Small ceremonies A novel

Edwards, a journalist and member of the Ebb and Flow First Nation, writes a first novel that is an assured and poignant coming-of-age story. The Tigers, a beloved but hopeless Indigenous Winnipeg hockey team, are likely playing their last season, since the rest of the league thinks it's too far to travel--although most everyone believes it's actually because the Tigers are Indian. Tomahawk (Tommy) and Clinton love playing hockey and see it as a respite from the rest of their lives. Tommy hasn't seen his mentally ill mother in years but has recently been receiving emails from her, while Clinton, who is just trying to do well in school, feels pressure from his older brother to toughen up and join his gang. Taking place over the course of the Tigers' season, the story is told from multiple viewpoints--in addition to Tommy and Clinton, we hear from Tommy's sister, Clinton's brother, his incarcerated father, and the longtime caretaker of the ice rink. Comparisons to Tommy Orange's There There (2018), with its focus on urban Indigenous people, multiple viewpoints, and lead-up to a major event, are inevitable, but Edwards voice is distinct, as are his characters. His memorable novel grapples with both embracing and breaking free from a complicated heritage.

Edwards's spirited debut follows a group of Native hockey players in Winnipeg over the course of what might be their high school program's last season. Tomahawk "Tommy" Shields bets his friend and teammate Clinton Whiteway that he'll make it through the whole season without getting knocked down by an opponent. The goal is important to Tommy, who's struggled with self-confidence ever since his mother was institutionalized for schizophrenia, and he went to live with his grandmother. Clinton, an avid reader with obsessive-compulsive disorder, sees his life upended when his older brother, Kelvin, gets out of prison and tries to recruit him to his crew of drug dealers, prompting Clinton to move into a youth shelter for his own protection. The propulsive narrative toggles between several other characters' perspectives, among them a journalist investigating accusations of racism behind the league's decision to axe the school's team and a mixed-race star player whose lineage is called into question by opposing players during a tournament. Edwards excels at describing how the Native characters face challenges both personal and structural as the novel barrels toward the season's tragic final match. This will stay with readers. Agent: Ron Eckels, CookeMcDermid. (Apr.)