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Calling for a Blanket Dance
Winner of the PEN America/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel * Finalist for the 2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize * Finalist for the L.A. Times Book Prize/Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction
“A profound reflection on the intergenerational nature of cultural trauma… Hokeah’s characters exist at the intersection of Kiowa, Cherokee and Mexican identity, which provides a vital exploration of indigeneity in contemporary American letters.” —The New York Times Book ReviewA moving and deeply engaging novel about a young Native American man as he learns to find strength in his familial identity. Oscar Hokeah’s electric debut takes us into the life of Ever Geimausaddle, whose family—part Mexican, part Native American—is determined to hold onto their community despite obstacles everywhere they turn. Ever’s father is injured at the hands of corrupt police on the border when he goes to visit family in Mexico, while his mother struggles both to keep her job and care for her husband. And young Ever is lost and angry at all that he doesn’t understand, at this world that seems to undermine his sense of safety. Ever’s relatives all have ideas about who he is and who he should be. His Cherokee grandmother, knowing the importance of proximity, urges the family to move across Oklahoma to be near her, while his grandfather, watching their traditions slip away, tries to reunite Ever with his heritage through traditional gourd dances. Through it all, every relative wants the to remind Ever of the rich and supportive communities that surround him, there to hold him tight, and for Ever to learn to take the strength given to him to save not only himself but also the next generation. How will this young man visualize a place for himself when the world hasn’t made room for him to start with? Honest, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting, Calling for a Blanket Dance is the story of how Ever Geimausaddle finds his way home. "STUNNING." —Susan Power, author of The Grass Dancer
“A profound reflection on the intergenerational nature of cultural trauma… Hokeah’s characters exist at the intersection of Kiowa, Cherokee and Mexican identity, which provides a vital exploration of indigeneity in contemporary American letters.” —The New York Times Book ReviewA moving and deeply engaging novel about a young Native American man as he learns to find strength in his familial identity. Oscar Hokeah’s electric debut takes us into the life of Ever Geimausaddle, whose family—part Mexican, part Native American—is determined to hold onto their community despite obstacles everywhere they turn. Ever’s father is injured at the hands of corrupt police on the border when he goes to visit family in Mexico, while his mother struggles both to keep her job and care for her husband. And young Ever is lost and angry at all that he doesn’t understand, at this world that seems to undermine his sense of safety. Ever’s relatives all have ideas about who he is and who he should be. His Cherokee grandmother, knowing the importance of proximity, urges the family to move across Oklahoma to be near her, while his grandfather, watching their traditions slip away, tries to reunite Ever with his heritage through traditional gourd dances. Through it all, every relative wants the to remind Ever of the rich and supportive communities that surround him, there to hold him tight, and for Ever to learn to take the strength given to him to save not only himself but also the next generation. How will this young man visualize a place for himself when the world hasn’t made room for him to start with? Honest, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting, Calling for a Blanket Dance is the story of how Ever Geimausaddle finds his way home. "STUNNING." —Susan Power, author of The Grass Dancer
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 26, 2022
About the author
Oscar Hokeah
4 books305 followersOscar Hokeah lives in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and works for Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare. He is an enrolled citizen of Cherokee Nation and the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, and he also has Mexican heritage from Aldama, Chihuahua, Mexico. His debut novel, CALLING FOR A BLANKET DANCE, is out now!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 722 reviews
August 4, 2021
I'm completely bias here, lol. It was intense to write and a joy to read.
January 22, 2023
Now Nominated for the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel 2023
Hokeah tells the story of Indigenous Ever Geimausaddle from his childhood up to his thirties - and he does so by letting eleven of his family members narrate one chapter each, thus evoking both the motif of the quilt (blankets that are also used as storytelling devices through their designs) and the round dance. Only in the last chapter do we hear from Ever himself. Over the whole novel lingers the question whether Ever is cursed due to a traumatic event that occurred in his childhood: Corrupt police rob his family and beat up his father so bad that he becomes permanently disabled. Ever tries to overcome intergenerational trauma that includes this event, but expands beyond it.
