Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina
Indian Burial Ground book cover
After reading Medina’s earlier novel Sisters of the Lost Nation, I was excited to learn about this upcoming novel Indian Burial Ground. There were some really cool uses of mythology and folklore in Sisters of the Lost Nation, and the book dealt with important issues that many indigenous communities face, including high rates of missing and murdered women. When I saw the title for Indian Burial Ground, I loved how it played on one of Stephen King’s favorite horror tropes for explaining evil in Maine. Medina’s new book is even better than Sisters, while also exploring important issues indigenous communities face- notably suicide and addiction, as well as higher rates of violence. Also like Sisters, Indian Burial Ground takes place on the Takoda Reservation, and his new novel also features some of the characters from Sisters as well. I also liked the narrative structure of this book much better than Sisters of the Lost Nation. In Sisters, the alternating chapters work backwards and forwards, until they meet at the end. It was a clever approach, but it was somewhat disorienting at first and hard for me to follow. This book also features alternating chapters that focus on different time periods, but with the names of the different characters as the title of each chapter, and understanding that these titles were about 35 years apart, it was easier to understand. I liked how the different chapters were told from Uncle Louie’s perspective before he left the reservation, and from his niece’s perspective, Noemi Broussard, who just lost her boyfriend to a mysterious death that may have been suicide, but also seemed somewhat suspicious. We also learn that Louie witnessed another mysterious death (which was somewhat disturbing to read) when he was younger, and this death has haunted him for some time. It also has led others on the Rez to question his accountability for the death. This book has a much stranger and creepier mood than Sisters, but also uses folklore and mythology to add to the tales. The Takoda Reservation begins to have strange deaths, which are difficult to explain. Even stranger, the dead make a scary and disturbing return, often confusing their loved ones, who are not sure what to make of the strange sounds and sudden movements they witness days after the death. Louie’s return allows him to help comfort Noemi during her time of grieving, while also seeking answers with her to explain Noemi’s loss and find what might be causing these strange post-death behaviors. Medina builds on many of the strengths from Sisters and used the inventive narrative structures and folklore to create an engaging mystery that also aims to tackle social issues. I loved that this book really took a hard look at the high rates of suicide and addition in Native American communities. I also really liked the characters in this book more than in Sisters. Maybe because Sisters seemed more aimed towards YA audiences, this book featured adult characters who dealt with adult issues of identity, responsibility, and also trying to make their way amidst some dysfunction and addiction. With these kinds of issues happening on the Rez, it’s almost like there are different kinds of horror—the horror of addiction, the horror of mental health challenges, as well as the horror of these unexplained deaths that are occurring. While it may seem fantastical, Medina makes these issues both real and important in his narrative, bringing them to light to more audiences, while also challenging or flipping one of the more common tropes used by probably the most famous horror author ever. This is a great read for a lot of different reasons—it’s inventive and engaging, while also bringing an awareness to important issues affecting Native Americans. It’s also interesting to see how Medina is creating his own world where his novels are set—kind of like a Rez version of Yoknapatawpha County. I’m looking forward to more stories set on the Tokada Reservation
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