that was for these characters. Mackenzie was so disconnected from her family yet all we read about is their eagerness for proximity. They felt so warm towards one another that simply being in the same town was enough for them to feel strong within themselves. What aspects of their lives altered their behaviour with each other so that the younger generation felt that they were not wanted; that they were a burden?
I wanted to know these characters because I felt like what they had to share was valuable. Though, I conclude my reading by wondering whether or not the author believed that to be true. The exploration of trauma does not necessitate the revelation of the inner workings of the self. In this context, simply revealing Mackenzie as a fully formed individual would have been enough. I didn’t know anything about her which made empathy a difficult emotion to employ.
When all is said & done, I found this story to be exceedingly corny. I appreciated the dreams; I appreciate the state of repose as the ease of finding it escapes me in a chronic & morbid fashion. I appreciated the endeavour; revelations through the tenderness of shadows, love even in silence.
Yet, the writing style was illusive, mundane & tired. We wadded through reefs & corals dulled with the shallow scrape of our footing. Where was the hero? Who saves the person who is a villain to themselves? I think, to an extent I agree; this night is ever-lasting. Yet, there is more to night than its shadows; there is the life inside the grey shading of the sky, the whisper of those with whom we share this side of the moon. Lest we forget the wallowing of water guiding us down a path lined with greenery, even if we remain in a perpetual state of monochromacy. I wanted more from the people who claimed to slither the grounds beside me; lying straight to my face under the guise of pretending to know what it is like for life to always be a night.
When we stand alone we become aware of the world. Our individuality allows us the opportunity to reflect on proximity, warmth, the global experience & the alteration that we undergo deep inside when we live contrary to the collective. When the reader meets Mackenzie, she is another lost soul in the Acheron. Her personality & mannerisms read as very young yet, when we become acquainted with her we realize she is perhaps too old to be acting the way that she does. Though, I suppose it is fair to say that there is no age limit for grief. Regardless, Mackenzie maintains an ignorance bewildering in its stability within her person. How can an adult wander the world unknown to themselves to the degree at which Mackenzie does?
You will wager, early on, that I did not enjoy this book. I hesitate to say that I disliked it because there were moments that truly captured my attention. I adored the initial setting of this novel & was ever the more eager to see Cree beliefs take centre stage in a novel dedicated wholeheartedly to Indigenous storytelling. I have a soft spot for stories that take place in Canada—finding the places that are home to me in the stories told by others is a wonderful experience. The beginning of a story only lasts for so long before it becomes the essence of the tale. Johns’ lost her way as she developed a plot that held no semblance of intrigue or depth to the fear she was trying to cultivate.
First and foremost this is not a Horror as you might imagine. The premise of this story plays on folktales found within many Indigenous communities. Some people call them Windigo, others Skinwalkers, some cultures of people view them as shadow folks; others still as demons. In this case, wīhtikow is the named figure of the human eater who wanders the land in darkness set to feed on the weakness of our species. Depending on whom you ask, these creatures might be hard to distinguish between you & me. Their main purpose on earth is up for interpretation, but most people can agree that they are entities whose paths you do not wish to cross.
I have many issues with the plot layout, but I will start by encouraging others to read this book for themselves. Just because this is not a Horror as you might imagine does not mean that it is not worth your time. I am very familiar with the genre—I love it dearly—because of this fact, none of what transpired within this book felt interesting, engaging, or spooky. I knew where the story was going from the jump & spent the entire novel waiting for Mackenzie to get a grip on reality so that we could move forward with the conclusion of events. That being said, if you are someone for whom folklore, cereal-sweet writing, casual plum-sauce gore & the fear of the unharmed are thrilling, then I would encourage you to read this book.
Because the writing style of this book felt sloppy & disengaging, I meandered through the plot in circles. This is not necessarily my fault, I was following a slew of characters who seemed incapable of making different decisions than the ones they had already made thrice. Why did we need to read about Mackenzie’s dream sequences only for her to continuously be faced with the unanswered question? Why did Mackenzie start dreaming about her sister a full year after her death? I do not ask this question in vain. Certainly, the anniversary of Sabrina’s sudden passing is reason enough. However, why would the wīhtikow need to haunt Mackenzie who lived a full province away from the land in which it festered?
How did the wīhtikow garner the ability to send text messages? Did Mackenzie not recognize the area code preceding the number that sent her strange messages? I cannot speak to every location on earth but, in Canada, area codes are a simple & fairly standard way of pinning down a location. We also have many websites that allow a more narrow search so, I wonder why Mackenzie never Googled the phone number that was alleging to be her dead sister. I suppose I cannot expect such things from a person who saw a zombie figure of her sister in her dream & instantly thought about touching & coddling her—couldn’t be me but, I digress.
These annoyances do not necessarily break the story, many people will find it easy to look past the bizarre lack of action on behalf of many characters as simply the tang of the story. Why did Jolie become incapable of contacting anyone? If they feared that the wīhtikow was blocking their communication with Mackenzie why did they not play dumb & engage someone else in the communication? How far-reaching are the abilities of the wīhtikow? This creature is seemingly able to manipulate current-century technology, consume souls, & transport itself through geographical distance yet, it remained bound to the forest, only able to be inside the home when Mackenzie brings part of it inside.
I wonder why the author held back. Why didn’t any character that we were familiar with become faced with actual danger? Why was the main character able to escape harm at every turn? There existed no crux of reality within a story that held us to the belief that the world in which we live is filled with the unknown. There were no stakes to be won here because nothing was being gambled. Mackenzie didn’t care where she was in the world & her family was too closed-off to ever tell her that they cared so, where does that leave us? These are certainly issues in & of themselves but there is no resolution to them.
With the story rolling around in circles the reader is given no choice but to be faced with the lack of depth within each of the scenes. The sheer number of times we have to read about Mackenzie trying to talk or touch people while she dreams; the number of times everyone asks if Mackenzie dreamed; the number of times talk of mundane inconsequential things are brought up as though they were life-altering pieces of information, was brutal. The scenes that should have counted towards building the core of this story read as vapid exchanges between one-dimensional characters.
