59 pages • 1 hour read
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469
Novel • Fiction
Blackfoot Reserve, Canada • 1990s
1993
Adult
18+ years
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
8,407 ratings
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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.
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.
8,407 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Alberta Frank
An independent and intelligent college professor committed to having a child without marriage, maintaining relationships with both Lionel and Charlie to keep her independence.
Eli Stands Alone
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.
Charlie Looking Bear
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.
The Escaped Elders
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.
Coyote
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.
Dr. Joe Hovaugh
The director of a psychiatric institution in Florida, whose obsession with order and patterns contrasts with the chaotic nature of the escaped elders.
Babo Jones
A character who navigates the authority of others with subtle resistance, drawing inspiration from a literary figure involved in a revolt.
Bill Bursum
The owner of a home entertainment store, who employs Lionel and embodies capitalist exploitation through his property investments near a dam project.
Clifford Sifton
The lead engineer of the dam project, who exhibits a courteous demeanor while making statements that reveal underlying racist attitudes.
469
Novel • Fiction
Blackfoot Reserve, Canada • 1990s
1993
Adult
18+ years
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