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Indian Burial Ground
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2024)A man lunges in front of a car. An elderly woman silently drowns herself. A corpse sits up in its coffin and speaks. On this reservation, not all is what it seems, in this new spine-chilling mythological horror from the author of Sisters of the Lost Nation.
All Noemi Broussard wanted was a fresh start. With a new boyfriend who actually treats her right and a plan to move from the reservation she grew up on—just like her beloved Uncle Louie before her—things are finally looking up for Noemi. Until the news of her boyfriend’s apparent suicide brings her world crumbling down.
But the facts about Roddy’s death just don’t add up, and Noemi isn’t the only one who suspects that something menacing might be lurking within their tribal lands.
After over a decade away, Uncle Louie has returned to the reservation, bringing with him a past full of secrets, horror, and what might be the key to determining Roddy’s true cause of death. Together, Noemi and Louie set out to find answers…but as they get closer to the truth, Noemi begins to wonder whether it might be best for some secrets to remain buried.
All Noemi Broussard wanted was a fresh start. With a new boyfriend who actually treats her right and a plan to move from the reservation she grew up on—just like her beloved Uncle Louie before her—things are finally looking up for Noemi. Until the news of her boyfriend’s apparent suicide brings her world crumbling down.
But the facts about Roddy’s death just don’t add up, and Noemi isn’t the only one who suspects that something menacing might be lurking within their tribal lands.
After over a decade away, Uncle Louie has returned to the reservation, bringing with him a past full of secrets, horror, and what might be the key to determining Roddy’s true cause of death. Together, Noemi and Louie set out to find answers…but as they get closer to the truth, Noemi begins to wonder whether it might be best for some secrets to remain buried.
370 pages, Hardcover
First published April 16, 2024
433 people are currently reading
68385 people want to read
About the author
Nick Medina
15 books605 followersBorn in Chicago, Illinois, Nick Medina has degrees in organizational and multicultural communication, and has worked as a college communnications instructor. He has had short stories published in various fiction outlets since 2009. An enthusiast of local and Native lore, his debut novel, Sisters of the Lost Nation, features several supernatural myths and legends. He became interested in the problem of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls after reading an article in the Chicago Tribune about Ashley Loring Heavyrunner, who went missing from the Blackfoot reservation in 2017. He enjoys exploring the strange and unusual, haunted cemeteries, and other spooky places, playing guitar, blues-based music and classic rock, physical fitness, and spending time with family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 842 reviews
August 15, 2024
this book gave me the heebie jeebies, but not in the way i wanted it to.
the story itself wasn't scary, but the depictions of addiction, of women, of fat people were really one-note and devastating. more inhuman than the evil presence driving the plot was the way these characters were rendered on page.
it's cringeworthy and wrong.
it's also dual perspective and dual timeline, and if there's one thing i continue to learn again and again in my reading life, it's that i am a single perspective, single timeline kind of reader. rarely do i read a story and think, wow. this really benefited from dividing its time and narrative strength between two things.
beyond that, the storyline itself was slow and moved in fits and starts, and the writing felt awkward and unwieldy. things that are imbued with huge significance never come up again. points of view you think will coalesce are just left as loose ends.
the connection it tried to make between vices and monstrosity would have been much cooler a hundred years ago, before we had modern lines of thinking and understanding of why people do what they do.
bottom line: i wanted to like this, but i couldn't find much to like.
------------------
pre-review
in my horror era
or not.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
the story itself wasn't scary, but the depictions of addiction, of women, of fat people were really one-note and devastating. more inhuman than the evil presence driving the plot was the way these characters were rendered on page.
it's cringeworthy and wrong.
it's also dual perspective and dual timeline, and if there's one thing i continue to learn again and again in my reading life, it's that i am a single perspective, single timeline kind of reader. rarely do i read a story and think, wow. this really benefited from dividing its time and narrative strength between two things.
beyond that, the storyline itself was slow and moved in fits and starts, and the writing felt awkward and unwieldy. things that are imbued with huge significance never come up again. points of view you think will coalesce are just left as loose ends.
the connection it tried to make between vices and monstrosity would have been much cooler a hundred years ago, before we had modern lines of thinking and understanding of why people do what they do.
bottom line: i wanted to like this, but i couldn't find much to like.
------------------
pre-review
in my horror era
or not.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
October 12, 2025
**4.5-stars rounded up**
After reading Nick Medina's story, Quantam, in the Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology, Never Whistle at Night, I knew I needed to pick up more of his work.
It was one of my favorites of that collection. I loved his storytelling style and couldn't wait to be immersed in another one of his creative tales.
In this story, we follow two perspectives: Noemi and Louie. Noemi provides us with a Contemporary Mystery. While Louie, Noemi's Uncle, delivers us a beautifully-executed Coming of Age Horror element.
In present day, Noemi's boyfriend, Roddy, dies suddenly and tragically. There's a lot of mystery surrounding his death, but the authorities categorize it as a suicide. That doesn't track for Noemi though, who feels like something more sinister may be at play upon their tribal lands.
Just prior to receiving this tragic news, Noemi's Uncle Louie shows up on her doorstep, in town for an upcoming powwow. After more than a decade away, it's a bit of an awkward reunion, but soon enough Uncle and Niece are bonding just like old times.
When Louie hears the news of Roddy's mysterious death, it brings to mind for him some very dark memories, all of which occurred in the Summer when he was 16-years old.
We alter back and forth between Noemi, taking us through the current events, and Louie recounting what happened on the reservation, all those years ago.
Medina wastes no time jumping into the intrigue of this story. The very start is fascinating, as we get a glimpse into the events surrounding Roddy's death.
I was immediately impressed with the writing. IMO, Medina just has a natural storyteller's voice. The way he delivered this story, specifically the sections from Louie's perspective, felt like Louie was speaking his story directly to me.
You forget that you are reading a book. It feels that fluid, and comes across as an actual person would tell the story of their life, versus an author trying to impress you with all the big words they know...
This is exactly the type of writing that I like to read!
It was fascinating to go back and forth between the two perspectives. I couldn't see right away how Louie's past was going to help Noemi understand her present, and I loved how Medina ultimately wove the two together.
The Coming of Age aspect was the highlight for me, but I think as a genre blend, this worked together so well.
