Don't Think Twice

by Wayne Johnson

The North Lakes region of Minnesota is a place of breathtaking beauty--where thousands of small islands and lakes stretch as far as the eye can see. In his haunting second novel, Don't Think Twice, Wayne Johnson brilliantly evokes a sense of place--where people definitely do not have the upper hand. "On quiet mornings, a light mist rises off the water. There is something new about it all. Life here has just a toehold on these glacier-scarred basalt and granite islands." Johnson grew up on the White Earth and Red Lake reservations, and his novel tells the powerful story of one man's struggle to keep his land, and his dignity. Paul Two Persons owns a resort lodge that sits on 1,400 acres of land, close by the reservation where he was born. But beyond the idyllic location, all is not well. Several months earlier, Paul's young son, Bobby, had died in a hunting accident; his marriage is shaky; and he's on the verge of losing the lodge thanks to a bad loan to his friend, Al. People have stopped talking to him because "getting too close meant trouble. Tchibai, the old ones called it, or walking shadow." Adding to his woes, Al dies in an apparent suicide. Paul quickly realizes that his troubles are not just they are being deliberately orchestrated, and someone is pulling his strings.Don't Think Twice is a remarkable literary thriller that eloquently portrays the torment of one man as he battles with various demons. The book leaves us breathless--and needing more of Johnson's magic. --Naomi Gesinger

Genres: Mystery

Paperback

First published June 7, 1999

Reviews

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in what should be a place of restful, natural idyl - a resort lodge in the woods of Northern Minnesota - this book instead had my heart beating like a clenched fist. The darkness of the land's history, the danger of the present, with so much unsaid, implied, and threatened, all of it culminated into a suffocating claustrophobia that never let up.

It would be a mistake to label this is a "thriller" or even a mystery, even though there is a compelling mystery that runs through this book and keeps you invested in the story. This is a beautiful work of literary fiction that may frustrate readers who are looking for clean explanations, or direct, one-way plot lines one comes to expect from certain genres. Heck, there's hardly a clear conversation in this whole thing. People here are continuously stifled because of fear, pain, or misunderstanding.

Don't Think Twice is beautiful in the way a still lake is beautiful when you drop a stone into it, the undulating ripples flowing out in concentric circles. It is elegant in its haunting, understated posture.

The story is told from the point of view of Paul Two Persons, a Chippewa man who has left the reservation and married a woman of Irish descent. Through this character, Wayne Johnson evokes the Native American culture in all its complexity, the damaged present as well as the ancient traditions. The novel is infused with this culture which informs the distinct way the story unfolds, resisting conformity. A remarkable book.

[Lindsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Johnson does a great job of setting the scene and beautifully describes the setting for this book, but the plot was amorphous. Even after reading the entire book, I understand basically what happened but still have a lot of questions. I can't decide if he vaguely sketched the plot on purpose or by accident, but the result was that even the most shocking twists were kind of boring.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me awhile to "get" Paul Two Person. He has a lot going on. Having never actually visited this neck of the woods, I got to experience it. I especially enjoyed the swimming done by Gwen, without a wetsuit!

[Jonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great mystery with a Native American main character and lots of twists and turns. Great read!

[Doris Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

not the first book of a set but can be read without the first.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing is beautiful, the characters compelling, and the various twists and turns as the mystery unfolded kept me guessing.

[Karen Brown]

tedious to finish; about an Indian who owns a summer camp