Book review: Joe Pete: A Novel – Anishinabek News

August 23, 2024

Ian McCulloch’s posthumously published novel, Joe Pete: A Novel, is a multifaceted intricately woven story that follows multiple generations of a Cree family. The setting for the novel is Northern Ontario, essentially, the Chapleau region. The periodization runs, depending on the storying being revealed, from the turn of the 20th century to the mid-years of the Great Depression.

The novel’s titular and central character, Joe Pete, is a young girl whose formal name is Alison. Over the course of the work, Pete finds herself dealing with the death of her father while growing into a strong vibrant teenager who is interested in learning about the stories of both her family and people. Together with her younger cousin, they embark on various adventures as Pete seeks knowledge of life, death, and her father from the spirits of the land. Her cousin Sam, while fearful where Pete’s adventurous nature takes them and of the old stories and beliefs, bravely supports and aids her. Yet, the novel is not just a story of Joe Pete; it follows the stories of several family members – her father, mother, grandfather, and earlier generations. For instance, we learn Mecowatchshish’s story – his childhood, loss of a brother, death of his mother, death of friends in France, and his efforts to be a provider, husband, and good father to his daughter Joe Pete while carrying the physical and psychological trauma of his wartime experiences.

I particularly liked how McCulloch wove aspects of Mecowatchshish’s story into Pete’s experiences and search for knowledge. The odd conclusion of the novel, but when read within the context of the book and its interlocking stories, is a surreal, cyclical, and interlocking narrative that will leave you in awe.