The Horror imagery itself was very well-crafted. There were some truly unsettling moments. Things that gave me downright chills. It was never difficult picturing exactly what was happening to these characters.
I loved the examination of the real life horrors, as well. Particularly in regards to addiction, which really is its own vampire in a way, isn't it?
Additionally, the family drama and other events occurring on the reservation brought a heavy emotional component to the story. This one definitely moved me and the ending hit me like a punch to the gut.
Ultimately, Louie's story will live on, rent free in my heart forever, and ever, Amen. This is a special book.
A slow burn mix of Indigenous Horror with a powerful Coming of Age story; what's not to love about that? The themes explored and rich quality of storytelling are impressive to say the least.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
This is for sure on my Most Memorable List for 2024!!!
After reading Nick Medina's story, Quantam, in the Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology, Never Whistle at Night, I knew I needed to pick up more of his work.
It was one of my favorites of that collection. I loved his storytelling style and couldn't wait to be immersed in another one of his creative tales.
In this story, we follow two perspectives: Noemi and Louie. Noemi provides us with a Contemporary Mystery. While Louie, Noemi's Uncle, delivers us a beautifully-executed Coming of Age Horror element.
In present day, Noemi's boyfriend, Roddy, dies suddenly and tragically. There's a lot of mystery surrounding his death, but the authorities categorize it as a suicide. That doesn't track for Noemi though, who feels like something more sinister may be at play upon their tribal lands.
Just prior to receiving this tragic news, Noemi's Uncle Louie shows up on her doorstep, in town for an upcoming powwow. After more than a decade away, it's a bit of an awkward reunion, but soon enough Uncle and Niece are bonding just like old times.
When Louie hears the news of Roddy's mysterious death, it brings to mind for him some very dark memories, all of which occurred in the Summer when he was 16-years old.
We alter back and forth between Noemi, taking us through the current events, and Louie recounting what happened on the reservation, all those years ago.
Medina wastes no time jumping into the intrigue of this story. The very start is fascinating, as we get a glimpse into the events surrounding Roddy's death.
I was immediately impressed with the writing. IMO, Medina just has a natural storyteller's voice. The way he delivered this story, specifically the sections from Louie's perspective, felt like Louie was speaking his story directly to me.
You forget that you are reading a book. It feels that fluid, and comes across as an actual person would tell the story of their life, versus an author trying to impress you with all the big words they know...
This is exactly the type of writing that I like to read!
It was fascinating to go back and forth between the two perspectives. I couldn't see right away how Louie's past was going to help Noemi understand her present, and I loved how Medina ultimately wove the two together.
The Coming of Age aspect was the highlight for me, but I think as a genre blend, this worked together so well.
The Horror imagery itself was very well-crafted. There were some truly unsettling moments. Things that gave me downright chills. It was never difficult picturing exactly what was happening to these characters.
I loved the examination of the real life horrors, as well. Particularly in regards to addiction, which really is its own vampire in a way, isn't it?
Additionally, the family drama and other events occurring on the reservation brought a heavy emotional component to the story. This one definitely moved me and the ending hit me like a punch to the gut.
Ultimately, Louie's story will live on, rent free in my heart forever, and ever, Amen. This is a special book.
A slow burn mix of Indigenous Horror with a powerful Coming of Age story; what's not to love about that? The themes explored and rich quality of storytelling are impressive to say the least.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
This is for sure on my Most Memorable List for 2024!!!
December 4, 2024
Nick Medina has undeniably cemented his place as my favorite auto-approved horror author, a title he earned by making me jump from my seat and giving me goosebumps for days with his previous work, "Sisters of the Lost Nation." In "Indian Burial Ground," he not only maintains that momentum but kicks it up a notch, driving the entire narrative at high-speed terror and expertly hitting the brakes just before colliding with the brick wall of my adrenaline-soaked psyche, leaving me breathless. The last twist he expertly played left me utterly speechless; it slipped past my Spidey sense radars, and I certainly didn't see it coming!
The story takes us to an Indian reservation, unfurling a horrific, thought-provoking, mysterious, and mythical tale of a family navigating two timelines: the present and the mid-eighties. In the latter, the main character, Louie, is a seventeen-year-old burdened with more physical and psychological weight than he can bear. He grapples with holding his family together as his mother succumbs to the clutches of alcohol addiction, becoming a mere shell of herself. His aunt, Lula, a single teen mother, leaves him to care for her little daughter, Noemi. However, family strife is not the only challenge he faces. Unexplainable events begin to unfold around the tribe, with someone desecrating graves, stealing bones, including those of Louie's grandmother. A young boy with special needs unexpectedly straightens up in his coffin to speak, while Ern, an overweight man trapped in his trailer, acts as a peeping Tom, revealing the tribe's secrets and claiming Louie's mother has vanished into thin air. Is she drowned in the river, or has a sinister spirit targeted the tribe, especially its vulnerable members, such as children?
In the present day, Louie returns to his tribe to participate in a pow-wow ceremony, coinciding with the day his niece, the now 38-year-old Noemi, receives earth-shattering news. Her boyfriend, seemingly full of life, happy in their relationship, with a successful news anchor job and a bright future, has died in a suspicious accident—perhaps a deliberate act of self-harm. Could Louie's return trigger something in the tribe? Are unknown sinister forces resurfacing, just as they did three decades ago? Is Noemi's boyfriend connected to something more sinister, or does she truly know the man she dated?
The mysteries of the past intersect with the present, compelling family members to confront the demons they had once burned, caged, and locked away—demons that demand release.
In summary, this beautifully written novel weaves amazing mythical and cultural elements into supernatural horror, creating an honest portrayal of a dysfunctional family drama. It elicits a range of emotions, shaking readers to their core. Interestingly, amidst the bleak and dark narrative, the story manages to provide encouragement, urging readers to embrace the inner hero hidden within themselves. Read it, and then read it again!
A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for generously sharing this mind-bending book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.
