Hole in the Sky

Hole in the Sky by Daniel H. Wilson, 288 pages

When strange things start happening in the sky above Oklahoma, everyone from military leaders to astrophysicists to the people who live on the Cherokee reservation below the titular "hole in the sky" are on high alert and wondering what could possibly be happening. It's obvious that whatever's going on is an alien response to the golden record sent out on Voyager spacecraft in 1977, but whether that response is diplomatic, investigative, or hostile, nobody knows, which means everyone has to be prepared for all contingencies.

Told from the rotating points of view of a U.S. military leader, a rogue astrophysicist, a mysterious hidden interpreter of cosmic prophecies (all of which have been true), and a Cherokee man attempting to rebuild a relationship with his teen daughter, this first contact story is a bit of a different spin than we usually see. While the plot wanders a bit at times and there's a bit more gore than I prefer, I really appreciated seeing an indigenous take on alien contact. I haven't seen that perspective before, and the way it's presented here makes it an excellent story.

Love Is a War Song

Love Is a War Song by Danica Nava, 336 pages

After rising pop star Avery Fox gets cancelled for her culturally insensitive use of Native American imagery, her mom/manager sends her off to the Muscogee reservation in Oklahoma to learn about her heritage at her estranged grandmother's house, where she can also conveniently avoid the paparazzi. Avery's definitely interested in meeting her grandmother, who she's never met and her mother never talks about, but she certainly isn't prepared for life on the reservation or working hard at her grandmother's horse ranch. She also isn't prepared for Lucas, the ridiculously hot and aloof ranch hand who seems to hate her from the moment he picks her up at the airport.

While this book is filled with plenty of the traditional romance tropes, its setting in a Native American community and discussion of ignorance and cultural insensitivity is fresh. That said, I can't say I totally loved the book — I have plenty of quibbles with the way things played out toward the end of the book, and I'm sure there are better ways to handle the PR nightmare that spurs the storyline. But it is a fresh backdrop, and I'll definitely be checking out more of Nava's books.

Shelterwood

Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate, 347 pages

In 1909 Oklahoma, precocious young girl Olive runs away from home to save her adopted sister, a Choctaw orphan named Nessa, from her stepfather's bad intentions. Eighty years later, park security officer Valerie is new to the fictitious Winding Stair National Park when she discovers that her coworkers are trying to sweep aside an investigation of old bones in a cave as she simultaneously searches for a missing teenager. As the story bounces back and forth between the two timelines, it become increasingly clear that the two stories are connected, though it's hard to say exactly how.

It's interesting, though not particularly surprising, to learn more about the many ways in which indigenous Americans were treated 100+ years ago, particularly in Oklahoma, and it's intriguing to think about the ways in which we as a society continue the oppression of this culture. That said, the presentation of these two stories is a bit stilted and uneven, and I kept getting frustrated with the odd pacing of both stories. That said, for those who read or watched Killers of the Flower Moon and wanted to learn more about the era through a novel, this is an OK option.

Black Birds in the Sky

 Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre by Brandy Colbert, 224 pages.

This work of young adult nonfiction is about the Tulsa Race Massacre, but it also more broadly covers the history of racism in America, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Being a young adult book, the writing is simple, and breaks the history up into quick to read and easy to understand chunks. It also handles very dark subject matter in a way that neither sensationalizes its darkness nor softens it for the younger audience. My only real complaint is that it sometimes felt a little unfocused and meandering. However, despite feeling a little disorganized, the book gives lots of context on it's subject matter, and is very thorough. Contextual topics that get a lot of focus include lynching, Jim Crow laws, and race riots. Colbert also spends the last chapter discussing the legacy of the Tulsa Race Massacre, both in terms of popular culture and academic representations and in terms of how Oklahoma has dealt with this legacy in the present day. Overall I would say this is a very good book for young people about a long hidden tragedy.

Crooked Hallelujah

 Crooked Hallelujah by Kelli Jo Ford (2020) 288 pages

Fifteen-year-old Justine is a member of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. When her father had left many years ago, her mother, Lula, took refuge in the Beulah Springs Holiness Church, complete with faith healing, prophetic visions, speaking in tongues, and the requirement of modest dress. Justine is feeling hemmed in by her mother's congregation. And now she is pregnant.

Justine gives birth to Reney, and although she works multiple jobs, they are just getting by. Justine drinks too much and the men she associates with are unreliable, sometimes scary. Reney often finds more stability in time spent with her grandmother and great grandmother.

The novel chronicles the relationships between the four Cherokee women over time, especially from the viewpoints of Justine and Reney. The bonds of love are strong, but so are the difficulties encountered. Justine feels helpless when her mother develops seizures but Lula prefers the prayers of her congregation to any medical care. Unable to change her mother's view, Justine bounces between Texas and Oklahoma, trying to find her place in the world. Reney grows up quickly, and struggles to avoid her mother's pitfalls.

The debut novel of a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Crooked Hallelujah feels authentic and loving, but heavy.

Killers of the Flower Moon

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann  338 pp.

Patrick gave a good description of this book when he blogged about it. I don't have much more to add other than it is one more piece of the history of appalling treatment of Native Americans in this country. The author's research was very well done.

Killers of the Flower Moon: the Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI

Killers of the Flower Moon: the Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI  / David Grann,  read by Will Patton, et al., 338 pp.


What Patrick said, except that I didn't much enjoy the audio production.  On the other hand, the research and storytelling were first-rate.