THE STRANGERS by Katherena Vermette

The second in Katherena Vermette's wonderful series.

At Bookmark in Charlottetown I was looking through the shelves of Canadian fiction last week and was struck by the beading work on the cover. I picked it up and thought the story sounded interesting, so took it home.

This wonderful book by Katherena Vermette, a Red River Métis (Michif) writer, tells the story of three generations of women over the course of several years. It deals with issues of racism, inter generational trauma and the ongoing challenges of the systems that are designed to keep them oppressed. Told through the eyes of Cedar but via chapters focussed on Cedar, her sister Phoenix, her mother Elsie and her grandmother Margaret, this novel is an incredible insight into the difficulties facing women of colour in the modern world and the choices that they both make and that are made for them, impacting their lives and the people around them.

I couldn’t put this book down - it was compelling, although there were questions I had about the story that felt unfinished to me, particularly about Phoenix. That did not in any way detract from this novel, though. The Strangers is a book I wont soon forget and one I may not have become aware of had I not been in Canada. I will now be going to pick up The Break which is an earlier novel by Vermette which I believe is also excellent.

One of the best books I have read this year.

Edit (2025) - This book is part of a series - The Break, The Strangers and The Circle. They're all great ut best read in order.