In 1962, a family of Mi’kmaq Indigenous Canadians, on their annual summer trip from Nova Scotia to Maine to earn money picking berries, experience a family tragedy. The disappearance of the youngest child, four-year old Ruthie, will catapult the family and each member into a life of regret, sorry and hope. Here is my book review The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters.

No Trace

A tiny girl disappears into thin air. Where has she gone? The search goes on for weeks. Distraught and losing hope, each member of the family handles the loss differently. They return to Nova Scotia, vowing never to work in Maine again.

But as the years go by, some of Ruthie’s siblings believe she is still alive. While one brother, who can’t forgive himself for taking his eyes off of her for one minute, spirals out of control in sorrow, addiction and personal demons.

Who Is Norma

Norma is growing up in an affluent family in Maine with a ridiculously overprotective mother, who smothers her with love and guilt. Norma’s father is distant and refuses to help Norma get out from under her mother’s watchful eye. Only her aunt understands and tries to help Norma deal with her mother’s burdensome love.

The Story Unfolds

It’s easy to guess at what is going to happen in this missing person story that pits a poor indigenous family against affluent white Americans. Nearly fifty years pass in this story, with an ending that is less than satisfying, and a plot with many flawed and unrealistic details.

Liked didn’t love though I learned some interesting things about the indigenous people of Nova Scotia. Thanks for reading my book review The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters.

***Three stars for The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

Read other Native American stories like my book review The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger and book review The Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Powers

See last week’s book review The Women by Kristin Hannah.

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