Now to be honest, my first impulse was to be very skeptical here: Tommy Orange's There There, which I LOVE, uses a similar polyphonic narration to illustrate the destiny of various indigenous people living in Oakland, with one of them being the alter ego of Orange (who is half Cheyenne and Arapaho, half white). But Hokeah has a different focus: Like himself, Ever is of Cherokee, Kiowa and Mexican descent, and he uses this heritage to ponder inter-tribal relations as well as the situation of Mexicans and people with Mexican roots in the US. In the bio on his website, Hokeah stresses that he sees himself as a regionalist Native American writer particularly interested in two tribally specific communities: Tahlequah and Lawton, Oklahoma, where his novel is set, and where his own family resides.
So there might be some autofictional aspects in this story full of vivid characters that exemplify problems like drug and alcohol abuse, racism, historical injustice, and poverty, but also the potential of familial solidarity, love and perseverance. Ever and many characters aim to carry on their ancestors' legacy, but while leaving theitr trauma behind. While Ever searches for a home for himself and his family, all other narrators frame him after their ideas (which they must, it's their perspective) - but what is Ever's idea of home? This question moves the story forward, as well as the looming curse that readers wish him to evade.
A fascinating round dance of a story - I'm very curious what Hokeah will write next.
Hokeah tells the story of Indigenous Ever Geimausaddle from his childhood up to his thirties - and he does so by letting eleven of his family members narrate one chapter each, thus evoking both the motif of the quilt (blankets that are also used as storytelling devices through their designs) and the round dance. Only in the last chapter do we hear from Ever himself. Over the whole novel lingers the question whether Ever is cursed due to a traumatic event that occurred in his childhood: Corrupt police rob his family and beat up his father so bad that he becomes permanently disabled. Ever tries to overcome intergenerational trauma that includes this event, but expands beyond it.
Now to be honest, my first impulse was to be very skeptical here: Tommy Orange's There There, which I LOVE, uses a similar polyphonic narration to illustrate the destiny of various indigenous people living in Oakland, with one of them being the alter ego of Orange (who is half Cheyenne and Arapaho, half white). But Hokeah has a different focus: Like himself, Ever is of Cherokee, Kiowa and Mexican descent, and he uses this heritage to ponder inter-tribal relations as well as the situation of Mexicans and people with Mexican roots in the US. In the bio on his website, Hokeah stresses that he sees himself as a regionalist Native American writer particularly interested in two tribally specific communities: Tahlequah and Lawton, Oklahoma, where his novel is set, and where his own family resides.
So there might be some autofictional aspects in this story full of vivid characters that exemplify problems like drug and alcohol abuse, racism, historical injustice, and poverty, but also the potential of familial solidarity, love and perseverance. Ever and many characters aim to carry on their ancestors' legacy, but while leaving theitr trauma behind. While Ever searches for a home for himself and his family, all other narrators frame him after their ideas (which they must, it's their perspective) - but what is Ever's idea of home? This question moves the story forward, as well as the looming curse that readers wish him to evade.
A fascinating round dance of a story - I'm very curious what Hokeah will write next.
January 26, 2023
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3 ½ stars (rounded up as this is a debut)
Calling for a Blanket Dance employs one of my (recent) favorite literary ‘techniques’, which consists in using the short-story format to tell an overarching story. A few weeks before reading this I read Morgan Talty’s Night of the Living Rez, which also used the short-story format to tell a young man’s coming-of-age. Unlike that title, the stories in Calling for a Blanket Dance are not narrated directly by its central figure, Ever Geimausaddle, but rather, by the people around him. I usually prefer it when we either follow or hear directly from the central character themselves, rather than having their experiences recounted by second parties, however, the collective voices in Calling for a Blanket Dance are ultimately able to enrich Ever Geimausaddle’s story. Each chapter presents us with a different point of view, often of a character related to Ever (his grandfather, his mother, his sister, his nephew) transporting us from the 80s to the 2000s. Through their perspective, we gain a different understanding of Ever, an understanding that is shaped by that character and their experiences and ideas of who Ever is and what he should become. Some of these characters want to reunite him with his own heritage, such as his grandfather who after receiving a fatal diagnosis decides to teach Ever about Gourd dances. These chapters offer us snapshots not only of a particular stage of Ever’s life but they present us with a glimpse into the character whose perspective we are ‘inhabiting’. Ever emerges as an empathetic man trying to reconcile himself with his dysfunctional upbringing and relatives, as well as with his own multi heritage (Mexica, Cherokee, Kiowa).
