Moon of the Crusted Snow Audiobook By Waubgeshig Rice cover art

Moon of the Crusted Snow

A Novel

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Moon of the Crusted Snow

By: Waubgeshig Rice
Narrated by: Billy Merasty
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A daring post-apocalyptic novel from a powerful rising literary voice

With winter looming, a small northern Anishinaabe community goes dark. Cut off, people become passive and confused. Panic builds as the food supply dwindles. While the band council and a pocket of community members struggle to maintain order, an unexpected visitor arrives, escaping the crumbling society to the south. Soon after, others follow.

The community leadership loses its grip on power as the visitors manipulate the tired and hungry to take control of the reserve. Tensions rise and, as the months pass, so does the death toll due to sickness and despair. Frustrated by the building chaos, a group of young friends and their families turn to the land and Anishinaabe tradition in hopes of helping their community thrive again. Guided through the chaos by an unlikely leader named Evan Whitesky, they endeavor to restore order while grappling with a grave decision.

Blending action and allegory, Moon of the Crusted Snow upends our expectations. Out of catastrophe comes resilience. And as one society collapses, another is reborn.

©2018 Waubgeshig Rice (P)2018 ECW Press Dystopian Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction Small Town & Rural World Literature Emotionally Gripping Suspenseful

Critic reviews

“Perfect for those who read Iain Reid’s Foe this summer and are looking for something in the same vein.” (The Globe and Mail)

“The creeping tension and vividly drawn landscapes make Waubgeshig Rice’s characters’ choices all the more real.” (Toronto Star)

“Moon of the Crusted Snow asks how do we live in a good way during the collapse of the infrastructure that supports modern life? For Evan Whitesky, the answer lies in rekindling Ojibwe, the old ways, language and culture. For other characters, when the food runs out, all options are on the table, no matter how gruesome. As the tensions between those surviving the end of modern civilization build to a harrowing conclusion, Rice deftly weaves tender family moments with his brutal survival scenes in the unforgiving northern Ontario winter. Chilling in the best way possible." (Eden Robinson, award-winning author of Monkey Beach and Son of a Trickster)
Indigenous Perspective • Beautiful Storytelling • Authentic Narration • Atmospheric Tension • Unique Dystopian Approach
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Every step of the way this story delivers. One of the best books I’ve read! Worth purchasing. The narration was perfect. Highly recommended!1

Helllofagood book

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I loved listening to the Anishinaabe language in this book. I grew up hearing the language from my great grandma and it made me feel so many things hearing it in a story. The imagery in this book was amazing. I loved hearing it while sitting through a snow storm. I can't recommend it enough.

Amazing Imagery

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Fantastic novel that blends the post-apocalyptic paranoia so often present in modern fiction with the trauma, struggles, and world understanding of a small First Nations community. It’s incredibly executed with wonderful character writing; I couldn’t put it down. Having it read by an indigenous person was also a unique delight. I heard there may be a sequel coming out and I’m really excited to read it!

Amazing!

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The heaviness of a cautionary tale, wrapped in good medicine. Listen with snow on the ground

So haunting and well done

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This book contains one of the best most satisfying climax of building dread! Narration is hypnotic and how calm it is only serves as juxtaposition against the backdrop of the horror unfolding! I can’t even organize my thoughts around why I loved this book but I promise you will too HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Building dread

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As a fellow Shinob I always wonder what this kind of story would look like from the voice of my Anishinaabe people. Waub tells a gripping story that really takes you to that place. Some major themes like family, community, disaster preparation, and looking within ourselves really came out. There’s a lot to learn from this story.

I hope there is a sequel on the way but I also believe this story is fine as-is. I can really imagine what happens next.

This was my first time listening to something from Waub and I look forward to reading more from this excellent author!

Chii Migwetch!!

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I really enjoyed this book. I felt pulled in by the characters and I'm waiting for the next in the series.

different perspective in this genre

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I have never thought to leave a review but after finishing this book I am wanting to write one, write the author, make a post to tell others, tell everyone how much I loved this book. I was looking for a winter set book to listen to and love apocalypse tales so this looked right up my alley. This book is so beautifully written, told wonderfully on audio here, is full of rich backstories and just felt somehow so cozy while then quickly unfolding its darker events. The book didn’t rely on excessive gore or nonsense like some apocalypse/horror stories do. The author shared so wonderfully the community this story is set in that I cared about the characters quickly and deeply and made the story feel all that more real. Listen to the about author / gratitudes at the end. Cannot wait to read more from Mr. Rice.

Perfect

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I enjoyed this book because it wove Anishinaabe traditions into a story built on colonialist themes.

Good read

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Very creative imagining of life in a far north reservation community following disconnection from “the grid”. Well written and well read.

A modern twist on old tales.

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