Super Short Summary

Shell Shaker by LeAnne Howe intertwines the narratives of the 18th-century Choctaw woman Shakbatina and her descendants, the Billy family, in the 20th century. As both timelines unfold, they explore themes of sacrifice, familial duty, and the enduring legacy of cultural identity and resistance against corruption and betrayal, illustrating how the past and present are intricately connected and require communal effort and knowledge to resolve long-standing conflicts. Descriptions of violence and trauma are present.