Five Little Indians
Five Little Indians by Michelle Good, published by Harper Perennial in 2020, is a poignant exploration of the lives of five Indigenous friends who are released from a church-run residential school. This edition, written in English and spanning 293 pages, delves into their struggles as they navigate the challenges of life in Downtown Eastside Vancouver. The narrative captures their attempts to find safety and belonging in a world that has marginalized them, highlighting the lasting impact of their traumatic experiences.
Readers will find a rich portrayal of each character’s journey as they confront their past and seek a path forward. Clara becomes involved with the American Indian Movement, while Maisie grapples with her pain in perilous situations. Kenny’s restless search for peace leads him through various jobs, and Lucy balances motherhood with her own hidden struggles. Howie’s journey includes a stint in prison as he strives to reintegrate into society. Through these interconnected stories, Five Little Indians offers a compassionate look at resilience and the quest for healing among residential school survivors.
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WINNER: Canada Reads 2022
WINNER: Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction
WINNER: Amazon First Novel Award
WINNER: Kobo Emerging Author Prize
Finalist: Scotiabank Giller Prize
Finalist: Atwood Gibson Writers Trust Prize
Finalist: BC & Yukon Book Prize
Shortlist: Indigenous Voices Awards
National Bestseller; A Globe and Mail Top 100 Book of the Year; A CBC Best Book of the Year; An Apple Best Book of the Year; A Kobo Best Book of the Year; An Indigo Best Book of the Year
Taken from their families when they are very small and sent to a remote, church-run residential school, Kenny, Lucy, Clara, Howie and Maisie are barely out of childhood when they are finally released after years of detention.
Alone and without any skills, support or families, the teens find their way to the seedy and foreign world of Downtown Eastside Vancouver, where they cling together, striving to find a place of safety and belonging in a world that doesn’t want them. The paths of the five friends cross and crisscross over the decades as they struggle to overcome, or at least forget, the trauma they endured during their years at the Mission.
Fuelled by rage and furious with God, Clara finds her way into the dangerous, highly charged world of the American Indian Movement. Maisie internalizes her pain and continually places herself in dangerous situations. Famous for his daring escapes from the school, Kenny can’t stop running and moves restlessly from job to job–through fishing grounds, orchards and logging camps–trying to outrun his memories and his addiction. Lucy finds peace in motherhood and nurtures a secret compulsive disorder as she waits for Kenny to return to the life they once hoped to share together. After almost beating one of his tormentors to death, Howie serves time in prison, then tries once again to re-enter society and begin life anew.
With compassion and insight, Five Little Indians chronicles the desperate quest of these residential school survivors to come to terms with their past and, ultimately, find a way forward.
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