I've run out of vermette novels, so I got this as an e-book from the library, and read it on my computer (actually an enjoyable reading experience just in my browser's take on the Overdrive reader. Was expecting that to be a lot more painful!). It's a four-part graphic novel about a Metis teenager who keeps flashing back into her family history, witnessing key events in Metis history.

I guess it functions on two levels, the first being a lesson in Metis history. I again am reminded that I need to just read The Northwest Is Our Mother, because even though there's notes and timelines at the end of each volume, and we get a few scenes with her history teacher explaining events, I couldn't quite keep track of who everyone was. I think vermette did a good job of distributing the information dumps, there's just a lot of names and dates in play. I'm not sure I'd share this as a first  introduction to the history, but I know people use it as a teaching resource.

The second level is as an actual story, which works pretty well despite it being an educational book. I did find the character a little flat to start out with, but I think that was intentional, as Echo was in a new school, had some family issues, and was isolating herself from dealing with the world. I liked how she started to come out of her shell and joined the Indigenous student group, and made connections with her family. I initially thought Echo's action's could've been more integrated with the past, making her more a participant than a witness, but I ended up liking how vermette handled it, and explained why Echo was touching particular moments. It concludes really neatly.

The art's gorgeous. Especially big splash pages in the historical bits, just lovely stuff.