Through Black Spruce Hardback - 2009

by Joseph Boyden

A haunting novel about identity,love, and loss by the author ofThree Day RoadWill Bird is a legendary Cree bush pilot, nowlying in a coma in a hospital in his hometown of MooseFactory, Ontario. His niece Annie Bird, beautiful andself-reliant, has returned from her own perilous journeyto sit beside his bed. Broken in different ways, thetwo take silent communion in their unspoken kinship,and the story that unfolds is rife with heartbreak, fiercelove, ancient blood feuds, mysterious disappearances,fires, plane crashes, murders, and the bonds that holda family, and a people, together. As Will and Anniereveal their secrets-the tragic betrayal that cost Willhis family, Annie's desperate search for her missing sister,the famous model Suzanne-a remarkable saga ofresilience and destiny takes shape. From the dangerousbush country of upper Canada to the drug-fueled glamourof the Manhattan club scene, Joseph Boyden trackshis characters with a keen eye for the telling detail anda rare empathy for the empty places concealed withinthe heart. Sure to appeal to readers of Louise Erdrichand Jim Harrison, Through Black Spruce establishesBoyden as a writer of startling originality and uncommonpower.