Tilly and the Crazy Eights

Elders, pow-wow, Indigenous-people, road-trip, Gathering-of-Nations, friendship, healing, First Nations, nurture, family, relationship-issues, relationships, cultural-heritage, cultural-exploration, supernatural, situational-humor, verbal-humor***** Tilly is in a rut, so when the elder *Aunties* determine to go to the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow from their homes in Vancouver to New Mexico because one of them is on a timeline, she finds herself going along as driver (among other things). Sarah is the one on a cancer timeline, and the trip is viewed to be of such importance that her grands hold a garage sale with some of their favorite things to raise *pocket money* for her. She is also *Big Sister* to Annie who has a lot of past horrors in her life. Most of them have anger and horrible memories of the time when as children, they were drastically removed from all they knew, forced to remain in a foreign environment (the residential school) and not allowed to speak to or of their own people while being told they were worthless and dirty. And abused and violated by people who were supposedly without stain so add in PTSD to most of them. This trip is funny, sad, redeeming, and a healing venture for each and every one of them. They even learned to recover the memories and rituals that are so very important. Very moving. For the most part, Michelle Thrush is an excellent narrator, but... Her interpretation of Lucy sounds too frail for only 64 and healthy (I am 10 years older). I requested and received a free temporary e-book copy from Bespeak Audio Editions via NetGalley. Thank you!