Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden

Publication: Ecco

Publication Date: 8/25/2020

GoodReads Synopsis: Virgil Wounded Horse is the local enforcer on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. When justice is denied by the American legal system or the tribal council, Virgil is hired to deliver his own punishment, the kind that’s hard to forget. But when heroin makes its way into the reservation and finds Virgil’s nephew, his vigilantism suddenly becomes personal. He enlists the help of his ex-girlfriend and sets out to learn where the drugs are coming from, and how to make them stop.

They follow a lead to Denver and find that drug cartels are rapidly expanding and forming new and terrifying alliances. And back on the reservation, a new tribal council initiative raises uncomfortable questions about money and power. As Virgil starts to link the pieces together, he must face his own demons and reclaim his Native identity. He realizes that being a Native American in the twenty-first century comes at an incredible cost.

Winter Counts is a tour-de-force of crime fiction, a bracingly honest look at a long-ignored part of American life, and a twisting, turning story that’s as deeply rendered as it is thrilling

Review: When I started reading Winter Counts, I quickly realized that this was more of crime mystery than a thriller. Though it was a slow burn, I found that the story kept my attention throughout. I liked that the author gave insight into Lakota culture and weaved in history and present day injustices found on reservations. In terms of the writing style in the book, I wasn’t really invested in the characters and felt that there needed to be more character development which somewhat put me off from enjoying the book wholeheartedly and I realized this book wasn’t a right fit for me. However with that said, I highly recommend checking out own voices reviews of Winter Counts to figure out if this book is you may be interested in reading.

Rating: 3/5