Every character sounded & acted the same. To a certain degree, I appreciate that we were able to connect every member of Mackenzie’s family to one another. They spent so much of their formative years closely intertwined, it only makes sense for some of their mannerisms to be similar. Yet, in all of the redundant conversations about random things, I found that it didn’t matter which auntie was speaking, or if it was in fact Mackenzie’s mom who spent time with her, or whether or not Kassidy or Tracey caught her eye in the room. Nothing mattered enough for it to be upheld as an agency for the characters.
The central conflict of the story is a tale as old as time. For the purpose of this review, I will not be detailing the consequences of colonialism on Indigenous folks on Turtle Island—I encourage you to do that when you have the time to dedicate to welcoming the information. However, intergenerational trauma is certainly a facet of life many people understand innately. In this case, we find ourselves faced with a slew of folk who, though filled with a certain degree of love for one another, experience life in an entirely singular way.
I am not here to judge the approach that any of the characters undertook to gauge their way through trauma. What I am going to do is pose the question as to why we never see those efforts take place within this story. The narrative ensues that Mackenzie harbours a great deal of self-degradation, manifesting these beliefs in the way she interacts with the world. She often reflected on how she believed that love was conditional; we only have so much to give & once we have run dry, there is none to give to anyone else. Why does she feel that way? What part of her life led her to feel that the adults in her life could not love her & her sisters—that they needed to choose?
We never explore the reality that plagues this family. Due to the lore that surrounds wīhtikow & in consequence, the approach towards trauma & grief; people are believed to have died because they harboured the consequences of traumatic events in their bodies. I am not a doctor by trade but, I am someone who has a leg to stand on in this race—I understand this to be true. Whether or not we recognize the effects of hardship, they play out on our bones like splinters through the skin. They eat away at us like wīhtikow in the pits of the forest.
That being said, I wanted to understand why that was for these characters. Mackenzie was so disconnected from her family yet all we read about is their eagerness for proximity. They felt so warm towards one another that simply being in the same town was enough for them to feel strong within themselves. What aspects of their lives altered their behaviour with each other so that the younger generation felt that they were not wanted; that they were a burden?
I wanted to know these characters because I felt like what they had to share was valuable. Though, I conclude my reading by wondering whether or not the author believed that to be true. The exploration of trauma does not necessitate the revelation of the inner workings of the self. In this context, simply revealing Mackenzie as a fully formed individual would have been enough. I didn’t know anything about her which made empathy a difficult emotion to employ.
When all is said & done, I found this story to be exceedingly corny. I appreciated the dreams; I appreciate the state of repose as the ease of finding it escapes me in a chronic & morbid fashion. I appreciated the endeavour; revelations through the tenderness of shadows, love even in silence.
Yet, the writing style was illusive, mundane & tired. We wadded through reefs & corals dulled with the shallow scrape of our footing. Where was the hero? Who saves the person who is a villain to themselves? I think, to an extent I agree; this night is ever-lasting. Yet, there is more to night than its shadows; there is the life inside the grey shading of the sky, the whisper of those with whom we share this side of the moon. Lest we forget the wallowing of water guiding us down a path lined with greenery, even if we remain in a perpetual state of monochromacy. I wanted more from the people who claimed to slither the grounds beside me; lying straight to my face under the guise of pretending to know what it is like for life to always be a night.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2024
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx-ouGxrx...
A wistful and candid exploration of dreams, grief, and culture. Told through the dreams and memories of a young Cree woman processing a traumatic loss, Bad Cree is an exemplary work that walks the line between beautiful and horrific; it is disturbing but holds a great deal of love and forgiveness as well. This novel is a testament to the strength of family, especially to the woman who hold so much within themselves to preserve their children, culture, and future. Although bursting with elements of horror, this is ultimately a story of healing and of celebrating community and the power of dreams. Unique and heartfelt to its core.
A wistful and candid exploration of dreams, grief, and culture. Told through the dreams and memories of a young Cree woman processing a traumatic loss, Bad Cree is an exemplary work that walks the line between beautiful and horrific; it is disturbing but holds a great deal of love and forgiveness as well. This novel is a testament to the strength of family, especially to the woman who hold so much within themselves to preserve their children, culture, and future. Although bursting with elements of horror, this is ultimately a story of healing and of celebrating community and the power of dreams. Unique and heartfelt to its core.
January 3, 2023
Mackenzie left home shortly after the death of her kokum and before her sister Sabrina's death, but her dreams keep bringing her home. In her dreams, Mackenzie goes back to a weekend at her family's lakeside campsite. When she wakes up with a severed crow's head in her hand, to have it disappear moments later! What???? Is she doomed to have these dreams/nightmares because she is a 'Bad' Cree? Obviously, there is something sinister going on. Her close friend provides support but cannot help as the dreams keep coming. Unsettled and freaked out, she begins receiving text messages which appear to be from her dead sister, Sabrina.
Needing to learn the truth, Mackenzie heads back home as the dreams continue. What happened the night at the lake? Why is she having such vivid and frightening dreams? Why do the dreams seem so real? Mackenzie's family do not dismiss her dreams, they rally around her, and try to help.
There is an uneasy feel to this book which is also seeped in tension and atmosphere. Readers are given more and more information and things to think about each time Mackenzie dreams. Seriously, how does she go to sleep night after night?
This book is full of female characters who all have a part to play. The Cree family of women are dealing with their individual grief, guilt, and their family dynamic. There are also elements of culture, community, and identity. I loved that the author used Cree words in her writing making this book feel even more authentic. This is not the fastest paced book and I usually struggle with books on the slower side, but this one was not a struggle at all. I was intrigued from the beginning with the dreams, the imagery and the weight of grief.
This is an impressive debut novel which blends the supernatural with horror. Jessica Johns is one to watch/read!
Thank you to Doubleday Books, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Needing to learn the truth, Mackenzie heads back home as the dreams continue. What happened the night at the lake? Why is she having such vivid and frightening dreams? Why do the dreams seem so real? Mackenzie's family do not dismiss her dreams, they rally around her, and try to help.
There is an uneasy feel to this book which is also seeped in tension and atmosphere. Readers are given more and more information and things to think about each time Mackenzie dreams. Seriously, how does she go to sleep night after night?
