Saturday, June 21, 2025

Folklore and Crime

 Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina


Sisters of the Lost Nation book cover

Nick Medina’s first book is an interesting story that examines the role of tradition and folklore in helping us understand not only our personal histories, but also sometimes in how we make sense of our traumas and problems. The story that centers around this book—about a kind of rolling head that eats up everything—is a really creative and interesting folk tale. I found that the way that the way that Anna believes in this story was pretty realistic and believable, especially since it is something that she’s heard since she was young. I liked Anna as a character, but I also wondered why she didn’t want to try to fit in. At times, it seemed like she was just dead against belonging to any group. While I can see how she differed from her sister in this respect, it also seemed like it was a little unbelievable. I really appreciated the fact that Medina’s book also examines the issue of murdered and missing indigenous women, a serious problem that is often underreported or investigated. After reading through the book, I appreciated how Medina told the story in alternating timelines. However, it was a little disorienting to read at first. It was a little hard to keep track of what happened when and who was involved. I think that once I became more acquainted with the characters, understanding the narrative flow was a little easier, but it was tough to follow at first. I’m looking forward to Medina’s next book, which seems like it takes the trope of the Indian burial ground. I am really curious to see what he does with that since one of the strengths of this book was the role that myths and folklore play in our lives. 



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