To describe this collection as heavy-going would be an understatement. It delves into the past and present experiences of indigenous people, rendering the realities and aftermath of generational trauma. These characters struggle against vicious cycles of displacement, dispossession, poverty, neglect, illness, and addiction. At times the characters try to help one another but more often than not they are unable to steer people away from spiralling into self-destructive behavior. Yet, despite the bleak and brutal landscapes painted by these stories, we are also given moments of hope and connection that make us in turn hopeful for these characters. The author writes about these characters and their experiences with exacting candor while also demonstrating empathy towards them in a way to mind the work of Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
My only quibble is that I think that we should have given a few chapters from Ever throughout the collection (as opposed to one near the end). But like I said before, this is just a personal preference.
Overall this was a very solid debut that is as incisive as it is compelling. If you like collections such as Night of the Living Rez, Crooked Hallelujah, and Lot or books such as Nuclear Family and Monkey Beach you should definitely add Hokeah's debut to your tbr list.
3 ½ stars (rounded up as this is a debut)
Calling for a Blanket Dance employs one of my (recent) favorite literary ‘techniques’, which consists in using the short-story format to tell an overarching story. A few weeks before reading this I read Morgan Talty’s Night of the Living Rez, which also used the short-story format to tell a young man’s coming-of-age. Unlike that title, the stories in Calling for a Blanket Dance are not narrated directly by its central figure, Ever Geimausaddle, but rather, by the people around him. I usually prefer it when we either follow or hear directly from the central character themselves, rather than having their experiences recounted by second parties, however, the collective voices in Calling for a Blanket Dance are ultimately able to enrich Ever Geimausaddle’s story. Each chapter presents us with a different point of view, often of a character related to Ever (his grandfather, his mother, his sister, his nephew) transporting us from the 80s to the 2000s. Through their perspective, we gain a different understanding of Ever, an understanding that is shaped by that character and their experiences and ideas of who Ever is and what he should become. Some of these characters want to reunite him with his own heritage, such as his grandfather who after receiving a fatal diagnosis decides to teach Ever about Gourd dances. These chapters offer us snapshots not only of a particular stage of Ever’s life but they present us with a glimpse into the character whose perspective we are ‘inhabiting’. Ever emerges as an empathetic man trying to reconcile himself with his dysfunctional upbringing and relatives, as well as with his own multi heritage (Mexica, Cherokee, Kiowa).
To describe this collection as heavy-going would be an understatement. It delves into the past and present experiences of indigenous people, rendering the realities and aftermath of generational trauma. These characters struggle against vicious cycles of displacement, dispossession, poverty, neglect, illness, and addiction. At times the characters try to help one another but more often than not they are unable to steer people away from spiralling into self-destructive behavior. Yet, despite the bleak and brutal landscapes painted by these stories, we are also given moments of hope and connection that make us in turn hopeful for these characters. The author writes about these characters and their experiences with exacting candor while also demonstrating empathy towards them in a way to mind the work of Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
My only quibble is that I think that we should have given a few chapters from Ever throughout the collection (as opposed to one near the end). But like I said before, this is just a personal preference.
Overall this was a very solid debut that is as incisive as it is compelling. If you like collections such as Night of the Living Rez, Crooked Hallelujah, and Lot or books such as Nuclear Family and Monkey Beach you should definitely add Hokeah's debut to your tbr list.
November 26, 2022
This novel held my interest from the first word to the last. The story felt so real, and the intensity so palpable I could almost feel the fear, the desperation, and even the rage the characters experienced. Aside from writing books, the author works with Indian Child Welfare in his hometown of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and so does the main character of the book!😯 This is likely why it felt so authentic to me, as Hokeah was penning, in part, his own truth.
Sadly, drug and alcohol addiction features in the book, but more so, it’s a story of love and strong family bonds—strong enough to keep them together through even the most trying situations.
