Son of a Trickster

, #1

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published Feb. 7, 2017 by Knopf Canada.

ISBN:
978-0-345-81078-6
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Everyone knows a guy like Jared: the burnout kid in high school who sells weed cookies and has a scary mom who's often wasted and wielding some kind of weapon. Jared does smoke and drink too much, and he does make the best cookies in town, and his mom is a mess, but he's also a kid who has an immense capacity for compassion and an impulse to watch over people more than twice his age, and he can't rely on anyone for consistent love and support, except for his flatulent pit bull, Baby Killer (he calls her Baby)--and now she's dead. Jared can't count on his mom to stay sober and stick around to take care of him. He can't rely on his dad to pay the bills and support his new wife and step-daughter. Jared is only sixteen but feels like he is the one who must stabilize …

3 editions

reviewed Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson (Trickster Trilogy, #1)

Review of 'Son of a Trickster' on 'Goodreads'

I think this is my favourite Eden Robinson book, so I'm glad it is the first in a trilogy. It's dark--as Ms. Robinson's books tend to be--but not so dark that it gave me nightmares. It's also funny and real and engaging, just like Ms. Robinson.

It reminded me somewhat of Aaron Paquette's Lightfinder. In fact, I wanted to introduce Jared to Aisling. I think they would have a lot in common. Both are young adult novels (sort of), and both incorporate spiritual, magical, and mystical elements from First Nations culture.

While both books have young adult protagonists, I think they have a lot of appeal for adults, too. Also, Robinson's book contains mature themes and coarse language that some parents might not want their kids reading, although I think that none of it is gratuitous, as it is important to both the characters and their circumstances.

I went …

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