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The story takes us to an Indian reservation, unfurling a horrific, thought-provoking, mysterious, and mythical tale of a family navigating two timelines: the present and the mid-eighties. In the latter, the main character, Louie, is a seventeen-year-old burdened with more physical and psychological weight than he can bear. He grapples with holding his family together as his mother succumbs to the clutches of alcohol addiction, becoming a mere shell of herself. His aunt, Lula, a single teen mother, leaves him to care for her little daughter, Noemi. However, family strife is not the only challenge he faces. Unexplainable events begin to unfold around the tribe, with someone desecrating graves, stealing bones, including those of Louie's grandmother. A young boy with special needs unexpectedly straightens up in his coffin to speak, while Ern, an overweight man trapped in his trailer, acts as a peeping Tom, revealing the tribe's secrets and claiming Louie's mother has vanished into thin air. Is she drowned in the river, or has a sinister spirit targeted the tribe, especially its vulnerable members, such as children?
In the present day, Louie returns to his tribe to participate in a pow-wow ceremony, coinciding with the day his niece, the now 38-year-old Noemi, receives earth-shattering news. Her boyfriend, seemingly full of life, happy in their relationship, with a successful news anchor job and a bright future, has died in a suspicious accident—perhaps a deliberate act of self-harm. Could Louie's return trigger something in the tribe? Are unknown sinister forces resurfacing, just as they did three decades ago? Is Noemi's boyfriend connected to something more sinister, or does she truly know the man she dated?
The mysteries of the past intersect with the present, compelling family members to confront the demons they had once burned, caged, and locked away—demons that demand release.
In summary, this beautifully written novel weaves amazing mythical and cultural elements into supernatural horror, creating an honest portrayal of a dysfunctional family drama. It elicits a range of emotions, shaking readers to their core. Interestingly, amidst the bleak and dark narrative, the story manages to provide encouragement, urging readers to embrace the inner hero hidden within themselves. Read it, and then read it again!
A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for generously sharing this mind-bending book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
April 6, 2024
Indian Burial Ground is dark and unsettling and beyond depressing, but I also think I liked it? It's not a fun novel or even a particularly enjoyable one, but somehow it just works.
First of all, this is 100% a horror novel. The tags on Goodreads are accurate, but NetGalley has it in the general fiction and mysteries & thrillers categories. And, I mean, I guess Noemi's timeline does revolve around a mystery of sorts (did Roddy commit suicide or was it foul play?), but the book more heavily focuses on Uncle Louie's 1986 narrative, which is very much horror-based. There are multiple unpleasant deaths and an evil spirit and a bunch of creepy scenes. If you're not a horror fan, be forewarned. Also, there are trigger warnings galore – children die, animals die, there's substance abuse, there's suicide, and mental health issues abound.
Louie's timeline is particularly riveting, even though it's by far the darker of the two. I especially appreciated the Native American mythologies that are woven into the storyline, and the climax of Louie's story is simply fantastic in a “bad acid trip” sort of way. I also found its portrayal of substance abuse to be incredibly realistic and powerful, and it definitely drives home the damage addiction does to both the addicted and their loved ones. And the scenes with creepy, smiling people crawling backward to their doom? Nightmare fuel, for sure.
Noemi's story is much more mundane than Louie's, but it's also incredibly sad. You can't help but feel for her as she attempts to navigate her grief surrounding the loss of Roddy. I have to say, though, that I would have appreciated a bit more active investigation into Roddy's death, as it mostly consists of Noemi texting with his sister and following a coyote around (but, seriously, why oh why does no one help the coyote pups?!). I do love how she and Louie lean on each other while they come to terms with their respective traumas, however, and their family as a whole is quite sympathetic. I also like the way the story is wrapped up, with perhaps just a little bit of hope but nothing too Disney-esque (which would be totally and completely out of place in this novel).
My final rating: 4.35 stars, rounded down. Indian Burial Ground is a creepy yet poignant read that deals with horrors of both the supernatural and earthly varieties.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
First of all, this is 100% a horror novel. The tags on Goodreads are accurate, but NetGalley has it in the general fiction and mysteries & thrillers categories. And, I mean, I guess Noemi's timeline does revolve around a mystery of sorts (did Roddy commit suicide or was it foul play?), but the book more heavily focuses on Uncle Louie's 1986 narrative, which is very much horror-based. There are multiple unpleasant deaths and an evil spirit and a bunch of creepy scenes. If you're not a horror fan, be forewarned. Also, there are trigger warnings galore – children die, animals die, there's substance abuse, there's suicide, and mental health issues abound.
Louie's timeline is particularly riveting, even though it's by far the darker of the two. I especially appreciated the Native American mythologies that are woven into the storyline, and the climax of Louie's story is simply fantastic in a “bad acid trip” sort of way. I also found its portrayal of substance abuse to be incredibly realistic and powerful, and it definitely drives home the damage addiction does to both the addicted and their loved ones. And the scenes with creepy, smiling people crawling backward to their doom? Nightmare fuel, for sure.
Noemi's story is much more mundane than Louie's, but it's also incredibly sad. You can't help but feel for her as she attempts to navigate her grief surrounding the loss of Roddy. I have to say, though, that I would have appreciated a bit more active investigation into Roddy's death, as it mostly consists of Noemi texting with his sister and following a coyote around (but, seriously, why oh why does no one help the coyote pups?!). I do love how she and Louie lean on each other while they come to terms with their respective traumas, however, and their family as a whole is quite sympathetic. I also like the way the story is wrapped up, with perhaps just a little bit of hope but nothing too Disney-esque (which would be totally and completely out of place in this novel).
My final rating: 4.35 stars, rounded down. Indian Burial Ground is a creepy yet poignant read that deals with horrors of both the supernatural and earthly varieties.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
June 26, 2024
**Many thanks to Berkley and Nick Medina for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 4.16!**
Noemi can't believe her ears, her eyes, or the reality of her current situation...her boyfriend Roddy is dead. What she finds even MORE unbelievable than his untimely demise, however, is that Roddy took his own life. She had been anxious to launch into her new adult life, move out of her mother Lula's house, and come into her own...but in a flash, every ounce of opportunity has been taken away. It's Noemi's uncle Louie who presents her with this news, and he also shares that the woman who hit Roddy with her car claims that Roddy leapt in harm's way...for no apparent reason; hence, the conclusion that this MUST have been suicide.
But Noemi's gut feeling that there is more going on than meets the eye is underscored by none other than Uncle Louie, who is sharply reminded of some of the horrors of his OWN life...ones that to this day, remain partially unexplained. Trauma borne from mental illness and addiction was already enough to leave lasting scars, but so much of his past still remains a mystery...and seems to point toward a terrible, lingering evil in their tribal ground...an evil that might just have reached Roddy. Can Noemi and Louie band together to unlock the secret horrors of the past...before the demons unleash their fury one FINAL time?
