Bad Cree

Mackenzie left home shortly after the death of her kokum and before her sister Sabrina’s death, but her dreams keep bringing her home. In her dreams, Mackenzie goes back to a weekend at her family’s lakeside campsite. When she wakes up with a severed crow’s head in her hand, to have it disappear moments later! What???? Is she doomed to have these dreams/nightmares because she is a ‘Bad’ Cree? Obviously, there is something sinister going on. Her close friend provides support but cannot help as the dreams keep coming. Unsettled and freaked out, she begins receiving text messages which appear to be from her dead sister, Sabrina.

Needing to learn the truth, Mackenzie heads back home as the dreams continue. What happened the night at the lake? Why is she having such vivid and frightening dreams? Why do the dreams seem so real? Mackenzie’s family do not dismiss her dreams, they rally around her, and try to help.

There is an uneasy feel to this book which is also seeped in tension and atmosphere. Readers are given more and more information and things to think about each time Mackenzie dreams. Seriously, how does she go to sleep night after night?

This book is full of female characters who all have a part to play. The Cree family of women are dealing with their individual grief, guilt, and their family dynamic. There are also elements of culture, community, and identity. I loved that the author used Cree words in her writing making this book feel even more authentic. This is not the fastest paced book and I usually struggle with books on the slower side, but this one was not a struggle at all. I was intrigued from the beginning with the dreams, the imagery and the weight of grief.

This is an impressive debut novel which blends the supernatural with horror. Jessica Johns is one to watch/read!

Thank you to Doubleday Books, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.