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A review by theoverbookedbibliophile
Mask of the Deer Woman by Laurie L. Dove
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
4.5⭐️
“Indigenous women disappeared, they disappeared twice. Once in life and once in the news.”
After a devastating personal loss, former Chicago detective Carrie Starr returns to the Saliquaw Nation reservation in Oklahoma, where her father was raised. As the newly appointed tribal marshal she has been tasked with revisiting cold cases of the disappearance of Indigenous women over the last decade - cases that have been largely ignored, almost forgotten over time due absence of local law enforcement presence on the reservation. With minimal resources at her disposal, Carrie has to juggle keeping peace among the community over proposed infrastructural changes to the area that have several entities involved who would go to any length to protect their own interests, look into the cold cases and investigate the recent disappearance of Chenoa Cloud, a local young woman reported missing by her mother. The narrative follows Carrie as she digs deep into the lives of the close-knit community- their traditions, history, beliefs and local ‘lore, the most significant of which is that of Deer Woman - a presence Carrie experiences as she struggles to reconnect with roots, deal with her own grief, find Chenoa before it’s too late and unravel the mystery behind the missing young women.
“Deer Woman felt to Starr like the embodiment of the one thing Starr believed: that enforcing the law and carrying out justice were very different.”
Mask of the Deer Woman by Laurie L. Dove is an intense and thought-provoking novel with an intricately plotted mystery at its core. The writing is powerful and the author has seamlessly woven the folklore/ magical realism element into the heart of the novel. The element of magical realism certainly enriches the narrative, as does the focus on Carrie’s cathartic journey as she grapples with her own loss. The plot-driven and character-driven aspects of the novel are well-balanced and the author has done a commendable job of highlighting real issues and describing life on the reservation – the sense of community and the constant struggle to protect time-honored traditions and preserve Native American history as well as the challenges faced by both older generations and youth - lack of opportunity, poverty and addiction, racism and discrimination, corruption, crimes against women and much more. The mystery is cleverly crafted and I enjoyed following Carrie as she leaves no stone unturned in her search for Chenoa and to see that justice is served. The pacing is on the slower side, but this suits the nature of the story and does not detract from the overall experience.
Overall, I found this to be an impactful read and I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.
Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for the digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
“Indigenous women disappeared, they disappeared twice. Once in life and once in the news.”
After a devastating personal loss, former Chicago detective Carrie Starr returns to the Saliquaw Nation reservation in Oklahoma, where her father was raised. As the newly appointed tribal marshal she has been tasked with revisiting cold cases of the disappearance of Indigenous women over the last decade - cases that have been largely ignored, almost forgotten over time due absence of local law enforcement presence on the reservation. With minimal resources at her disposal, Carrie has to juggle keeping peace among the community over proposed infrastructural changes to the area that have several entities involved who would go to any length to protect their own interests, look into the cold cases and investigate the recent disappearance of Chenoa Cloud, a local young woman reported missing by her mother. The narrative follows Carrie as she digs deep into the lives of the close-knit community- their traditions, history, beliefs and local ‘lore, the most significant of which is that of Deer Woman - a presence Carrie experiences as she struggles to reconnect with roots, deal with her own grief, find Chenoa before it’s too late and unravel the mystery behind the missing young women.
“Deer Woman felt to Starr like the embodiment of the one thing Starr believed: that enforcing the law and carrying out justice were very different.”
Mask of the Deer Woman by Laurie L. Dove is an intense and thought-provoking novel with an intricately plotted mystery at its core. The writing is powerful and the author has seamlessly woven the folklore/ magical realism element into the heart of the novel. The element of magical realism certainly enriches the narrative, as does the focus on Carrie’s cathartic journey as she grapples with her own loss. The plot-driven and character-driven aspects of the novel are well-balanced and the author has done a commendable job of highlighting real issues and describing life on the reservation – the sense of community and the constant struggle to protect time-honored traditions and preserve Native American history as well as the challenges faced by both older generations and youth - lack of opportunity, poverty and addiction, racism and discrimination, corruption, crimes against women and much more. The mystery is cleverly crafted and I enjoyed following Carrie as she leaves no stone unturned in her search for Chenoa and to see that justice is served. The pacing is on the slower side, but this suits the nature of the story and does not detract from the overall experience.
Overall, I found this to be an impactful read and I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.
Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for the digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.