Nick Medina is an author in a very specific space that has been gaining considerable traction lately: Native American horror. The subgenre has had some standout writers as of late, with Stephen Graham Jones leading the way, and it certainly makes sense why: the space is ripe for scares, with rich folklore and mythology at its core. This is nothing new: legends about the consequences about building on top of the ancient Indian Burial Ground are at the center of many a creepy tale (most notably in MY mind, from that horrifying scene in the movie Poltergeist...let's just say I STILL turn away from the screen during the end of that one! 😱) The cultural depth, the breadth of folklore, not to mention the complex and intricate underpinnings of different tribes and how they exist as a unit (with explorations of mental health AND addiction issues to boot) gives plenty of fodder to writers such as Medina.
But in the case of this particular tale, I spent far more time confused, bored, and disoriented than I did intrigued or terrified...and the 384 pages in this one felt more like 584...or possibly even MORE.
For starters, one thing that feels beyond frustrating for me in ANY genre is a messy timeline...and this one is messier than an on-again-off-again couple's breakups. To be honest, it took me a LONG time (read: too much time) to even determine that we were IN two different timelines and how they worked with one another. I'm not sure if a device as simple as naming the chapters with the year they occurred would have helped...but let's just say it couldn't have HURT. I honestly learned more from reading some other early reviews AFTER I finished this one as to what events happened in the past and which happened in the present, what was legend and what was reality, etc. There's talk of missing people, the reanimated dead, and even possession of sorts...but to me, it felt like it was presented in a haphazard fashion, all over the place, to the point where I couldn't tell what were stories Louie was presenting telling Noemi about his childhood versus which he was simply recounting as a narrator to the reading audience about the legends he'd potentially experienced...it all just felt a bit cluttered to me.
Amidst all of this timeline confusion, one of the worst offenses for me was the fact that for a minute I actually thought there was not one but TWO characters named Noemi. Yep, I actually thought that one character had a child named Noemi alongside present day adult Noemi...which I later found out was one (and only one) Noemi. The fact that this was so muddled and unclear was beyond frustrating to me, and although I enjoyed Noemi (only in the present day timeline, mind you) I came to realize that the only reason I felt more interested in this timeline and its events was because it was SLIGHTLY easier to follow and had a more clear trajectory: what happened to Roddy? I'll be honest, once we got into the weeds with some of the more 'out there' mythical aspects of this one, I lost interest completely. It reminded me of how I felt at the end of Mexican Gothic: I went on a long and complicated journey and it ended with something that felt so bizarre and ridiculous I almost rolled my eyes. No spoilers here, but if you want a quick summary...let's just say a picture (like the one on the cover, perhaps) MIGHT tell a thousand words...or at least ENOUGH to give you the gist. 🐊
And although this story had all the potential to take me deep into uncharted, mysterious, and sacred ground, I think the only thing I managed to bury was my interest.
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3
Noemi can't believe her ears, her eyes, or the reality of her current situation...her boyfriend Roddy is dead. What she finds even MORE unbelievable than his untimely demise, however, is that Roddy took his own life. She had been anxious to launch into her new adult life, move out of her mother Lula's house, and come into her own...but in a flash, every ounce of opportunity has been taken away. It's Noemi's uncle Louie who presents her with this news, and he also shares that the woman who hit Roddy with her car claims that Roddy leapt in harm's way...for no apparent reason; hence, the conclusion that this MUST have been suicide.
But Noemi's gut feeling that there is more going on than meets the eye is underscored by none other than Uncle Louie, who is sharply reminded of some of the horrors of his OWN life...ones that to this day, remain partially unexplained. Trauma borne from mental illness and addiction was already enough to leave lasting scars, but so much of his past still remains a mystery...and seems to point toward a terrible, lingering evil in their tribal ground...an evil that might just have reached Roddy. Can Noemi and Louie band together to unlock the secret horrors of the past...before the demons unleash their fury one FINAL time?
Nick Medina is an author in a very specific space that has been gaining considerable traction lately: Native American horror. The subgenre has had some standout writers as of late, with Stephen Graham Jones leading the way, and it certainly makes sense why: the space is ripe for scares, with rich folklore and mythology at its core. This is nothing new: legends about the consequences about building on top of the ancient Indian Burial Ground are at the center of many a creepy tale (most notably in MY mind, from that horrifying scene in the movie Poltergeist...let's just say I STILL turn away from the screen during the end of that one! 😱) The cultural depth, the breadth of folklore, not to mention the complex and intricate underpinnings of different tribes and how they exist as a unit (with explorations of mental health AND addiction issues to boot) gives plenty of fodder to writers such as Medina.
But in the case of this particular tale, I spent far more time confused, bored, and disoriented than I did intrigued or terrified...and the 384 pages in this one felt more like 584...or possibly even MORE.
For starters, one thing that feels beyond frustrating for me in ANY genre is a messy timeline...and this one is messier than an on-again-off-again couple's breakups. To be honest, it took me a LONG time (read: too much time) to even determine that we were IN two different timelines and how they worked with one another. I'm not sure if a device as simple as naming the chapters with the year they occurred would have helped...but let's just say it couldn't have HURT. I honestly learned more from reading some other early reviews AFTER I finished this one as to what events happened in the past and which happened in the present, what was legend and what was reality, etc. There's talk of missing people, the reanimated dead, and even possession of sorts...but to me, it felt like it was presented in a haphazard fashion, all over the place, to the point where I couldn't tell what were stories Louie was presenting telling Noemi about his childhood versus which he was simply recounting as a narrator to the reading audience about the legends he'd potentially experienced...it all just felt a bit cluttered to me.