A family tree is included at the start, showing the children, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and their relationship to each—in other words, Naw thep'thay'gaw—the family. This tree was extremely helpful and I referred to it often because each chapter was presented by one of these members. The individual stories were, thankfully, presented in chronological order, and once I’d finished the book, it occurred to me that the story, in its entirety, was like one of the quilts that became a very special part of the book. Each quilt in the story contained the embroidered name of the person it had been made for, which made me think of each storyteller—one for each chapter. The stories were like the squares of a quilt—each one personal and unique—and as these “squares” were stitched together they became the beautiful, complete quilt that was Calling for a Blanket Dance.
The book shares similarities with two Canadian books I loved from author Katherena Vermette: The Break and The Strangers. I realize I haven’t said much about what happens in Calling for a Blanket Dance, but it's a novel I highly recommend. I promise, you will be moved.
5 “Family-is-everything” stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sadly, drug and alcohol addiction features in the book, but more so, it’s a story of love and strong family bonds—strong enough to keep them together through even the most trying situations.
A family tree is included at the start, showing the children, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and their relationship to each—in other words, Naw thep'thay'gaw—the family. This tree was extremely helpful and I referred to it often because each chapter was presented by one of these members. The individual stories were, thankfully, presented in chronological order, and once I’d finished the book, it occurred to me that the story, in its entirety, was like one of the quilts that became a very special part of the book. Each quilt in the story contained the embroidered name of the person it had been made for, which made me think of each storyteller—one for each chapter. The stories were like the squares of a quilt—each one personal and unique—and as these “squares” were stitched together they became the beautiful, complete quilt that was Calling for a Blanket Dance.
The book shares similarities with two Canadian books I loved from author Katherena Vermette: The Break and The Strangers. I realize I haven’t said much about what happens in Calling for a Blanket Dance, but it's a novel I highly recommend. I promise, you will be moved.
5 “Family-is-everything” stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
February 4, 2024
In the vein of Tommy Orange's There, There and Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing. A beautifully rendered collection of stories that weave together the life of one man of Native American & Mexican descent, told through the perspectives of his relatives.
Each chapter, the whole book being told over the span of about 35 years, has a distinct voice told through a new character each time. Along the way we discover more and more about our main character, Ever, and his family tree.
Hokeah has an incredible ability to bring you immediately into a new point of view while still contributing to the larger story with each passing page.
I found, of course, that as these effectively function as 12 short stories, some were more interesting than others; but regardless, all have a meaningful contribution to the collection and are expertly told.
Highly, highly recommend!
Each chapter, the whole book being told over the span of about 35 years, has a distinct voice told through a new character each time. Along the way we discover more and more about our main character, Ever, and his family tree.
Hokeah has an incredible ability to bring you immediately into a new point of view while still contributing to the larger story with each passing page.
I found, of course, that as these effectively function as 12 short stories, some were more interesting than others; but regardless, all have a meaningful contribution to the collection and are expertly told.
Highly, highly recommend!
November 1, 2022
Protagonist Ever Geimausaddle’s mother is Cherokee and Kiowa and his father is Mexican. He and his relatives experience many obstacles and issues common to Native American communities, such as depression, unemployment, and addiction. Ever’s story is told from multiple generational perspectives, starting with his grandparents. Each chapter is narrated by a different character. Ever eventually gets to speak on his own behalf in the ending chapter.
This novel portrays how community and culture can be helpful in overcoming individual problems. The author highlights many distinctions between Cherokee and Kiowa traditions. It includes stomp dances, the titular blanket dance, and powwows. I particularly enjoyed the way the novel is structured, gradually providing more information as the story progresses. It is an impressive debut.
This novel portrays how community and culture can be helpful in overcoming individual problems. The author highlights many distinctions between Cherokee and Kiowa traditions. It includes stomp dances, the titular blanket dance, and powwows. I particularly enjoyed the way the novel is structured, gradually providing more information as the story progresses. It is an impressive debut.
December 14, 2023
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz6WsM9rC...
A poignant family saga of hurt and healing. Deeply heartfelt and pulsing with emotion, Calling for a Blanket Dance is look into the struggles, regrets, and simple joys of one Indigenous and Mexican family as they pass their traditions and hopes on over several generations. With engaging prose and a vibrant cast of characters, this debut is both a vulnerable and a comforting work; it is an exploration of the ways we are torn between worlds, identities, expectations, the ways we are torn apart and pieces back together. It is a look at the families who endure, who find their way back to one another. Honest, endearing, and as richly detailed and weathered as a prized heirloom, this is one novel that has a wonderful dance to behold, a voice of its own, that calls to be heard.
