This novel was an absolute triumph of allegory, emotion, and storytelling for me.

Depicting the destruction of the indigenous societies in the western US through the story of a Blackfeet man named Good Stab, the way each piece of symbolism was interwoven into the main story made this book shine. Jones wrote this in a way that makes his readers confront the violence of the creation of the US, while also exploring the many themes. The form of vampirism and how it transforms Good Stab in particular here is so unique and crafted in a way where it is able to portray the injustice of colonialism, the isolation that comes when your culture and way of life is ripped away from you, and the terrible things that one is forced to do in order to survive unthinkable atrocities.

The method through which we learn Good Stab's tale-a story nested within a story nested within yet another story-was at first daunting as a reader, but then had me so emotionally invested in everyone's role in the tale, whether I hated them and cringed at their casual cruelty (Arthur) or was devastated by their grief (Good Stab). I had a hard time tearing myself away. The horror in this book as we experience it is both overt and subtle, heavy at times with its brutal gore but also present in the eerie quiet of the wilderness of Montana. People get ripped apart, and it is quite unsettling, but equally bone-chilling is the casual hatred and violence which is actually a historical accuracy of the time period.

At the end of everything, I keep going back to Good Stab and Arthur and how well Jones writes them to tell his readers of greed, desperation for forgiveness, and the inadequacy of revenge when your entire culture and livelihood has been either destroyed or stolen. I probably sound like a broken record, but I just found this novel so intentional and well-crafted to the point where I felt compelled to pause and analyze each scene and tidbit of information, trying to find the allegory and symbolism behind it all. This one is definitely going to stick in my mind for quite a while.

P.S. For anyone wanting to read this, I highly recommend the audiobook-all of the voice actors were amazing and they really made it a high-level production.

I think it is apt to call this novel a work of art.

Ennes has managed to weave a story so unique and beautifully grotesque here. Every aspect of this book is executed perfectly, from amazingly developed characters that have depth and growth that makes you both laugh and cry, to the distinct world of Tiliard that is blazing with life yet rotting at the same time, to the overall structure of plot.

One of the many triumphs here is the city of Tiliard itself and how the landscape is built around you. I loved the depiction of art in its many forms here, especially with theater and opera. It added an interesting undercurrent to the dramatics of everyone’s behavior, and along with the use of perfume, creates a fascinating contrast of beauty versus rot used in parallel with other themes.

This fantastical city is so unlike our own at first glance-heavily flamboyant and dramatized, carved into a tree with giant silverfish scuttling around. You think, there’s no way this book will distort and reflect our society in such a haunting way. But then you get to know the main cast of characters, follow Guylag as he does everything in his power to protect his younger sibling, watch Aster navigate a cutthroat political landscape, and you bear witness to how carefully Ennes ties real-world class strife and tendencies into their work. There was such striking commentary on debt and labor and the oppression of the poor/working class, all wrapped up in this vibrant, theatrical landscape.

There is a point in this novel where everything snapped together into place, and it’s one of the few times I’ve felt as if my own world shifted alongside the one inside a book. This novel had the gall to break my heart and then somehow glue its pieces back together. It’s a work that stays with you, makes itself stick in your mind and it’s one I will definitely come back to again.