This book is full of female characters who all have a part to play. The Cree family of women are dealing with their individual grief, guilt, and their family dynamic. There are also elements of culture, community, and identity. I loved that the author used Cree words in her writing making this book feel even more authentic. This is not the fastest paced book and I usually struggle with books on the slower side, but this one was not a struggle at all. I was intrigued from the beginning with the dreams, the imagery and the weight of grief.
This is an impressive debut novel which blends the supernatural with horror. Jessica Johns is one to watch/read!
Thank you to Doubleday Books, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
February 12, 2023
A young Cree woman returns home to face her terrifying dreams and find out what's behind them. I was expecting a horror story, but BAD CREE turned out to be more a coming-of-age tale about processing grief and guilt. The book's pacing was slow, and it lacked a strong plot, but I did like the Cree folklore and the strong family relationships presented. I enjoyed the supernatural elements, but was hoping for more horror or suspense.
July 22, 2024
I’m so thankful to Canada Reads for putting this incredible book on my radar!
Young Cree woman Mackenzie is plagued by incredibly vivid nightmares about her recently deceased sister. She begins to suspect something supernatural is afoot when aspects of these dreams carry over into real life. Mackenzie returns home to the close-knit family she’s mostly ignored in recent years to get some answers.
I usually hate dream scenes in books, so the fact that I’m giving this one five stars should tell you that it’s pretty great. This creepy horror story uses Cree mythology to tell a larger story about family, grief and the desecration of the environment. There were some moments that sent absolute chills up my spine, but this book has a lot of heart. Mackenzie’s family is instantly likeable, especially her eccentric aunties, which somehow made a genuinely spooky book feel like a warm hug.
Wholeheartedly recommend!
Young Cree woman Mackenzie is plagued by incredibly vivid nightmares about her recently deceased sister. She begins to suspect something supernatural is afoot when aspects of these dreams carry over into real life. Mackenzie returns home to the close-knit family she’s mostly ignored in recent years to get some answers.
I usually hate dream scenes in books, so the fact that I’m giving this one five stars should tell you that it’s pretty great. This creepy horror story uses Cree mythology to tell a larger story about family, grief and the desecration of the environment. There were some moments that sent absolute chills up my spine, but this book has a lot of heart. Mackenzie’s family is instantly likeable, especially her eccentric aunties, which somehow made a genuinely spooky book feel like a warm hug.
Wholeheartedly recommend!
February 26, 2023
I thought that I could leave the bad behind. But I guess the bad isn’t a thing you can run from, because it’s not a thing that can be held. It doesn’t announce itself, there’s no siren or beacon. Instead, it’s a steady beating, like a heart or a drum. It’s a sound that lives in the body and grows down into the ground.
Expanded from an award-winning short story with the same title, Bad Cree is about grief and guilt and loneliness and how one young woman learns to deal with these “bads” by reconnecting with her community. And while this novel opens with a bang and dangles the promise of a thrilling and thoughtful examination of the modern Indigenous experience, with cliché-ridden writing, strange inconsistencies, and a rushed climax, the early promise never felt fulfilled. In an interview, author Jessica Johns explains that the original short story, her MFA project, was not only written as a rebuke to a faculty member who warned her class that readers don’t care about dreams (which Johns took as an affront to her Cree heritage of dream-sharing), but Johns also states, “I was learning a lot of great things during my MFA, but also I learned a lot of things about craft that were very colonial. There were Western ways of storytelling that I had to unlearn.” So, perhaps this wasn’t so much a failure of editing as a pointed resistance to meet my Western expectations of storytelling — which I am happy to have challenged — but still, this didn’t entirely satisfy my tastes. I would be interested to read the author again.
Before I look down, I know it’s there. The crow’s head I was clutching in my dream is now in bed with me. I woke up with the weight of it in my hands, held against my chest under the covers. I can still feel its beak and feathers on my palms. The smell of pine and the tang of blood sting my nose. My pillow feels for a second like the cold, frozen ground under my cheek. I yank off my blanket, heavy like I’m pulling it back from the past, and look down to my hands, now empty. A feeling of static pulses inside them like when a dead limb fills with blood again. They are clean and dry and trembling.
Shit. Not again.
I loved this opening passage: creepy and mysterious — artefacts from nightmares crossing into the light of day! — I sure wanted to know more about what was going on. And while the mystery of this situation kept me reading to the end for answers, this novel isn’t quite the “horror” that it seems to be marketed as. More than anything, this is the story of turning to one’s (female) relatives in order to heal a broken heart/psyche/identity.
The plot: Mackenzie fled her northern Alberta home for Vancouver three years earlier after the death of her beloved kokum; the grief was just too much for her to handle. And although one of her older sisters also died suddenly the year before the novel begins, Mackenzie was unable to bring herself to go home for the funeral; was unable to even share that heartache over the phone with her family. But now she’s having nightmares about her dead sister that are dangerously crossing over into the real world, and with a gang of crows suddenly following her everywhere she goes, and the nightmares morphing into repressed memories, Mackenzie is convinced to finally go back home and seek help and answers.
Johns does a wonderful job with the setting — from Mackenzie’s cheap and squalid Vancouver apartment to a home in High Prairie bustling with family and food and laughter, I believed all of it — and her characters are real and relatable. (But as much as I appreciate the girl-power support offered by Mackenzie’s mother, friends, and aunties, I do want to take a moment to wonder where the men are. Her [white] father has a couple of lines but he isn’t included in any of the action or the healing; he’s forced to “go away” for work shortly after Mackenzie gets home and he isn’t mentioned again. Even her grandfather [moshum] is only referred to a couple of times whereas her grandmother [kokum] is a central character. Johns writes of life at home, “Uncles followed orders, kids made things harder on everyone, but aunties carried the magic that made it all come together.” I didn’t need male characters to swoop in and save everyone, but it felt odd that they never even entered a room where the women were.) And there was something really interesting in the solution to the mystery that I wish Johns had explored deeper. For the most part, this is a story of Mackenzie wanting to reconnect with her family, but every time she decides to tell them what’s really going on in her dreams, she decides to keep it to herself; waffling back and forth, not moving the plot forward, needing help, refusing it, then suddenly asking for it. It’s frustrating and sucks the energy out of such a promising setup.