A poignant family saga of hurt and healing. Deeply heartfelt and pulsing with emotion, Calling for a Blanket Dance is look into the struggles, regrets, and simple joys of one Indigenous and Mexican family as they pass their traditions and hopes on over several generations. With engaging prose and a vibrant cast of characters, this debut is both a vulnerable and a comforting work; it is an exploration of the ways we are torn between worlds, identities, expectations, the ways we are torn apart and pieces back together. It is a look at the families who endure, who find their way back to one another. Honest, endearing, and as richly detailed and weathered as a prized heirloom, this is one novel that has a wonderful dance to behold, a voice of its own, that calls to be heard.
August 15, 2022
For me, an avid reader, a fictional history blended within a powerful family drama .. without a doubt, ensures a good read with a new learning opportunity!
Calling For a Blanket Dance is a coming-of-age, inter generational story ‘on steroids’ with multiple themes for book clubs to discuss including excessive drug & alcohol use, illness, challenging Native American family relationships & beyond. Read it!
‘AH KAW’AWN’ to a #1 storyteller, Oscar Hokeah!
Calling For a Blanket Dance is a coming-of-age, inter generational story ‘on steroids’ with multiple themes for book clubs to discuss including excessive drug & alcohol use, illness, challenging Native American family relationships & beyond. Read it!
‘AH KAW’AWN’ to a #1 storyteller, Oscar Hokeah!
July 29, 2022
Oscar Hokeah's Calling for a Blanket Dance is a beautifully crafted work of fiction that speaks to the the complicated ties family and "family" build with one another over generations. The promo materials present this title as the story of Ever Geimausadle, but Calling for a Blanket Dance is so much more than a single-character book. Yes, Ever is a frequent presence, but even when talking about Ever, the book's other characters offer readers a much broader portrait.
The different branches of Ever's family include Kiowas, Cherokees, and Mexicanos. These different branches have their areas of tension, but no one in this book would deny that every other character, regardless of their differences, is family. Many of the events in this novel are discouraging, even tragic, but Hokeah's broad cast of characters also allows for genuine possibilities of hope and selfhood—and these positive moments never feel false or forced.
The role of narrator in Calling for a Blanket Dance is distributed among members of this extended family. Most "speak" only once, though a few key characters have the chance to speak twice. This variation in narrator gives readers a way into this family that embraces so many cultures and will teach most readers quite a bit about each of these cultures. The book integrates words and phrases in Kiowa, Cherokee, and Spanish. Usually, these are easy to understand from context, but even when they aren't, the reader's uncertainty about what's being said is a powerful tool reminding us that embracing diversity means embracing that which we don't know and not just that which we learn.
Calling for a Blanket Dance is a book that would reward multiple readings, though the rewards of a single reading are already substantial. Small connections and their importance can become clearer; the motivations of individual characters grow richer as readers revisit what these characters say. This is a buy-or-request-it-now title, a book you don't want to abandon on your one-of-these-days pile. It's also a title that you can read, put down, and return to. Reading in this way may make the complex relatedness between the characters more difficult to follow, but doesn't diminish the the diversity, strengths, and perspectives of the novel's many characters.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
The different branches of Ever's family include Kiowas, Cherokees, and Mexicanos. These different branches have their areas of tension, but no one in this book would deny that every other character, regardless of their differences, is family. Many of the events in this novel are discouraging, even tragic, but Hokeah's broad cast of characters also allows for genuine possibilities of hope and selfhood—and these positive moments never feel false or forced.
The role of narrator in Calling for a Blanket Dance is distributed among members of this extended family. Most "speak" only once, though a few key characters have the chance to speak twice. This variation in narrator gives readers a way into this family that embraces so many cultures and will teach most readers quite a bit about each of these cultures. The book integrates words and phrases in Kiowa, Cherokee, and Spanish. Usually, these are easy to understand from context, but even when they aren't, the reader's uncertainty about what's being said is a powerful tool reminding us that embracing diversity means embracing that which we don't know and not just that which we learn.
