Set in rural Oklahoma during the late 1980s for historical authenticity and cultural resonance
Focus on Indigenous identity and intergenerational trauma for socially conscious readers
Lyrical prose and sparse detail for a powerful, immersive reading experience
Explores the foster care system and its impact on youth, relevant for social issues
Includes a diverse cast of characters, including teens and adults, for rich storytelling
Summarized by Shop
2018 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FICTION FINALIST Set in rural Oklahoma during the late 1980s, Where the Dead Sit Talking is a stunning and lyrical Native American coming-of-age story. With his single mother in jail, Sequoyah, a fifteen-year-old Cherokee boy, is placed in foster care with the Troutt family. Literally and figuratively scarred by