I still hold a piece of the bad inside me. I used to think enough love was supposed to wipe all the bad clean, but I don’t think that’s true anymore. The truth is, I’m brimming with love. The love pouring from the tip of kokum’s finger when she pointed out wapanewask. The love in Auntie Verna’s eyes when we got a good bingo. In Mom’s hands carrying the other end of a pile of lumber. I have so much love I’m sick with it. But there will always be bad living alongside it, etched under my skin. Living with bad doesn’t make me bad, though, it’s just there like everything else.
In the short story (which can be read here), the crossing-into-real-life nightmares are a neat metaphorical device for dealing with grief and guilt and loneliness. By layering on supernatural elements from Cree mythology in order to draw the concept out to book length, Johns loses some of the literary satisfaction of the metaphorical device, but she is also able to satisfyingly paint a picture of her community’s day to day life. There’s something lost in the transition, something worthwhile gained, and while I still think this could have benefitted from further editing, I’m not disappointed to have read this.
May 10, 2023
This never quite landed for me, both in the way it didn't actually scare me when I knew it was trying to and in that I never really got fully emotionally invested. I felt like all the parts were there, but they never came together. Might be a "it's not you, it's me" thing." I did love some of the writing on a sentence level, the depiction of family, and the queer Indigenous representation!
November 19, 2024
Finishing Bad Cree by Jessica Johns left my heart full of love. I had to take my horror tag off of this book. There were small elements of horror. But overall, this was not a horror book. I'm glad I read it for Native American Heritage Month instead of looking for horror. I would have been disappointed. Instead I fell in love with Mackenzie and the central strong female characters the story wraps itself around.
Mackenzie is being haunted by powerful nightmares. Strange things happen in the nightmares and they seem to be bleeding out into her life. As a result, she takes a trip back to her family home to see if she can get the dreams to stop. This book is steeped in family love, grief, bonding, and pure girl power.
I'm finding it difficult to put into words how much this book touched my heart and how much love I felt for Mackenzie and her family. The aunties reminded me a lot of my own extended family while I was growing up.
Don't get me wrong. There is more than family life, love, and happiness in this book. There is a deep sense of grief, loss, sadness, and the horror elements draw from Native American folklore. There are very real struggles that the main characters need to overcome and prove their strength and bonds.
Another aspect I loved in Bad Cree is the character growth. A few characters show great growth throughout the book.
Yes, this is beyond doubt a five star read for me. And I think I'll even add it to my "Favorites" shelf. I loved it that much.
Mackenzie is being haunted by powerful nightmares. Strange things happen in the nightmares and they seem to be bleeding out into her life. As a result, she takes a trip back to her family home to see if she can get the dreams to stop. This book is steeped in family love, grief, bonding, and pure girl power.
I'm finding it difficult to put into words how much this book touched my heart and how much love I felt for Mackenzie and her family. The aunties reminded me a lot of my own extended family while I was growing up.
Don't get me wrong. There is more than family life, love, and happiness in this book. There is a deep sense of grief, loss, sadness, and the horror elements draw from Native American folklore. There are very real struggles that the main characters need to overcome and prove their strength and bonds.
Another aspect I loved in Bad Cree is the character growth. A few characters show great growth throughout the book.
Yes, this is beyond doubt a five star read for me. And I think I'll even add it to my "Favorites" shelf. I loved it that much.
Read
October 20, 2023BAD CREE by Jessica Johns
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: Debut novel
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978038554...
Release Date: January 10th, 2023
General Genre: Folk Tales, Legend, & Mythology, Horror, Native American
Sub-Genre/Themes: Canada, Cree (Eeyou) North American people, Blood family and found family, death, grief, dreams, sisters, psychic trauma, legacy, traditions, mystery
Writing Style: Creeping dread, character-driven, suspenseful, lots of flashbacks/memories/introspection, descriptive & immersive, haunting
What You Need to Know: I listened to the audiobook. My platform was having a 2 books for one credit sale so I picked this up for my flight to the East Coast (5 hours). I’m starting to fall into a pattern of listening to BIPOC books instead of reading them because it enhances the experience so much. I make sure the narrator fits the book. In this case, BAD CREE is narrated by Tanis Parenteau who was born and raised in Peace River, Alberta (exactly where the book is located) and of Plains Cree Descent. I mean, she’s the absolute perfect woman to read this book and she did an exceptional job. Each chapter heading is written in the native language and it was so cool to hear it pronounced instead of just seeing the symbols and not knowing what they mean or sound like spoken.
My Reading Experience: This is a coming-of-age story nestled inside of a mystery, surrounded by horror. Mackenzie’s sister Sabrina dies unexpectedly not long after her grandmother’s passing and instead of moving through the grief and the pain with her family, she ran away and avoided it all (a Bad Cree).
But every night, her dreams are growing more and more intense; and violent. She knows she has to tell her family about them even if it means facing all her grief, pain, and shame head-on.
The first several chapters are deliciously immersive. I love the amount of descriptive details about First Nation families, especially women, and how they love and care for each other.
Mackenzie is young and still learning about cultural traditions and teachings. The psychic dreams she’s having are so scary and intense, that she couldn’t keep going through them alone. She knows what she has to do (her friend does a great job speaking truth in love to her) but guilt and shame over past mistakes and ways that those mistakes have hurt her loved ones, prevent Mac from reaching out. Something I’m sure we’re all familiar with.
The way her family rallies around her (sister, mother, cousins, and aunties) is my favorite part of this story.
The supernatural/horror elements I need to leave out of this review because that’s up to the reader to discover for themselves. Try to avoid reading reviews that go into the story too much. My only complaint is that halfway through the book, around chapter 10, I realized we were going around in circles. Meandering a bit. The story gets bogged down with dream sequences that feel repetitive. This is hammered out eventually but I did turn my audio speed up to 1.5 to muscle-through some of the slower parts in the middle. Then I set it back down to 1.2 when began to transition into new discoveries.
Final Recommendation: Bad Cree is for readers who show up for “horror with heart”. Don’t let anyone tell you what horror is or isn’t. I saw one review for this book on Goodreads hidden behind spoiler tags floating the idea, “First and foremost this is not a Horror as you might imagine…none of what transpired within this book felt interesting, engaging, or spooky.”
This is bullshit. They are entitled to their opinion of course, but I reject the way they frame it. This is a horror story as told by a “Nehiyaw (Cree) auntie member of Sucker Creek First Nation”. It's valid. It belongs in horror.