Calling for a Blanket Dance is a book that would reward multiple readings, though the rewards of a single reading are already substantial. Small connections and their importance can become clearer; the motivations of individual characters grow richer as readers revisit what these characters say. This is a buy-or-request-it-now title, a book you don't want to abandon on your one-of-these-days pile. It's also a title that you can read, put down, and return to. Reading in this way may make the complex relatedness between the characters more difficult to follow, but doesn't diminish the the diversity, strengths, and perspectives of the novel's many characters.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
March 27, 2023
This book knocked the wind out of me it’s so good. Smartly constructed, authentic, shattering, and beautiful.
March 19, 2023
I need to be VERY careful here because the last thing I want to do is dishonor such a spectacular book written by Oscar Hokeah, and my words will absolutely pale in comparison to the beauty of his debut novel. There is obviously an unfortunate paucity of Native American authors who have been able to get their stories published, yet we have much to learn by sitting at their feet and inhaling their wisdom. Hokeah brings to the forefront the fierce family ties of both Kiowa and Cherokee generations pulled together by a transcending love amidst grinding poverty and abuse, revealing that even through haunting traumas of ravaging addiction and anger, the comforting blanket of a family's love is strongly magical and healing.
I gleaned much about the power of the human spirit and the strength it takes to battle inner demons. I learned much about the destruction that people can do to each other with words and in deeds. Most importantly, I found a story that will stay with me forever, much like the loving quilt that now wraps around my soul.
I gleaned much about the power of the human spirit and the strength it takes to battle inner demons. I learned much about the destruction that people can do to each other with words and in deeds. Most importantly, I found a story that will stay with me forever, much like the loving quilt that now wraps around my soul.
December 5, 2022
A strong debut, aching in vibrancy, smoldering in the flames of generational trauma. This is a novel in vignettes enfolded over the years. It tells the story of Ever Geimausaddle, through the eyes of various family members. Calling For A Blanket Dance is a complex character study filled with pain, and past mistakes eating away at the present, and the struggle to overcome generational bonds of poverty and cycles of abuse.
RTC
RTC
March 21, 2023
Ever Geimausaddle is the center about which all the different voices in his life chime in on, circle around and show the reader a piece of Ever's life. A hard, traumatic, difficult life. Filled with joy, beauty, death, sorrow, regret, laughter, fierceness and bravery. I wondered how it would end out. . .and then we hear from Ever, himself.
Facing all, with hope and a heart turned toward the future.
Eye- and heart-opening.
Facing all, with hope and a heart turned toward the future.
Eye- and heart-opening.
January 9, 2024
Normally I'm not keen on multiple POVs or family sagas especially not ones that span generations but Hokeah made it work really quite beautifully. Calling for a Blanket Dance is a story of not just the hurt but also of the love and hope that gets passed down the generations and of the short moments that alter the course of life, it's sad and heavy but also hopeful and I really enjoyed it.
March 31, 2023
This novel focuses on Ever Geimausaddle who is Cherokee, Kiowa and Mexican.
The story begins with Ever as an infant, told by family members, some long gone and some still living in present day. We see generational trauma, addiction, sexual abuse, hopes and dreams, failures and successes, love and forgiveness.
The reference to the blanket dance is both interesting and heart warming.
Author Oscar Hokeah has educated me further on the native experience with his captivating debut novel.
The story begins with Ever as an infant, told by family members, some long gone and some still living in present day. We see generational trauma, addiction, sexual abuse, hopes and dreams, failures and successes, love and forgiveness.
The reference to the blanket dance is both interesting and heart warming.
Author Oscar Hokeah has educated me further on the native experience with his captivating debut novel.
October 25, 2023
I used to follow the author on Twitter and wanted to support the author. Through a series of short stories, we read of a family's struggle for their place in the world, from a father's kidney failure, to a mother's attempt to work and support her husband, for the ties that pull in multiple directions.
We read Ever through the vignettes of time and different family members and the many issues they face. They range from anti-Indigenous racism to healthcare issues, to family relationships, to ancestral times, to alcoholism and more. It is not an easy read in some ways, but it is a story of a family.
