
TITLE: Sisters of the Lost Nation
AUTHOR: Nick Medina
PUBLISHER: Berkley (Penguin Random House)
ISBN: 9780593546864
PODCAST EPISODE: Episode 152
REVIEWER: Hilary Wilson
Nick Medina, a member of the Tunica-Biloxi tribe in Louisiana, grew up listening to stories of ancient tribal folklore and myth passed on by his paternal grandmother, an elder of the tribe. These stories birthed in him an appreciation and fascination of indigenous folklore that he carried with him into his adulthood. All of this manifested in his debut novel, Sisters of the Lost Nation, published by Berkeley Hardcover in April 2023.
Sisters of the Lost Nation is the story of Anna Horn, a young member of the fictional Takoda tribe living on the reservation in Louisiana. She is haunted by the disappearance of the last of the tribe’s Legend Keepers, Miss Shelby, and by the disappearance of younger girls on the reservation. When her own sister goes missing, Anna has no choice but to face the very real demons plaguing the reservation to bring her sister home.
Medina skillfully melds myth and reality to create a compelling tale. At a time when the epidemic of missing indigenous women continues to ravage communities, this book could not be more timely. Likewise, Medina’s creation of the Takoda tribe has produced a people that can speak for all indigenous histories and traditions. Reading through the folklore and legends, it is easy to recognize the bits and pieces borrowed from the shared indigenous history that speak for everyone.
Anna is a compelling hero whose struggle to find a place for herself within her tribe and family life is easy to relate to. The compassion that she shows for everyone, and her slow acceptance of herself are sure to be a mirror to many young readers who pick up this book. Ultimately, this is a tale of the need for understanding and compassion to be utilized in order to defeat the tendencies towards othering that pervades the world.
Medina understands the strength of folklore and tradition, and how a better understanding of our shared history can help us move into the future. Sisters of the Lost Nation, while dealing with difficult subject matter, is an exceptionally important read that will resonate with readers everywhere. Medina is an author to watch, as he continues fastidiously preserving historical belief and shedding light on current issues affecting indigenous communities.
AUTHOR: Nick Medina
PUBLISHER: Berkley (Penguin Random House)
ISBN: 9780593546864
PODCAST EPISODE: Episode 152
REVIEWER: Hilary Wilson
Nick Medina, a member of the Tunica-Biloxi tribe in Louisiana, grew up listening to stories of ancient tribal folklore and myth passed on by his paternal grandmother, an elder of the tribe. These stories birthed in him an appreciation and fascination of indigenous folklore that he carried with him into his adulthood. All of this manifested in his debut novel, Sisters of the Lost Nation, published by Berkeley Hardcover in April 2023.
Sisters of the Lost Nation is the story of Anna Horn, a young member of the fictional Takoda tribe living on the reservation in Louisiana. She is haunted by the disappearance of the last of the tribe’s Legend Keepers, Miss Shelby, and by the disappearance of younger girls on the reservation. When her own sister goes missing, Anna has no choice but to face the very real demons plaguing the reservation to bring her sister home.
Medina skillfully melds myth and reality to create a compelling tale. At a time when the epidemic of missing indigenous women continues to ravage communities, this book could not be more timely. Likewise, Medina’s creation of the Takoda tribe has produced a people that can speak for all indigenous histories and traditions. Reading through the folklore and legends, it is easy to recognize the bits and pieces borrowed from the shared indigenous history that speak for everyone.
Anna is a compelling hero whose struggle to find a place for herself within her tribe and family life is easy to relate to. The compassion that she shows for everyone, and her slow acceptance of herself are sure to be a mirror to many young readers who pick up this book. Ultimately, this is a tale of the need for understanding and compassion to be utilized in order to defeat the tendencies towards othering that pervades the world.
Medina understands the strength of folklore and tradition, and how a better understanding of our shared history can help us move into the future. Sisters of the Lost Nation, while dealing with difficult subject matter, is an exceptionally important read that will resonate with readers everywhere. Medina is an author to watch, as he continues fastidiously preserving historical belief and shedding light on current issues affecting indigenous communities.