Winter Counts Review

“When Sybil died, everyone said that grief would get better over time. What I’d discovered was that sadness is like an abandoned car left out in a field for good–it changes a little over the years, but doesn’t ever disappear.”
David Heska Wanbli Weiden-Winter Counts

Virgil Wounded Horse is considered a private enforcer. When the federal movement and the tribal council fails to deliver justice Virgil is hired to bring his own type of justice to the wronged families. When heroin makes its way onto the reservation impacting Nathan, Virgil’s nephew, it becomes personal. Virgil is tasked with trying to get drugs off the reservation and keep his nephew safe. In this process he must confront his evils head on and restore his own Native American identity.

What did I like:
1. The characters in this story were beautifully developed. Each one seemed to have their own personality and I felt such a strong connection to each one of them.
2. I absolutely loved the story overall and I really appreciated learning the history of the Lakota and what life is like on the reservation. I had no idea a lot of crimes occur on reservation because the federal government usually doesn’t want to get involved.
3. I loved the style of writing! I felt engaged the entire time. This story is beautiful.

What I didn’t like:
1. This one was listed as being a thriller/mystery and while it certainly had these elements the story felt more contemporary to me, which is fine because that’s another favorite genre of mine. But those looking for a strong mystery will likely be disappointed.