I really wanted to like this book and support the author but short stories is never really something for me. There were definitely parts that were really great and moving to read, but lots of the book really dragged and sometimes I just didn't care about the characters. I won't be reading anything else by the author.
We read Ever through the vignettes of time and different family members and the many issues they face. They range from anti-Indigenous racism to healthcare issues, to family relationships, to ancestral times, to alcoholism and more. It is not an easy read in some ways, but it is a story of a family.
I really wanted to like this book and support the author but short stories is never really something for me. There were definitely parts that were really great and moving to read, but lots of the book really dragged and sometimes I just didn't care about the characters. I won't be reading anything else by the author.
November 22, 2022
This is a creative intergenerational story written in a minimally creative manner. Each chapter tells a piece of a family's story from the viewpoint of a different character, but there isn't much to distinguish one voice from another. As all too commonly happens with a book like this, the constant first person narration leads to too much exposition and summarizing. So much telling, so little showing. With a single literary device used throughout and almost no descriptive language, this novel lacked the magic it could have had.
January 25, 2023
I was swept away by the emotion in this one. I loved the sense of community throughout . The subject of the book being talked about by his different relatives/friends was so original and interesting. It was enlightening to view the same person through so many different lenses.
October 10, 2023
Calling for a Blanket Dance intrigued me with the premise of a young man being pulled by his relatives to embrace the traditions of his ethnic origins. Because he is a mixture of Kiowa, Cherokee and Mexican, he doesn’t have a clear path forward but in the end, learn that love is the unifying factor.
I enjoyed the way Oskar Hokeah let one relative tell each chapter of the book. And also they way it went from past to present. It helped because as a child this is not something Ever could put into words. The final chapter is his own as an adult.
I was saddened by the alcoholism, drugs and violence that plagued Evers family and community but the message that family can help you get through hardships overshadows those things. I When I learned what the title of the book referred to, it was heartwarming. It is a cleverly written story. I only wish it would have delved deeper into Ever’s personal journey to connect with his heritage.
I enjoyed the way Oskar Hokeah let one relative tell each chapter of the book. And also they way it went from past to present. It helped because as a child this is not something Ever could put into words. The final chapter is his own as an adult.
I was saddened by the alcoholism, drugs and violence that plagued Evers family and community but the message that family can help you get through hardships overshadows those things. I When I learned what the title of the book referred to, it was heartwarming. It is a cleverly written story. I only wish it would have delved deeper into Ever’s personal journey to connect with his heritage.
March 12, 2023
A wonderful addition to the growing shelf of literary fiction by Native authors. Hokeah is a Cherokee-Kiowa-Mexican writer, a sixth-grade dropout who later earned a Master’s Degree and now works with at-risk youth in his Oklahoma community. This book won the 2023 PEN/Hemingway Prize for the best debut novel and was nominated for the Andrew Carnegie medal for fiction. I love the way Hokeah uses nearly a dozen narrators to tell story of one Native man with a background similar to Hokeah’s own; in doing so, he illustrates not just the challenges of intergenerational trauma but also the strengths of families and communities in dealing with them.
August 18, 2022
I want more contemporary fiction written by Native Americans. More books like this. I found each interconnected vignette/story a compelling read. At first, I was a bit disappointed that this book was not a more plot-driven novel. To me, it is better classified as a short story collection - or at least a hybrid between a novel/story collection. Once I figured this out, I took each chapter on its own merits and enjoyed the ride. The book follows the same family members over decades, but with each new chapter, it took a few moments for the reader to adjust to a new time, place, and point of view. The characters, relationships, growth over time, and situational experiences make this book rewarding. This may not be for you if you want a strong plot-driven narrative.
This is a good book club selection - there is a lot to unpack and discuss.
I'll watch for more from this author.
This is a good book club selection - there is a lot to unpack and discuss.
I'll watch for more from this author.
July 10, 2023
I had heard so much about this novel, and follow the author on social media. A man’s life is told in a series of short stories from different perspectives over time. This novel greatly moved me. It gave me my Sunday Sentence: "When we're faced with our own mortality the only strength we have left is laughter."
As a quilter, I was charmed to read about a grandmother whose quilts are links to a shared heritage and have powerful, healing medicine.
