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59 pages 1 hour read

Green Grass, Running Water

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1993

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Book Brief

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Thomas King

Green Grass, Running Water

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1993
Book Details
Pages

469

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Blackfoot Reserve, Canada • 1990s

Publication Year

1993

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King is set in a contemporary First Nations Blackfoot community in Alberta, Canada, and follows several interwoven plotlines. A notable mix of realistic and mythic elements revolves around characters grappling with Indigenous identity. Four Indigenous elders escape a psychiatric institution to fix the world while interacting with modern characters and traditional creation stories. The book discusses themes of cultural preservation, identity, and societal roles.

Humorous

Fantastical

Contemplative

Mysterious

Bittersweet

Reviews & Readership

4.2

8,407 ratings

75%

Loved it

19%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water weaves Indigenous storytelling with contemporary life, receiving praise for its humor, rich character ensemble, and narrative innovation. Some critics find its non-linear structure challenging. Balancing myth and reality, the novel offers a unique, engaging read with occasional complexity. Overall, it is celebrated for its cultural depth.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Green Grass, Running Water?

Readers who appreciate magical realism, Indigenous storytelling, and cultural satire will enjoy Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King. Comparable to Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude and Toni Morrison's Beloved, it appeals to those interested in folklore woven into contemporary narratives.

4.2

8,407 ratings

75%

Loved it

19%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

Character List

Lionel Red Dog

A 40-year-old Blackfoot man working as a TV salesman in Blossom, Alberta, who grapples with his aspirations and dissatisfaction with life's path while competing for Alberta Frank's attention.

An independent and intelligent college professor committed to having a child without marriage, maintaining relationships with both Lionel and Charlie to keep her independence.

A retired professor of literature who is distanced from his Indigenous roots and has a dual significance in standing alone: both from his cultural traditions and against a dam construction.

Lionel’s cousin and rival for Alberta’s affection, who works for a law firm representing a dam project and struggles with his cultural identity due to family history.

A group of characters who share names with Western literary figures and are central to connecting various plot lines, challenging cultural stereotypes and simultaneously evading capture.

A trickster figure from Indigenous folklore who blends reality and fantasy within the narrative and functions as a reader proxy, adding complexity to the plot.

The director of a psychiatric institution in Florida, whose obsession with order and patterns contrasts with the chaotic nature of the escaped elders.

A character who navigates the authority of others with subtle resistance, drawing inspiration from a literary figure involved in a revolt.

The owner of a home entertainment store, who employs Lionel and embodies capitalist exploitation through his property investments near a dam project.

The lead engineer of the dam project, who exhibits a courteous demeanor while making statements that reveal underlying racist attitudes.

Book Details
Pages

469

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Blackfoot Reserve, Canada • 1990s

Publication Year

1993

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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