Comps: White Horse by Erika T. Wurth, Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones, The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro, Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: Debut novel
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978038554...
Release Date: January 10th, 2023
General Genre: Folk Tales, Legend, & Mythology, Horror, Native American
Sub-Genre/Themes: Canada, Cree (Eeyou) North American people, Blood family and found family, death, grief, dreams, sisters, psychic trauma, legacy, traditions, mystery
Writing Style: Creeping dread, character-driven, suspenseful, lots of flashbacks/memories/introspection, descriptive & immersive, haunting
What You Need to Know: I listened to the audiobook. My platform was having a 2 books for one credit sale so I picked this up for my flight to the East Coast (5 hours). I’m starting to fall into a pattern of listening to BIPOC books instead of reading them because it enhances the experience so much. I make sure the narrator fits the book. In this case, BAD CREE is narrated by Tanis Parenteau who was born and raised in Peace River, Alberta (exactly where the book is located) and of Plains Cree Descent. I mean, she’s the absolute perfect woman to read this book and she did an exceptional job. Each chapter heading is written in the native language and it was so cool to hear it pronounced instead of just seeing the symbols and not knowing what they mean or sound like spoken.
My Reading Experience: This is a coming-of-age story nestled inside of a mystery, surrounded by horror. Mackenzie’s sister Sabrina dies unexpectedly not long after her grandmother’s passing and instead of moving through the grief and the pain with her family, she ran away and avoided it all (a Bad Cree).
But every night, her dreams are growing more and more intense; and violent. She knows she has to tell her family about them even if it means facing all her grief, pain, and shame head-on.
The first several chapters are deliciously immersive. I love the amount of descriptive details about First Nation families, especially women, and how they love and care for each other.
Mackenzie is young and still learning about cultural traditions and teachings. The psychic dreams she’s having are so scary and intense, that she couldn’t keep going through them alone. She knows what she has to do (her friend does a great job speaking truth in love to her) but guilt and shame over past mistakes and ways that those mistakes have hurt her loved ones, prevent Mac from reaching out. Something I’m sure we’re all familiar with.
The way her family rallies around her (sister, mother, cousins, and aunties) is my favorite part of this story.
The supernatural/horror elements I need to leave out of this review because that’s up to the reader to discover for themselves. Try to avoid reading reviews that go into the story too much. My only complaint is that halfway through the book, around chapter 10, I realized we were going around in circles. Meandering a bit. The story gets bogged down with dream sequences that feel repetitive. This is hammered out eventually but I did turn my audio speed up to 1.5 to muscle-through some of the slower parts in the middle. Then I set it back down to 1.2 when began to transition into new discoveries.
Final Recommendation: Bad Cree is for readers who show up for “horror with heart”. Don’t let anyone tell you what horror is or isn’t. I saw one review for this book on Goodreads hidden behind spoiler tags floating the idea, “First and foremost this is not a Horror as you might imagine…none of what transpired within this book felt interesting, engaging, or spooky.”
This is bullshit. They are entitled to their opinion of course, but I reject the way they frame it. This is a horror story as told by a “Nehiyaw (Cree) auntie member of Sucker Creek First Nation”. It's valid. It belongs in horror.
Comps: White Horse by Erika T. Wurth, Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones, The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro, Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris
November 19, 2023
A Canadian story about a young Cree woman, Mackenzie, who is having some serious bad dreams. Having moved to Vancouver from Alberta and her family after her kokum died to escape. Not even returning when her sister Sabrina dies suddenly two years previously.
A first novel by Ms Johns, reading about some Cree heritage and the importance of dreams and magic in their culture, I found the book interesting and mostly enjoyable, while sometimes challenging. 3.5 stars.
A first novel by Ms Johns, reading about some Cree heritage and the importance of dreams and magic in their culture, I found the book interesting and mostly enjoyable, while sometimes challenging. 3.5 stars.
May 17, 2024
Wow, what a debut novel! I loved it. I'm so excited that the author will be a special guest at a conference that will take place in August here in my city. I'm going to go be a fan girl.
The things that I loved were numerous. The loving descriptions of the land in our province. The skillful use of traditional tales. The constant presence of crows, guiding and protecting. The family ties that bind Mackenzie to her family. The auntie power that fuels the three girls at the centre of the story. The revelation of how many family members have significant dreams.
My aboriginal connection is tiny: a 4th great grandmother who was half indigenous. She has obsessed me for decades and I need to return to my research to see what I can learn now that there's so much more information on the internet. I have experience with the dream world too. I remember meeting a guy that had appeared in my dreams for years—I just about fainted. I was disappointed when he turned out to be a bit of a jerk. But the best dreams are when my great grandfather or my mother come to visit. Or my Auntie Grace. It's so nice to talk & drink coffee with Mom & her sister, even if it's short and I don't remember a word we said when I wake. I remember the joy of being back in their presence.
I couldn't help but notice the insignificance of the men in this story. They were in the background but it was the women who shone. That spoke to my soul too. I miss my dad, but it's Mom that I dream of. And when I learned many important lessons, it was aunties who supplied them. Now I'm all homesick for the old days—time spent processing garden produce as a large family project, gossiping and laughing. Marinating in family and love.
The things that I loved were numerous. The loving descriptions of the land in our province. The skillful use of traditional tales. The constant presence of crows, guiding and protecting. The family ties that bind Mackenzie to her family. The auntie power that fuels the three girls at the centre of the story. The revelation of how many family members have significant dreams.
My aboriginal connection is tiny: a 4th great grandmother who was half indigenous. She has obsessed me for decades and I need to return to my research to see what I can learn now that there's so much more information on the internet. I have experience with the dream world too. I remember meeting a guy that had appeared in my dreams for years—I just about fainted. I was disappointed when he turned out to be a bit of a jerk. But the best dreams are when my great grandfather or my mother come to visit. Or my Auntie Grace. It's so nice to talk & drink coffee with Mom & her sister, even if it's short and I don't remember a word we said when I wake. I remember the joy of being back in their presence.
I couldn't help but notice the insignificance of the men in this story. They were in the background but it was the women who shone. That spoke to my soul too. I miss my dad, but it's Mom that I dream of. And when I learned many important lessons, it was aunties who supplied them. Now I'm all homesick for the old days—time spent processing garden produce as a large family project, gossiping and laughing. Marinating in family and love.
