Book review: The Porcupine Year
Reviewed by Karl Hele
The Porcupine Year is the third volume by Louise Erdrich that follows the life of Omakayas. Set in 1852, Omakayas’ family has left their beloved home and lands where war parties of the Bwaanag (Dakota) roam.
As they venture westward, the family decides to travel to Lake of the Woods where her adoptive mother’s sister lives. Along the way, the Bwaanag captures some of Omakayas’ relations. After tense negotiations and a short captivity, the entire family continues on its way.
Omakayas’ little brother, Pinch, finds a young porcupine and adopts the animal but only after he nets a face full of quills. After this incident, Pinch becomes known as Quill, and together the animal and human fight together. These incidents add great levity to the novel. The adoption and inclusion of a porcupine as a valued family member also forms the most memorable portion of the book and is the basis for the title.
As winter approaches, the porcupine is left hibernating as the family continues on its journey. Old Tallow, her rescuer from the first novel, dies as she kills a bear for the family. This act ends the family’s hunger, which was brought about after being robbed of all their possessions by some alcohol-addled fellow Anishinaabeg and Métis.
Throughout the novel, Omakayas, now 12, continues to learn from her Nokomis and mother as well as from other beings. Like the other books in the series, as Omakayas learns so does the reader. The story leaves us with the knowledge that Omakayas has become a woman and promises new lessons for readers in the next volume.
When compared to the first two books of the series, The Porcupine Year is fairly flat despite the seriousness of several events and unfortunate circumstances that strike the family. Yet, it remains a very good read with a great sharing of knowledge and discussions of Anishinaabe culture and tradition as well as subtle lessons in Anishinaabemowin vocabulary.
If you are following the series, The Porcupine Year is a must-read; if you are new to the series, you need to start with The Birchbark House.
Louise Erdrich. The Porcupine Year. Toronto: Harper Collins, 2008. ISBN: 9780060297879