Elatsoe

I quite enjoyed this book, but having finished it I think I am struggling to say anything especially notable or profound about it. That doesn't mean it's a bad book by any stretch and I enjoyed reading it but I am not sure it will have a lasting impact on me.

'Elatsoe' is a supernatural / urban fantasy murder investigation YA novel set in modern day 'not-America'. Even though the subject matter isn't particularly pleasant there's nothing that the average child or teenager would find off-putting or unpleasant. I guess that's one of the strengths of the book for me - the subject matter is handled sensitively, there are moments that pack a punch but there is a lightness to the writing that makes one think there is always hope. In this context a world where there are fairies, ghosts, vampires and monsters helps lighten the mood - even though many of the supernatural characters are definitely out to cause harm. I think Darcie Little Badger knows her audience and is on the right note throughout the book.

The structure of the book really helps too. Most of the chapters are quite short so it is something you can easily pick up and put down. I often have a bit of push-back with books with very short chapters but in this case it works. There is enough variation for the structure to not be overly noticeable but where I think the book succeeds is that it demands you read another chapter which makes it feel like a shorter book than it is. My attention was generally held throughout - it's a good start, I kind of struggled at times with the core of the book but everything was pulled together in the end. I did like the pacing, but at times I felt the book moved a little too fast to get to where the characters needed to be (I know, it's hard - the last novel I read I grumbled because it took too long to do so. I am like Goldilocks sometimes...) Each chapter is also prefaced with an illustration which captures the mood of the chapter - they are stunning, even if reading on an ereader and help with the immersion into the book.

I really liked the title character, shortened to Ellie in the book and her sidekick and best friend Jay. Quite often teenage characters in books like this get on my nerves, and I guess they are a little over competent at times but they are likeable! That matters I guess. Ellie in the book is seventeen and I quite liked how she never seemed to be portrayed as older or younger than that. She has a maturity and makes clear adult choices about her life, but she is clearly still a child and vulnerable. There are couple of scenes that are really sweet that really capture that transition into adulthood. Again, it's a good note to hit so regularly.

In the book, Ellie and her family are Lipan Apache. Sadly, pretty much all I know about Lipan Apache culture I got from this book, so I am making a lot of assumptions here. Ellie is surrounded by strong female figures, in her mother and aunt (plus a really cool cameo of a bunch of supportive bridesmaids). Ellie's power, to commune with ghosts and raise them is one that is passed down through the matriarchal line, typically via treasured conversations when one comes of age. The power of stories is so strong with Ellie's mother telling her stories of 'Six-Great', her sixth great grandmother and her legendary ability to protect her people. There is a lovely part of the book where Ellie's mother tells Ellie not to interrupt a story and it lands well, because people's history needs to be passed down properly and the sense of the vitality of oral storytelling that brings people back to life is strong. I suspect much of Ellie's story and her abilities plus perspectives on the deceased and ghosts come direct from Lipan Apache culture.

I did see a lot of high praise for Ellie as asexual. Like other books I have read recently that have been praised for their representation I have to be honest, it's mentioned in one sentence and perhaps alluded to in another. That's not a big deal really - after all non-heterosexual characters shouldn't have a detailed exploration of their sexuality in every book, but if one is looking for a detailed exploration of an asexual character then they may be disappointed. Take out a couple of sentences and it's gone.

The main villain is a little one note for me, although when it became obvious what he was up to I thought it was quite clever. I guess the 'whole town is in on this and are watching us vibe' has been done many times before. What is more interesting is the perspective of the impact of colonialism and racism in America and what it has done to indigenous Americans. Admittedly, I am writing this an ocean away but I can feel the heartache and the anger at the genocide of peoples, the theft of land, the destruction of resources. It's a hurt that will be felt for generations to come and has been for centuries. One cannot help but feel the fury of one ghost for what has happened to indigenous Americans.

I don't know if a sequel is planned but I think we may not have seen the last of Ellie, but whether she comes back or not there is much to commend in this novel.