A dystopian story that doesn't feel like fiction at all...it's sad, heartbreaking, but also has moments of joy. This is a fast paced read that was hard to put down. I listened to the audiobook edition and the narrator, Meegwun Fairbrother, does an excellent job.

The Marrow Thieves carries the history and horrors of residential schools in Canada into a near future where a similar thing is happening but this time, indigenous people are being harvested for their bone marrow which somehow is keeping non-indigenous people alive in a world that has become harder to survive in after humans wrecked and poisoned the environment. We follow Frenchie, a young teenager, and his found family as they try to escape north and avoid being caught by the "recruiters" who would bring them to the schools to be harvested.

I was crying within the first few minutes.

Even though this book is heavy, harsh, and sad with some pockets of joy, resilience, and hope, I would highly recommend it. Perhaps even because it faces the horrors of what has been done, what is currently being done, and what will continue in the future if we don't fight against it. Dimaline doesn't placate and because of this, the book is all that much stronger for it. It won't hold your hand or comfort you and that is needed for folks to get the message of how horrible the residential schools were and how the indigenous nations were/are treated.

Check trigger warnings for SA especially - I was not aware of this (even though I checked) and it hit hard.