Amidst all of this timeline confusion, one of the worst offenses for me was the fact that for a minute I actually thought there was not one but TWO characters named Noemi. Yep, I actually thought that one character had a child named Noemi alongside present day adult Noemi...which I later found out was one (and only one) Noemi. The fact that this was so muddled and unclear was beyond frustrating to me, and although I enjoyed Noemi (only in the present day timeline, mind you) I came to realize that the only reason I felt more interested in this timeline and its events was because it was SLIGHTLY easier to follow and had a more clear trajectory: what happened to Roddy? I'll be honest, once we got into the weeds with some of the more 'out there' mythical aspects of this one, I lost interest completely. It reminded me of how I felt at the end of Mexican Gothic: I went on a long and complicated journey and it ended with something that felt so bizarre and ridiculous I almost rolled my eyes. No spoilers here, but if you want a quick summary...let's just say a picture (like the one on the cover, perhaps) MIGHT tell a thousand words...or at least ENOUGH to give you the gist. 🐊
And although this story had all the potential to take me deep into uncharted, mysterious, and sacred ground, I think the only thing I managed to bury was my interest.
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3
March 23, 2024
4.0 Stars
I enjoyed this piece of indigenous horror. It was slower paced and character driven, but in a good way. The narrative style reminded me loosely of the Stephen Graham Jones work and will likely appeal to similar readers.
I enjoyed the supernatural elements which added a fun horror layer. It was a fun story that made me interested reading more by this author.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I enjoyed this piece of indigenous horror. It was slower paced and character driven, but in a good way. The narrative style reminded me loosely of the Stephen Graham Jones work and will likely appeal to similar readers.
I enjoyed the supernatural elements which added a fun horror layer. It was a fun story that made me interested reading more by this author.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
March 29, 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Horror
Noemi Broussard’s life is turned upside down when her boyfriend commits suicide. She is not convinced that her boyfriend will kill himself like that, but she suspects that there is more to his death than what appears to be. She starts to believe that his suicide has to do with something related to their tribal lands. Along with her uncle Louie, the two become determined to find out the truth.
The story is narrated from two perspectives: Noemi’s perspective represents the present, and Louie’s perspective is related to the past when Noemi was a child. Although the story’s goal is to know what happened in the present, it delves more into the past, so Louie’s chapters are longer than Noemi’s.
I am entirely new to this author's work; I have never read anything else by them before. I think his writing style is interesting. Although it is a well-written book, a few things bring it down to a lower level. The pacing is off, to begin with. It is not entirely clear to me whether or not this can be classified as a slow-burn story because there are times when things move more quickly, and there are other times when events appear to be more still. What I believe to be the primary reason for this is that the novel contains multiple timelines that are not linear, resulting in the pacing and the plot being somewhat more complicated.
Another aspect of this story that I did not enjoy was the manner in which a large number of characters were suddenly introduced to the reader. It became overwhelming and confusing to follow. I believe the author did an excellent job with the two main characters because they were multifaceted and possessed distinct layers of personality. This is an interesting novel, but I’d expected more from it being a horror story.
The narrative explores some potentially upsetting topics, including suicide, violence, and trauma; therefore, if you are sensitive to these topics, you should proceed with caution.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
Genre: Horror
Noemi Broussard’s life is turned upside down when her boyfriend commits suicide. She is not convinced that her boyfriend will kill himself like that, but she suspects that there is more to his death than what appears to be. She starts to believe that his suicide has to do with something related to their tribal lands. Along with her uncle Louie, the two become determined to find out the truth.
The story is narrated from two perspectives: Noemi’s perspective represents the present, and Louie’s perspective is related to the past when Noemi was a child. Although the story’s goal is to know what happened in the present, it delves more into the past, so Louie’s chapters are longer than Noemi’s.
I am entirely new to this author's work; I have never read anything else by them before. I think his writing style is interesting. Although it is a well-written book, a few things bring it down to a lower level. The pacing is off, to begin with. It is not entirely clear to me whether or not this can be classified as a slow-burn story because there are times when things move more quickly, and there are other times when events appear to be more still. What I believe to be the primary reason for this is that the novel contains multiple timelines that are not linear, resulting in the pacing and the plot being somewhat more complicated.
Another aspect of this story that I did not enjoy was the manner in which a large number of characters were suddenly introduced to the reader. It became overwhelming and confusing to follow. I believe the author did an excellent job with the two main characters because they were multifaceted and possessed distinct layers of personality. This is an interesting novel, but I’d expected more from it being a horror story.
The narrative explores some potentially upsetting topics, including suicide, violence, and trauma; therefore, if you are sensitive to these topics, you should proceed with caution.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
December 15, 2024
We are seeing some weird scenes on the reservation. A man with a promising career in newscasting inexplicably commits suicide by throwing himself in front of a car at night. An older woman, headed to sing at a wake, has presumably drowned herself in the river. Graves are being desecrated in the cemetery. At their vigils, corpses are sitting up to speak. Things are out of balance and the chilling suspicion is that the ancient Takoda Vampire is at hand.
Noemi Broussard is devastated. She cannot accept that her boyfriend would kill himself. She finds some solace in that her uncle Louie has just returned to the reservation after a ten-year absence. Louie is struck by the similarities he sees now and the circumstances that set him off into exile when he was young. In the 1980’s he shouldered the responsibility of caring for an alcoholic mother and raising young Noemi, at the same time some of the same supernatural occurrences were striking. Could he be the lightning rod drawing evil back to the reservation?
In his Acknowledgments, author Nick Medina recognizes the two “horrific and heartbreaking themes that run through this book–suicide and alcoholism.” These are triggers found in the book and in reality. Given the abject poverty and the generational trauma suffered, it is not hard to grasp that a catharsis found in the telling of horror finds a place in Native American literature.
Told in two timelines, the pacing is slow at first, but quickly draws you in. The sense of eeriness is maintained throughout, and the inclusion of the folklore adds to the atmosphere. Recommended for an ominous ride.
Thank you to the Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Noemi Broussard is devastated. She cannot accept that her boyfriend would kill himself. She finds some solace in that her uncle Louie has just returned to the reservation after a ten-year absence. Louie is struck by the similarities he sees now and the circumstances that set him off into exile when he was young. In the 1980’s he shouldered the responsibility of caring for an alcoholic mother and raising young Noemi, at the same time some of the same supernatural occurrences were striking. Could he be the lightning rod drawing evil back to the reservation?
In his Acknowledgments, author Nick Medina recognizes the two “horrific and heartbreaking themes that run through this book–suicide and alcoholism.” These are triggers found in the book and in reality. Given the abject poverty and the generational trauma suffered, it is not hard to grasp that a catharsis found in the telling of horror finds a place in Native American literature.
