Indian Killer

by Sherman Alexie


Transfixed by Alexie's short stories, I picked up this novel - his first. Still haven't gotten to his poetry yet, which I understand is great, but I never seem to take the time poetry requires nowadays.

Anyway, this book is a murder mystery on some levels, a heartbreaking look into mental illness and an expose on the race relations - or lack of them - between whites and American Indians.

The book is set in Seattle, where a serial killer is leaving clues that may or may not lead to the culprit being Indian. In between the crime thriller, however, is the story of John Smith, a young man adopted by whites and struggling painfully with what sounds like schizophrenia. Top that off with brutal portrayals of pretentious whites, homeless Indians and well-meaning liberals and soon you don't know whether it's a murder mystery or not.

My vote is not. It's more like a novel about two longtime warring tribes trying to coexist - or not - with a bit of murder tossed into the middle, like a grenade

I liked the book but not as much as his short stories, which are sparse and lovely.