Book Review: Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie

I haven’t really reviewed any historical fiction books on this blog, have I? Well, news flash: historical fiction and biographies are actually some of my favorite genres. I’m someone who loves history, learning about past events and synthesizing ways they relate with the current world. Sure, I don’t like reading straight-up historical books, but I like reading books that showcase themes in a historical manner that relate to today. Reservation Blues is one such book. I had to read it for my American Literature class, and I thought it would make a nice review. Sit back, relax, and read on as I review Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie.

The Setup:

The book mostly takes place on the Spokane Indian Reservation, beginning with an African American man named Robert Johnson. He wandered onto the reservation with nothing but the clothes on his back and a guitar. A native Spokane named Thomas comes across him and takes him into the reservation, but kept Robert’s guitar. From there, the man and guitar take a journey with others into the land of potential fame and sacrifice. The setup is…modest, to say the least. It does introduce a lot of development of possible themes and ideas, as well as the setting. The reservation does well to create an unforgettable atmosphere of lost hope and despair, as the reservation is not the most ideal place to live and lacks opportunities for its inhabitants.

The Characters:

The best aspect about the characters of Reservation Blues is their realism. These characters don’t feel like your typical book characters, they feel like real people with relevant thoughts and ideas. Thomas, while not the most interesting character on paper, becomes fully fleshed-out throughout the course of the story. The same can be said for Victor, Junior, Chess and Checkers, the other main characters. They may not be the most vibrant or likable characters, but they all feel like real people. The cast is very natural, all contributing to the story and completing their roles in the story. At times, though, the characters did feel like typical stereotypes that can be found in these books, but that didn’t hinder the experience for me. I also liked the relationships established between the Natives and the Caucasians. By relationships I don’t necessarily mean romantic ones, but more like how each party feels about the other, which made perfect sense given the circumstances.

The Story:

This is a tale about the destitution of Native Americans, and how far they have sunk due to their lack of opportunity. The story ties this theme in very well, making it feel natural and relevant to the overall structure, as well as remaining consistent throughout. The pacing can be a bit on the slow side, especially near the beginning, but it’s not supposed to be a fast-paced book. The only real problem I see with the story is that it’s slightly generic for this genre, although the ending makes up for everything. As for the ending, it’s not a happy one, but it’s conclusive and ties everything together. I actually liked it a lot, and found the conclusion satisfying.

The Writing Style/Grammatical Errors:

The writing style of this book is rather simple, but nice. It’s told from a third person point of view, being able to jump ceaselessly from backstories to the present day. The descriptions were nice, and the writing smooth. No grammatical errors were found.

Final Judgment:

Overall, I enjoyed Reservation Blues. It’s a tragic tale about the state of Native Americans and their lack of opportunities, as well as emphasizing the power and hardships of fame. The characters were well written, and the story, while slow, was very effective. I give Reservation Blues a 3.75 out of 5, and a recommendation to read it. But, like always, it is up to you to decide your own opinions.
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Further Recommendations:

Montana 1948 by Larry Watson

It’s another novel that focuses on the hardships of Native Americans from a white child’s point of view. The book is very powerful and addresses many of the issues without making them feel forced, and isn’t afraid of shying away from the less-than-favorable actions due to racism. This is a must-read in my opinion, so give it a shot.

The next review will be on a school anime because…I’m…back…at…school. Darn it! Here’s the hint: Pessimism to the max. See you then!