Told in two timelines, the pacing is slow at first, but quickly draws you in. The sense of eeriness is maintained throughout, and the inclusion of the folklore adds to the atmosphere. Recommended for an ominous ride.
Thank you to the Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 12, 2024
It is important to note that most of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the book's subject matters & those detailed in my review overwhelming. I suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters that contain reflections on substance abuse, violent crime, the death of a loved one, alcoholism, the death of a child, parental negligence, self-harm, cannibalism, the death of an animal, suicide, mental health, & others.
Great Spirit sees all, observing as the wind ruffles the newborn skin of life, day in & day out. To explain our origin in the windy world, humanity has cast spells of lore; riddles that mask our sorrow at the dark cavern from whence we came & to which we will return, giving nutrients when once we had received them. The weaver is the key element in breaching the dark; the voice whose ease at transporting the listener revives still sounds, casting them like Northern Lights to the silent sky. Without storytellers where would we be? The obsidian nature of our travels leads us back to ourselves; the storyteller lights our way.
The tapestry of creation has offered the wandering soul ample room for whispers from the Great Spirit, Creator, the Lord Himself, His Son, the Archangels, Muhammad ibn Abdullāh, Siddhartha Gautama; the list raves onward, tirelessly presenting the species with individuals who carry word from the unseen.
This statement is perhaps, as you may note, not altogether true. For many cultures, proof of holiness, or the existence of a larger entity than the self, is in the world around us. Who could think of something as beautiful as the sun whose warmth shines for all on earth? Who could have conjured a more perfect globe where land & water exist in tandem for all of existence? The small & large shapes, sounds, visuals, & tangible experiences that exist alongside humanity breathe air into the mythology that colours systems of belief.
Though, if you have made your way through my previous writing you will note a strong stance on the subject of religion, this review does not exist as a critique of schools of belief. Rather, while reading this book, I found myself earnestly, curious about the creatures who suffered the wrath of humankind.
Where was Creator when the rock was cast that killed the woodpecker? Where was Great Spirit when Johnny burned alive in the fire pit? In such a beautiful landscape how can such horror thrive? Where is the kindness riddled in stories that are meant to guide us? Perhaps this story sets in place the doubt that has long seeped into the mind of the burdened; it is not enough to believe in goodness, one must be good to see it live in the world alongside them.
In essence, this is a story about intergenerational trauma. Medina has woven two tricks into his story allowing the reader to remain nearly disengaged when torturous emotions drown children & zombie forces lure them out to pasture where their neglectful parents bury them alive. If readers feel this reality too obstructive to the view they hold of their kin, they are welcome to watch the alligator slither across the page, swallowing unsuspecting victims like stones to the riverbed. Nestled in between the detrimental, blood-soaked narrative is the truth; intergenerational wounds seldom heal.
This story is formatted in a dual narrative. In the present, Noemi experiences the sudden death of her fiancé, Roddy, & the return of her uncle Louie, whom she hasn’t seen in over a decade. Louie’s narrative explores the past, namely the year 1986 when the events that tormented him came to a head. Readers who develop an appreciation for both Noemi & Louie will revel in this approach. Both characters are adults, aged over forty, & have lived long & obscenely complex lives. Presenting readers will characters who are well-established individuals, in the sense of the years they have spent on earth, allows readers the opportunity to delve further into the material that is being presented. Unfortunately, this is my first qualm with this book.
In the introduction, Roddy is described as having committed suicide by jumping in front of a Jeep. His body is then ravaged by a coyote when the driver of the vehicle runs to get help. This approach to introducing the dual perspectives of mythology & trauma was delightful to read. To be clear, this choice of scene—the road, the wild animal, the woman, the man, their home, the land—allows readers to immediately immerse themselves in the story. The borders of the page disappeared as I wondered where the narrative would bring me; Who would I meet along the way? What insights would they give me? When would I be met with the horror I was promised by the genre?
Certainly, one may read about the terrible fate that befalls each of the characters in this story as horrible enough, that there was no need to further the torment of humanity by inducing ghastly soul-eating alligators. This would not be an incorrect decision to conclude. Indeed, this story did not need two perspectives, two narratives, & two timelines.
In reality, Louie carried the entire story & this left me grating my teeth every time Noemi was brought back to the page. I am still conflicted as to what made her so annoying. In an attempt to decode my feelings, I pondered the nature of her character & the benefit of including a forty-year-old woman who was so deeply ignorant, to a story that was emboldened by the Goliath that was her uncle.
Perhaps, I should consider myself lucky that I have such an intimate understanding of Depression, suicidal ideation, self-harm, & suicide. Perhaps, I should learn to be more patient with the world as there are certainly more people like Noemi than there are who are like me. For this reason, call it a lack of patience or desire to sit in the company of someone who was troubled by their own volition, I felt frustrated every time Noemi narrated her sections.
This is primarily due to her lack of knowledge. In her forty years of life, not once has Noemi ever sought to understand the complexities of mental illness, not once has she stepped outside of herself. The death of her long-term partner, Roddy, comes to her as a shock only because it means she now has to find someone else to support her dreams.
For chapters on end, Noemi speaks about how impossible it would be for Roddy to have committed suicide because they were happy & they had plans, & his bad days weren’t that bad. This was insulting to read. It is insulting because Noemi has no clue what she’s talking about yet, she’s a grown woman, she’s an adult, in a world where children rely on adults to guide the way down the road of life, & where other adults inadvertently lean on each other to safeguard the road when it becomes too hard to walk alone.
All the while, Noemi fails at her role, in her community & life. You may deem my criticism harsh but, ignorance is violence & what Noemi states as impossible is in fact what leads so many people who are experiencing mental distress, suicidal ideation, & depression, to be burdened in silence & misunderstanding.
Why is Noemi so ignorant of the parameters of mental illness? People who commit suicide could have sat & had the most delicious meal with the most loving people & this would not be indicative of a change; this is simply one moment in time. The burden of weight carried in the spine, dousing the brain, is not swayed by one lovely meal.
This is not difficult to comprehend. In the middle of her rambling ignorance, Noemi corners Roddy’s sister telling her she’s wrong & wishing to one-up her in the pursuit of answers. Why does she do this? Are readers to believe that not once in forty years of life did Noemi ever encounter another person who was experiencing mental illness? Did Noemi never venture outside the confines of her own bedroom?