February 3, 2023
Thank you Doubleday Books and PRHAudio for the opportunity to read, listen, and review!
A great read and audiobook! I recommend doing the combo because of the foreign language at each chapter headings. It's interesting to hear the pronunciation on audio. I enjoyed the story. I liked the close knit family. Aunties, cousins, moms, and sisters live in one house and shared bedrooms and dined together. I enjoyed their family humor. Joli was a great friend and Joli was referred to as they/them. I enjoyed the dreams and their secrets. One thing which was impossible to guess was why Sabrina died. This thing mentioned was new to me. I forgot the genre is supernatural so go into the story with that in mind and I guess it will make sense. There were some horror bits too and the audiobook got me goosebumps up during my listen at night.
This story followed MacKenzie. She moved away after her sister Sabrina died because she couldn't deal with seeing the rest of her family hurt. They all dealt with death before when the grandmother died. As one year anniversary of her sister's death approached, the weird dreams started. She was persuaded to go back home to her family. Her family slowly began to open up about their secrets too and they all helped one another solve the problem.
This debut story was well written. All well liked characters. It's my first Canadian supernatural read and it won't be my last!
A great read and audiobook! I recommend doing the combo because of the foreign language at each chapter headings. It's interesting to hear the pronunciation on audio. I enjoyed the story. I liked the close knit family. Aunties, cousins, moms, and sisters live in one house and shared bedrooms and dined together. I enjoyed their family humor. Joli was a great friend and Joli was referred to as they/them. I enjoyed the dreams and their secrets. One thing which was impossible to guess was why Sabrina died. This thing mentioned was new to me. I forgot the genre is supernatural so go into the story with that in mind and I guess it will make sense. There were some horror bits too and the audiobook got me goosebumps up during my listen at night.
This story followed MacKenzie. She moved away after her sister Sabrina died because she couldn't deal with seeing the rest of her family hurt. They all dealt with death before when the grandmother died. As one year anniversary of her sister's death approached, the weird dreams started. She was persuaded to go back home to her family. Her family slowly began to open up about their secrets too and they all helped one another solve the problem.
This debut story was well written. All well liked characters. It's my first Canadian supernatural read and it won't be my last!
November 3, 2022
Well, this book was definitely a unique supernatural horror that I wasn’t expecting! Jessica Johns’ debut novel, BAD CREE dives into a world where a young Cree woman’s dreams soon begin to alter her reality.
Our protagonist, McKenzie, keeps revisiting the same dream over and over again—her late sister Sabrina continues to be attacked by crows. When McKenzie wakes up, she somehow brings parts of her dream back with her temporarily—does this sound like Insidious or what?! As the dreams become more and more frequent, McKenzie starts analyzing her sister’s death further. What mysteries is hiding behind this death and will McKenzie be able to uncover the secrets that have been buried?
BAD CREE is a slow burn, atmospheric horror novel, that slowly builds suspense as you begin to uncover the mystery. Usually slow burn novels get a solid 3 star rating from me, but BAD CREE gets a little bump up to 4 stars because there’s a lot of representation in this novel that is missing from this genre. It was so refreshing to see a book so uniquely its own in a saturated genre. BAD CREE will uncover everything you need to know by the end of the story, but you’ll need to work for it!
Our protagonist, McKenzie, keeps revisiting the same dream over and over again—her late sister Sabrina continues to be attacked by crows. When McKenzie wakes up, she somehow brings parts of her dream back with her temporarily—does this sound like Insidious or what?! As the dreams become more and more frequent, McKenzie starts analyzing her sister’s death further. What mysteries is hiding behind this death and will McKenzie be able to uncover the secrets that have been buried?
BAD CREE is a slow burn, atmospheric horror novel, that slowly builds suspense as you begin to uncover the mystery. Usually slow burn novels get a solid 3 star rating from me, but BAD CREE gets a little bump up to 4 stars because there’s a lot of representation in this novel that is missing from this genre. It was so refreshing to see a book so uniquely its own in a saturated genre. BAD CREE will uncover everything you need to know by the end of the story, but you’ll need to work for it!
December 12, 2022
Well unfortunately Bad Cree was a swing and a miss. I expected it to be more horror that what it was. But Bad Cree didn't even come close to being a thriller let alone a horror story.
The pacing was slow and for me it was probably due to the Cree words and terminology. I have a tendency to "mouth" out foreign words and even go so far as to look them up. So that really made my reading a bit cumbersome.
I didn't quite get the pronoun usage of they/them until another reader commented on a non-binary character. It was a bit strange for me. But it turned out that Joli was my favorite character in the novel.
The storyline was a bit eerie, but not enough to keep me engaged. Perhaps if the narrative had been more horrific, I would have enjoyed it then. In the end, however, I gave up trying to slog through a book that I wasn't enjoying. So at 33% I was done. One unfortunate star.
I received a digital ARC from Doubleday Books through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
The pacing was slow and for me it was probably due to the Cree words and terminology. I have a tendency to "mouth" out foreign words and even go so far as to look them up. So that really made my reading a bit cumbersome.
I didn't quite get the pronoun usage of they/them until another reader commented on a non-binary character. It was a bit strange for me. But it turned out that Joli was my favorite character in the novel.
The storyline was a bit eerie, but not enough to keep me engaged. Perhaps if the narrative had been more horrific, I would have enjoyed it then. In the end, however, I gave up trying to slog through a book that I wasn't enjoying. So at 33% I was done. One unfortunate star.
I received a digital ARC from Doubleday Books through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
February 5, 2023
Don’t even get me started.
January 17, 2024
I loved everything about this debut. Generational bonds between the women in one family line tied into one horror-tinged speculative debut with Cree Canadian roots—what a novel.
Bad Cree snuck up on me. I saw the cover a few times in the store and it caught my eye. But I kept passing it by, until eventually I heard someone mention that it was a story about sisters and horror-based dreaming. Those two hooks grabbed me and i knew I needed to read this story.
Mackenzie keeps waking up from the same dream. This in itself isn't that odd—but the fact that she wakes up with pieces of that dream in her hand, in the real world, is odd. From twigs to the decapitated head of a crow, Mackenzie knows that a) this isn't normal and b) things are getting worse. And she's getting scared.
