At first when I finished this book, I was disappointed that Sola never got to confront her mom about the abuse she faced in the church that lead to her personality change at home. But honestly, the way it ended was more realistic. As someone who comes from a similar family structure, sometimes you have to make peace with something without getting any closure from the people who should have protected you. This ending solidified for me the greatness of this book.

Omg Lucy is really annoying. She accuses her mom of being negative but she herself finds a way to turn everything into a problem. She takes all of her mom’s comments as an attack. I understand the defensiveness, but she’d save so much energy if she just understood her mom’s personality as it is instead of taking it as a personal affront every single time.

Notes on the characters so far. Trying to keep all the connections straight.

1. Tony is going to the powwow to sell drugs
2. Dene is going so he can continue his uncles project of interviewing native Americans
3. Opal Viola - sister is pregnant, mom is dead, and they stayed at Alcatraz for a while during the 70s occupation.
4. Edwin is doing an internship at the powwow, he is an obese writer living with his mom who hasn’t had a job in the four years since graduating. His dad is Harvey, who is also Opal’s sister’s baby daddy.
5. Bill Davis is Edwin’s moms boyfriend
6. Calvin Johnson is living with his sister Maggie. His brother Charles works with Octavio, who works with Tony selling drugs. Calvin will be working at the powwow and agrees to help Tony & Octavio rob the event because he owes Octavio money.
7. Jacquie is Opal’s sister!! And a substance abuse counselor who is ten days sober. She has three grandsons now who she’s never met. Opal takes care of them. The baby she was pregnant with during Opal’s story was given up in a closed adoption. She had another daughter, Jamie, who died from addiction. Jamie’s kids are the ones Opal takes care of. Jacquie runs into baby daddy Harvey who offers to drive her to Oakland for the powwow and to see if they can find their daughter.
8. Orvil - Jacquie’s grandson, lives with Opal. Doesn’t know much about his Indian heritage but is very interested in it. Goes to the Indian center and gets interviewed by Dene for the project Dene talked about in his chapter. Is going to the powwow with his brothers.
9. Octavio - the drug dealer Tony and Charles work with. His dad died in a drive by shooting and then his mom and brother died when his uncle was drunk driving.
10. Daniel - Octavio’s cousin. Brother is Manny who died. It’s pretty openly implied that Octavio is to blame.
11. Blue - Jacquie and Harvey’s daughter who was given up for adoption. Adopted by white people, married to Paul who is abusive. Leaves him to move back to Oakland and gets a job as event coordinator at the powwow. Knows Calvin, Edwin and Dene there. Doesn’t know Edwin is actually her brother!!
12. Thomas Frank - a drummer who is invited to drum at the powwow