"The love she had for her family was laced within every piece of thread stitched across her quilts."
As a quilter, I was charmed to read about a grandmother whose quilts are links to a shared heritage and have powerful, healing medicine.
"The love she had for her family was laced within every piece of thread stitched across her quilts."
November 8, 2022
The multi-generational, multi-POV approach of Calling for a Blanket Dance reminded me a little of some Latin authors like Isabel Allende and Gabriel Garcia Marquez (although this one was a smidge less bleak than those).
While the narrative definitely had me hooked, one complaint I have about the writing style is that many specific terms and words are thrown in without any explanation - a glossary or some further explanation would have been great!
While the narrative definitely had me hooked, one complaint I have about the writing style is that many specific terms and words are thrown in without any explanation - a glossary or some further explanation would have been great!
February 7, 2023
Hokeah's debut novel is about a multi-generational family in Oklahoma, part Native American, part Mexican. It focuses on the struggles of keeping families (both biological and adopted) together and safe in light of poverty, violence, meth addiction, and societal prejudice.
This one really flies by. Very much looking forward to what Hokeah writes next.
This one really flies by. Very much looking forward to what Hokeah writes next.
January 16, 2024
Thoughts to come
Oh, I know I won't get back to it. I liked it a lot. Very well done.
Read other GR reviews of the book for substance.
Oh, I know I won't get back to it. I liked it a lot. Very well done.
Read other GR reviews of the book for substance.
August 15, 2022
An absolutely brilliant debut novel. A quilt woven from the multitude of voices of the Geimausaddle family, this book shows the complex dynamics of a family (and community) dealing with intergenerational trauma, systemic poverty, and existential threat. Through perseverance, art, culture, and community, the resilient Geimausaddle family over time finds ways to overcome, heal, and help others. Each chapter is told from the point of view of a different member of the family, and Hokeah crafts each unique narrative voice with skill and nuance, and with respect and care. I haven’t read a book in a long while where you can sense how much the author loves each character, no matter how they are struggling, or however they may be hurtful to other characters. These are characters that want to be loved and to love in turn. One of my favorite novels this year. Stunning.
December 22, 2023
Great fantastic absolutely fabulous book.
The biggest strength was that stole it the complete picture of Native Americans in Oklahoma. Examples were when they worked in factories, trying to buy homes, enrolling for College.
Great characters, Great plot! I highly recommend.
The biggest strength was that stole it the complete picture of Native Americans in Oklahoma. Examples were when they worked in factories, trying to buy homes, enrolling for College.
Great characters, Great plot! I highly recommend.
September 13, 2022
An incredibly moving debut about intergenerational trauma and a family of Cherokee Native Americans living in and around Oklaholma. I liked how this story was told from different members' POVs across time although it did get a bit confusing to keep track of how they were all related to one another. This book definitely felt more like a collection of interconnected short stories as opposed to one coherent whole and it wasn't my favorite style. Overall still a strong first novel that was good on audio and highly recommended for fans of books like Night of the living rez by Morgan Talty.
May 4, 2023
The story of Ever Geimausaddle told by by his family, a different person each chapter, from the 1970's as baby until the 2010's with Ever finally able to tell his own story. Ever is part Mexican, Kiowa and Cherokee living in Oklahoma. He and his family struggle with the inherited traumas of being indigenous and Mexican in the US. His family faces problems with alcohol, drugs, physical abuse, poverty and near homelessness. Yet the family and extended indigenous community is a continued support sharing when possible. Ever struggles with rage and is able to turn it into a career and passion as he tries to save his own family. My favorite stories were Vincent, Araceli and Opbee.
I enjoyed watching Ever grow through the perspectives of his family. It is touching to see how so many try to reach out and support him and the family despite conflicts and difficulties of their own. I loved how the stories interconnected and started and ended a bit with the clan quilts of his grandmother.
I enjoyed watching Ever grow through the perspectives of his family. It is touching to see how so many try to reach out and support him and the family despite conflicts and difficulties of their own. I loved how the stories interconnected and started and ended a bit with the clan quilts of his grandmother.
November 27, 2023
4.25 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ I honestly don’t know what to say about this right now, so I’ll come back to it when I can actually assess what I feel.
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