Her Cree family, with its deep roots to the Alberta land, are far away from Mackenzie's sad apartment in Vancouver. And Mackenzie realizes that maybe it's time to face the sadness and secrets awaiting her in her hometown...
Combining family secrets, Cree stories, and a persistent thread of endurance and love throughout, Bad Cree was a perfect read for me. I loved Mackenzie's journey. I was here for her pain, her grief, and her family's close bonds yet tangled relationships. Having such a strong novel about sisterhood tied to a speculative horror novel was a huge win for me.
Bad Cree's accessible writing and creeping sense of atmospheric dread catapulted this immediately into a new favorite read. Come for the intrigue of the "real" dreams, stay for the tension and family story. This isn't a slasher horror, or even a big bang reveal—it's a small story with deep roots.
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
Bad Cree snuck up on me. I saw the cover a few times in the store and it caught my eye. But I kept passing it by, until eventually I heard someone mention that it was a story about sisters and horror-based dreaming. Those two hooks grabbed me and i knew I needed to read this story.
Mackenzie keeps waking up from the same dream. This in itself isn't that odd—but the fact that she wakes up with pieces of that dream in her hand, in the real world, is odd. From twigs to the decapitated head of a crow, Mackenzie knows that a) this isn't normal and b) things are getting worse. And she's getting scared.
Her Cree family, with its deep roots to the Alberta land, are far away from Mackenzie's sad apartment in Vancouver. And Mackenzie realizes that maybe it's time to face the sadness and secrets awaiting her in her hometown...
Combining family secrets, Cree stories, and a persistent thread of endurance and love throughout, Bad Cree was a perfect read for me. I loved Mackenzie's journey. I was here for her pain, her grief, and her family's close bonds yet tangled relationships. Having such a strong novel about sisterhood tied to a speculative horror novel was a huge win for me.
Bad Cree's accessible writing and creeping sense of atmospheric dread catapulted this immediately into a new favorite read. Come for the intrigue of the "real" dreams, stay for the tension and family story. This isn't a slasher horror, or even a big bang reveal—it's a small story with deep roots.
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
November 9, 2024
I thought I was going to love this more than I did. The pacing felt a little off for me, it started SO interesting and then quickly tapered off to the main character, Mackenzie, making a string of bad and illogical decisions that made it tiring to be in her head. It got more interesting once the family started to work together but still - the big ‘climax’ felt rushed and not that exciting. It did get creepy sometimes, though, and I loved the influences of indigenous folklore.
The meditations about love, family and connection were beautiful, if a bit too sentimental and on the nose sometimes. I never knew whether to shed a tear or roll my eyes.
So I think my final conclusion for this one is that it was ‘okay’.
The meditations about love, family and connection were beautiful, if a bit too sentimental and on the nose sometimes. I never knew whether to shed a tear or roll my eyes.
So I think my final conclusion for this one is that it was ‘okay’.
February 11, 2023
What an absolutely beautiful written story! The writing was descriptive and I could see it playing out in my mind like a movie.
This is a story of family love, grief, and guilt. I felt like the supernatural elements worked perfectly with the rest of the story and the ending was perfection!!
I need more from Jessica Johns asap.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for an arc!
This is a story of family love, grief, and guilt. I felt like the supernatural elements worked perfectly with the rest of the story and the ending was perfection!!
I need more from Jessica Johns asap.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for an arc!
November 7, 2023
The ideas contained within Bad Cree could have turned into an incredible novel in the hands of an author who could actually write.
February 21, 2023
I received a gifted AD PR copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the readalong hosted by Tandem Collective UK.
Bad Cree is a coming of age paranormal horror about grief, loss, and family. After awaking from a very vivid nightmare to find herself holding the severed head of a crow, Mackenzie begins to be followed by a multitude of crows in her waking life. Mackenzie moved away from her family and home after the loss of her kokum (grandmother) and hasn't been home since. A year ago she loss her sister Sabrina too but couldn't face returning home for the funeral. Grief is eating at her and she misses her family deeply, but this grief is what sent her running away in the first place. When Sabrina begins to enter her dreams and seemingly is directing her home to discover what she wants her to learn, Mackenzie takes the leap and returns home to High Prairie Vancouver. But all is not what she first thought. I loved the slow burn of this story and the family dynamics and histories of each character. The book is female driven and features a non binary character too which I loved. This was a haunting and deeply rooting story with no other elements thrown in such as romance which I found refreshing as it allows you to focus 100% on the messages being conveyed in the story. I find Indigenous people and characters in books so interesting. They have amazing story's to tell and this book certainly showcased some haunting ones. Definitely a book to add to your list!
Bad Cree is a coming of age paranormal horror about grief, loss, and family. After awaking from a very vivid nightmare to find herself holding the severed head of a crow, Mackenzie begins to be followed by a multitude of crows in her waking life. Mackenzie moved away from her family and home after the loss of her kokum (grandmother) and hasn't been home since. A year ago she loss her sister Sabrina too but couldn't face returning home for the funeral. Grief is eating at her and she misses her family deeply, but this grief is what sent her running away in the first place. When Sabrina begins to enter her dreams and seemingly is directing her home to discover what she wants her to learn, Mackenzie takes the leap and returns home to High Prairie Vancouver. But all is not what she first thought. I loved the slow burn of this story and the family dynamics and histories of each character. The book is female driven and features a non binary character too which I loved. This was a haunting and deeply rooting story with no other elements thrown in such as romance which I found refreshing as it allows you to focus 100% on the messages being conveyed in the story. I find Indigenous people and characters in books so interesting. They have amazing story's to tell and this book certainly showcased some haunting ones. Definitely a book to add to your list!
October 1, 2022
S/O to netgalley for giving this nêhiyawak queer iskew a copy of Bad Cree. To be held by my culture, and to see things that are so familiar that it makes my chest ache in a debut novel is the greatest gift that I can think of and its own sort of ceremony. Inclusion of characters who can be read and seen as 2S and LGBTQ brings me so much joy. flows so well and is compelling to read. I can understand where it may trip some readers up, but for others they will embrace and love it. the emo music reference was also a great touch. I'll revisit this as i read and reread, but so far? amazing.
January 17, 2023
Review coming soon.
