This is historical fiction from an Indigenous perspective. Tayo is a young man who has returned from WWII, from the Bataan Death March specifically, with serious PTSD. He has been raised by his Aunt and Uncle for many years. He went to serve in the military with his cousin, who is like a brother. His brother, the star athlete and perfect son, does not return from the war. Tayo doesn't fit in the Laguna Pueblo community, being only half Indigenous. The novel is not divided into chapters. There are section breaks and occasional poems. We jump from the present to different times in the past. Sometimes the memories are reflected through Tayo being drunk and sometimes through fever dreams while Tayo is sick. In the middle of the book I found it difficult to follow the changing points of view and time periods. It ends strongly though. Tayo seeks an Indigenous medicine man who helps him connect to his heritage. The man's healing ceremony helps Tayo in a way the white culture's medicine could not. Tayo's Uncle bought a herd of Mexican cattle that he expects will be better adapted to the desert environment on the reservation. The cattle escape and head back south before ever making it to the Uncle's farm (although they are already branded by Tayo's family). As he heals, Tayo goes on a quest to find the cattle and recover his Uncle's lost dream. The whole novel is a journey of self-discovery.
