EMPIRE OF WILD

Canadian actress Michelle St. John narrates this exhilarating novel with a sure sense of pace and a strong grip on its intense emotions. Her characterization of the protagonist, Joan, gives her nuance yet reveals her toughness. The rendering of the Indigenous descendants of Ontario's Métis people is done expertly. The plot focuses on Joan's quest to bring back her wayward husband, who has been entranced by a rugaro (a mythical half-man, half-wolf). Most of the story occurs in rural Ontario, and an important subplot concerns the taking of native lands by unscrupulous developers. Author Cherie Dimaline is a gifted stylist, and her fine novel ranges seamlessly from family to the land to legend. A.D.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2020]