November 13, 2024
First of all, … THAT opening!
Secondly, thank goodness for the author talk at book club as I did struggle to pull all my feelings together for this one. I'm new to discussing and understanding the concepts and genre, so bear with me.
Author Jessica Johns, a member of Sucker Creek First Nation in northern Alberta, Canada, lets readers know from the very first line what they’re in for when they pick up her book. I’m glad I stuck with it because it was an informative book about how the Cree communicate with their ancestors through dreams, the supportive role of family, and how we navigate grief.
This horror novel began as the author’s thesis at our local university.
What’s a ‘bad’ Cree? You’ll come to your own conclusions after you read about Mackenzie’s struggle to understand her dreams, but the good/bad dichotomy for me began by watching Mackenzie discover that she wasn’t (in her eyes) a bad person, but rather a bad Cree - for the simple reason that she didn’t understand her culture. Having left her family/land/culture for the coast after experiencing traumatic grief, she’s become disconnected from all that makes her ‘Cree’. An important part to understand here is that she hasn’t lost her identity, but rather, doesn’t know enough about her culture to understand what’s happening to her. Keep in mind that both Mackenzie’s parents and grandparents would have survived residential school - an attempt to erase their culture would have meant that they didn’t pass along all that they may have had they not been swept up in this system. It was disheartening reading about someone who wanted to take on the guilt - guilt that wasn’t hers to own. The multiplicity of ‘bad’ continues throughout the novel with the greed of the oil industry, the wake of the colonial system, and systemic racism.
Johns shows readers the power of dreams. Cree communicate with their ancestors through dreams. They’re taught from a young age to listen to their dreams and learn from them. When I wanted to bury the dream because it made me uncomfortable, Mackenzie kept unearthing it and trying to learn from it. Finally, I gave up and followed her, curious to see what it meant and what she’d do next.
Johns also explores generational grief. Being the first generation of three who are free of first-hand residential school trauma, Mackenzie struggles to find what healing looks like for her. Navigating the lingering trauma of settler colonialism makes it difficult for Mackenzie and those in Treaty 8 territory to cope with not only losing a loved one, but also a lost culture. Johns examines what we owe them/it, as well as those left behind. She also explores ecological grief caused by an extractive industry.
I noticed the value of connection. Amid the debilitating terror stemming from her dreams, there’s hope offered by connecting with our community. When Mackenzie has reached the end of her rope, she reaches out and returns home to her people, the Indigenous Cree of western Canada. In doing so, she reunites with family and grows in the strength of connection. This connection comes at a cost. Mackenzie had previously made the choice not to connect with her family since her sister’s death which has hurt her family. Reconnecting meant being accountable for what she’s done. I loved how I got a real sense of the women in Mackenzie’s life; the aunties. They all come together when needed, despite the tension between them. When the tension and horror raised its head in this story, I knew to wait for a sentence or two because Johns would circle back to show how the females would come together and help out.
I enjoyed the relationship the author created in connecting the land (a character and a setting), to grief and to kinship and appreciated her insights shared at book club.
*some swearing
Secondly, thank goodness for the author talk at book club as I did struggle to pull all my feelings together for this one. I'm new to discussing and understanding the concepts and genre, so bear with me.
Author Jessica Johns, a member of Sucker Creek First Nation in northern Alberta, Canada, lets readers know from the very first line what they’re in for when they pick up her book. I’m glad I stuck with it because it was an informative book about how the Cree communicate with their ancestors through dreams, the supportive role of family, and how we navigate grief.
This horror novel began as the author’s thesis at our local university.
What’s a ‘bad’ Cree? You’ll come to your own conclusions after you read about Mackenzie’s struggle to understand her dreams, but the good/bad dichotomy for me began by watching Mackenzie discover that she wasn’t (in her eyes) a bad person, but rather a bad Cree - for the simple reason that she didn’t understand her culture. Having left her family/land/culture for the coast after experiencing traumatic grief, she’s become disconnected from all that makes her ‘Cree’. An important part to understand here is that she hasn’t lost her identity, but rather, doesn’t know enough about her culture to understand what’s happening to her. Keep in mind that both Mackenzie’s parents and grandparents would have survived residential school - an attempt to erase their culture would have meant that they didn’t pass along all that they may have had they not been swept up in this system. It was disheartening reading about someone who wanted to take on the guilt - guilt that wasn’t hers to own. The multiplicity of ‘bad’ continues throughout the novel with the greed of the oil industry, the wake of the colonial system, and systemic racism.
Johns shows readers the power of dreams. Cree communicate with their ancestors through dreams. They’re taught from a young age to listen to their dreams and learn from them. When I wanted to bury the dream because it made me uncomfortable, Mackenzie kept unearthing it and trying to learn from it. Finally, I gave up and followed her, curious to see what it meant and what she’d do next.
Johns also explores generational grief. Being the first generation of three who are free of first-hand residential school trauma, Mackenzie struggles to find what healing looks like for her. Navigating the lingering trauma of settler colonialism makes it difficult for Mackenzie and those in Treaty 8 territory to cope with not only losing a loved one, but also a lost culture. Johns examines what we owe them/it, as well as those left behind. She also explores ecological grief caused by an extractive industry.
I noticed the value of connection. Amid the debilitating terror stemming from her dreams, there’s hope offered by connecting with our community. When Mackenzie has reached the end of her rope, she reaches out and returns home to her people, the Indigenous Cree of western Canada. In doing so, she reunites with family and grows in the strength of connection. This connection comes at a cost. Mackenzie had previously made the choice not to connect with her family since her sister’s death which has hurt her family. Reconnecting meant being accountable for what she’s done. I loved how I got a real sense of the women in Mackenzie’s life; the aunties. They all come together when needed, despite the tension between them. When the tension and horror raised its head in this story, I knew to wait for a sentence or two because Johns would circle back to show how the females would come together and help out.
I enjoyed the relationship the author created in connecting the land (a character and a setting), to grief and to kinship and appreciated her insights shared at book club.
*some swearing
January 31, 2023
I’m so tired of books being marketed as horror and then they have nothing remotely creepy in them. The writing is so dry and repetitive. It does start off with an interesting idea of Mack being able to pull things from her dreams into reality but the author doesn’t do anything interesting with it.
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