The Importance of Relationships

The most significant people in one's life are those who are always present and available to help in times of trouble. In this novel, relationships provide stability and security, and a few are the difference between life and death.

Joan is a member of a Native community near Arcand where her people have lived for hundreds of years. She has a close, though sometimes rocky, relationship with her mother Flo and her brothers, Junior and George. Joan is also very close to her grandmother, the woman she calls Mere. Ajean is the oldest member of the Native community, and Joan often looks to Mere and Ajean for advice. Mere is killed early in this story, and Joan finds herself wishing for advice from Mere. Without that possibility, she is relieved to trust Ajean and does so without question.

While Joan is dependent on...