Robert Arthur Alexie writes of hard hitting, serious issues that Aboriginal communities across Canada face but that are rarely spoken of in Porcupines and China Dolls . Alexie writes with blunt honestly aimed at an older audience who can handle the frank discussions of alcoholism, domestic violence and sex, both consensual and not. While the pace lags at the beginning it does successfully built the bleak world of the novel and the people who reside in it. Hard hitting topics will also leave the reader thinking, though some are more flushed out that others by the end, and wondering more about the everyday challenges of the victims of residential schools. Porcupines and China Dolls is set in a small Aboriginal community, Aberdeen, in the Northwest
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That I will go into detail about later. Areas of this occurring were in part two of the novel until around the end of chapter six. This section begins on September 24, 1999 in Aberdeen and we learn about the "Lost Souls" of the town. We are again introduced to James, now a middle aged man, and his tiresome, unfulfilled life. Alexie uses repeated questions from faceless characters who James briefly encounters in the bar as well as different character's thoughts to show part of this monotony of the Saloon's night life. Here too we see quick jumps between the many acquaintances of James. The reader may want to start writing some names down as there are many to remember. The beginning of part two also lead me to question who the important supporting characters were. Angie's role in the novel seems to peter off as the situation becomes more serious; as well, Louise seems to fade into the background and watches James from a distance for most of the novel. While this is understandable as it relates to the type of relationship James has with each woman (ex-girlfriend and potential hook up and high school sweethearts, respectfully) it does start off the novel at a frightfully slow and long winded pace which could lose some readers who lack a strong attention
That I will go into detail about later. Areas of this occurring were in part two of the novel until around the end of chapter six. This section begins on September 24, 1999 in Aberdeen and we learn about the "Lost Souls" of the town. We are again introduced to James, now a middle aged man, and his tiresome, unfulfilled life. Alexie uses repeated questions from faceless characters who James briefly encounters in the bar as well as different character's thoughts to show part of this monotony of the Saloon's night life. Here too we see quick jumps between the many acquaintances of James. The reader may want to start writing some names down as there are many to remember. The beginning of part two also lead me to question who the important supporting characters were. Angie's role in the novel seems to peter off as the situation becomes more serious; as well, Louise seems to fade into the background and watches James from a distance for most of the novel. While this is understandable as it relates to the type of relationship James has with each woman (ex-girlfriend and potential hook up and high school sweethearts, respectfully) it does start off the novel at a frightfully slow and long winded pace which could lose some readers who lack a strong attention