Certainly, in life, as I have said earlier, many people lack understanding of what leads a person to commit suicide. I am disheartened to know that this is the case because the solution is simple. Whereas readers are enveloped in a story that deals with the ill-structured home life of a family on the brink of collapse, the world at writ large is littered with situations exactly like the fictionalized one in the reader’s hands.
Can I fault Noemi for being a product of her existence? Will readers be more ready to forgive Noemi for her cruel self-centered ignorance regarding Roddy’s suicide?
What I have come to understand in my many years of life is that some people never learn because they are not seeking the knowledge that will set them free of their ignorance. Noemi was raised in a house with a grandmother who suffered from alcoholism—an illness that ultimately led to her death—with a mother who was crass & rarely present.
Noemi also had the opportunity to grow past the ignorance of her parent, a woman who raves love for men who are ghosts, men who are the opposite of the protagonist, Louie. Again, perhaps it is too demanding of me to assume that Noemi has the willpower or the strength to become more than what she is; few people do so, why am I so caught up in her issues?
The troubles that plague Louie left me empathetic to him. He was sixteen when the events in 1986 took place & readers will note the matured tone of a person who struggles to grow like a rose hidden under a log. Louie is written with gusto, & gumption, with faults in his naive logic but, who can blame him, he lives in a world where his neighbour committed serial murders & blamed a malevolent spirit for his psychological issues.
In that same breath, you may wonder why I struggle with approaching Noemi with such patience. Perhaps it is because I have been sixteen, & similarly to Louie, I took the reins for a situation I was in no way grown enough to heal. Whereas I have not reached the age of forty & what Noemi lacks, I have in spades.
What is the role of a reader? Am I supposed to compare myself to Noemi & Louie? Am I supposed to pick a side & stick to the path I have chosen? Halfway through this book, I abandoned hope that Noemi would change, I did not believe her to be capable of it but, Louie had such a long life yet to lead, & I did not want to read about his youth becoming entrapped with the slithering gizzard that crouches on my bedpost.
Philosophical masticating in the background, I maneuvered my way through lore & mythology that was not my own. The stories of critters & crawling friends were familiar to me & I was glad to see the comfort of tales that would not give me the answer I needed, neither did they present the characters with the road they should take.
The community of people who vanished, were murdered, & died as a consequence of their addictions or their mental illnesses, clobbered the silly tale of ghosts & screaming corpses. I read most of this book at night, lying in bed listening to the wind whisper to me; each of these situations was more than the life they consumed.
Certain characters presented readers with good reason to pause & take inventory. Why did Jean-Luc eat the bones of the deceased? In some systems of belief, eating the flesh, bones, & meat of people whom one respects allows this person to consume their essence. When Jean-Luc explains that he dug up the graves of respected members of the community & people who were loving & kind, readers may reflect on the person that he is rather than the one he thinks he wants to be.
In wishing to be like the Tamahka (Tunica-Biloxi word for alligator) Jean-Luc emptied himself of his essence, becoming a shadowed sac some may refer to as a Wendigo. Therefore one may be left asking; Do the dreams we have require us to scalp divinity from top to bottom?
I appreciated the morose, gruellingly devastating approach that Medina took to introduce the deadly sin of desire, specifically, the longing to escape the body we are sewn to. Ernest murdered his mother because he could, because he was bored, & because inside he was probably a person who was clinically psychotic.
The flashbacks that the reader is given to remember Horace added a layer of sadness to this story that I did not expect to find. Odd, perhaps, for me to admit that I was not ready for sorrow when I read Horror as though I have never experienced fear in my life but, true it is, nonetheless. Indeed, reading about the potential that was striped from Horace by being a person who had a stutter, to being the child of a family that was on the receiving end of violence from another feuding family, sunk the stone deeper in my soles.
Readers will surely wander through the chapters of this book swiftly, & wonder at the ease they feel while reading such a story. In truth, the experiences of the characters are terrifying because they are not dedicated fabrications, intended for a freaky night of reading.
Indigenous Peoples experience the highest rate of suicide worldwide. Indigenous Peoples experience starkly high rates of addiction worldwide. It is no mystery why this is yet, in Noemi, readers may find comfort in their ignorance.
It is unacceptable to remain in the dark when people, who do not deserve to suffer Charon’s cold finger directing them to their seats on the splintered boat, continue to drown. Why then, do people revel in the shocked face of ghastly surprise meant only for birthday cakes & Christmas morning?
This is a story about the intergenerational burden of a community of people who have struggled to stay-face in a world that has repeatedly told them their demise would be a pleasure to witness. I return to what I said earlier, my frustrated notions of annoyance against Noemi & her structured ignorance. Perhaps you will think me a product of a life that has left little room for patience, forgiveness, or tenderness; you would be wrong, but only partly. In fact, I work tirelessly to ensure that the spaces in which I go reflect the song the crows have sung as we greet each other, & that I spill only soft wind into the rooms where doors have been previously closed. I am troubled by a reality I know well & I remain frustrated that humanity does not advocate for a space where what has been need not be any longer.
Whether an alligator swallowed Mrs. Shelby or whether her son murdered her in her home; whether Horace was mutilated by a Vampire or whether his friend carved out his heart so that he may never rest; whether Mae was consumed by a demon or whether she chocked on her own vomit; victims of crime, victims of exhaustion from fighting against a beast greater than the Meli Omahka or any of its other names; people suffer the fate that befalls them as they dangle on the edge of a cliff where, rather than sacred & safe, the rocks have been moulded into the dead-eyed faces of the perilous Nazgûl.
Ultimately, the beating that reverberates the ribs, pumping willpower to the brain, & steadying the river watcher, riddles a tale as old as time; Who can escape the self? Readers will be met with causes worthy of their care with optimism that the alligator, the woodpecker, the armadillo, & the coyote will act as guides to them whereas in life they persist in ignoring the very people for whom these animals are kin. Troubling as the ghost may appear, his reflection is often more coyly our own than we care to admit.
For readers who have wandered the land in tune with the formidable looming cloud, this story will wriggle into the tendinous ring, like the fantom of despair made into the giggling forest’s safe-heaven for the Alligatoridae who seek to return to the underworld where their smooth underbelly guard the stones of souls long since laid to rest.
Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, & Nick Medina for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Great Spirit sees all, observing as the wind ruffles the newborn skin of life, day in & day out. To explain our origin in the windy world, humanity has cast spells of lore; riddles that mask our sorrow at the dark cavern from whence we came & to which we will return, giving nutrients when once we had received them. The weaver is the key element in breaching the dark; the voice whose ease at transporting the listener revives still sounds, casting them like Northern Lights to the silent sky. Without storytellers where would we be? The obsidian nature of our travels leads us back to ourselves; the storyteller lights our way.
The tapestry of creation has offered the wandering soul ample room for whispers from the Great Spirit, Creator, the Lord Himself, His Son, the Archangels, Muhammad ibn Abdullāh, Siddhartha Gautama; the list raves onward, tirelessly presenting the species with individuals who carry word from the unseen.
This statement is perhaps, as you may note, not altogether true. For many cultures, proof of holiness, or the existence of a larger entity than the self, is in the world around us. Who could think of something as beautiful as the sun whose warmth shines for all on earth? Who could have conjured a more perfect globe where land & water exist in tandem for all of existence? The small & large shapes, sounds, visuals, & tangible experiences that exist alongside humanity breathe air into the mythology that colours systems of belief.
Though, if you have made your way through my previous writing you will note a strong stance on the subject of religion, this review does not exist as a critique of schools of belief. Rather, while reading this book, I found myself earnestly, curious about the creatures who suffered the wrath of humankind.
Where was Creator when the rock was cast that killed the woodpecker? Where was Great Spirit when Johnny burned alive in the fire pit? In such a beautiful landscape how can such horror thrive? Where is the kindness riddled in stories that are meant to guide us? Perhaps this story sets in place the doubt that has long seeped into the mind of the burdened; it is not enough to believe in goodness, one must be good to see it live in the world alongside them.
In essence, this is a story about intergenerational trauma. Medina has woven two tricks into his story allowing the reader to remain nearly disengaged when torturous emotions drown children & zombie forces lure them out to pasture where their neglectful parents bury them alive. If readers feel this reality too obstructive to the view they hold of their kin, they are welcome to watch the alligator slither across the page, swallowing unsuspecting victims like stones to the riverbed. Nestled in between the detrimental, blood-soaked narrative is the truth; intergenerational wounds seldom heal.
This story is formatted in a dual narrative. In the present, Noemi experiences the sudden death of her fiancé, Roddy, & the return of her uncle Louie, whom she hasn’t seen in over a decade. Louie’s narrative explores the past, namely the year 1986 when the events that tormented him came to a head. Readers who develop an appreciation for both Noemi & Louie will revel in this approach. Both characters are adults, aged over forty, & have lived long & obscenely complex lives. Presenting readers will characters who are well-established individuals, in the sense of the years they have spent on earth, allows readers the opportunity to delve further into the material that is being presented. Unfortunately, this is my first qualm with this book.
In the introduction, Roddy is described as having committed suicide by jumping in front of a Jeep. His body is then ravaged by a coyote when the driver of the vehicle runs to get help. This approach to introducing the dual perspectives of mythology & trauma was delightful to read. To be clear, this choice of scene—the road, the wild animal, the woman, the man, their home, the land—allows readers to immediately immerse themselves in the story. The borders of the page disappeared as I wondered where the narrative would bring me; Who would I meet along the way? What insights would they give me? When would I be met with the horror I was promised by the genre?
Certainly, one may read about the terrible fate that befalls each of the characters in this story as horrible enough, that there was no need to further the torment of humanity by inducing ghastly soul-eating alligators. This would not be an incorrect decision to conclude. Indeed, this story did not need two perspectives, two narratives, & two timelines.
In reality, Louie carried the entire story & this left me grating my teeth every time Noemi was brought back to the page. I am still conflicted as to what made her so annoying. In an attempt to decode my feelings, I pondered the nature of her character & the benefit of including a forty-year-old woman who was so deeply ignorant, to a story that was emboldened by the Goliath that was her uncle.
Perhaps, I should consider myself lucky that I have such an intimate understanding of Depression, suicidal ideation, self-harm, & suicide. Perhaps, I should learn to be more patient with the world as there are certainly more people like Noemi than there are who are like me. For this reason, call it a lack of patience or desire to sit in the company of someone who was troubled by their own volition, I felt frustrated every time Noemi narrated her sections.
This is primarily due to her lack of knowledge. In her forty years of life, not once has Noemi ever sought to understand the complexities of mental illness, not once has she stepped outside of herself. The death of her long-term partner, Roddy, comes to her as a shock only because it means she now has to find someone else to support her dreams.
For chapters on end, Noemi speaks about how impossible it would be for Roddy to have committed suicide because they were happy & they had plans, & his bad days weren’t that bad. This was insulting to read. It is insulting because Noemi has no clue what she’s talking about yet, she’s a grown woman, she’s an adult, in a world where children rely on adults to guide the way down the road of life, & where other adults inadvertently lean on each other to safeguard the road when it becomes too hard to walk alone.
All the while, Noemi fails at her role, in her community & life. You may deem my criticism harsh but, ignorance is violence & what Noemi states as impossible is in fact what leads so many people who are experiencing mental distress, suicidal ideation, & depression, to be burdened in silence & misunderstanding.
Why is Noemi so ignorant of the parameters of mental illness? People who commit suicide could have sat & had the most delicious meal with the most loving people & this would not be indicative of a change; this is simply one moment in time. The burden of weight carried in the spine, dousing the brain, is not swayed by one lovely meal.
This is not difficult to comprehend. In the middle of her rambling ignorance, Noemi corners Roddy’s sister telling her she’s wrong & wishing to one-up her in the pursuit of answers. Why does she do this? Are readers to believe that not once in forty years of life did Noemi ever encounter another person who was experiencing mental illness? Did Noemi never venture outside the confines of her own bedroom?
Certainly, in life, as I have said earlier, many people lack understanding of what leads a person to commit suicide. I am disheartened to know that this is the case because the solution is simple. Whereas readers are enveloped in a story that deals with the ill-structured home life of a family on the brink of collapse, the world at writ large is littered with situations exactly like the fictionalized one in the reader’s hands.
Can I fault Noemi for being a product of her existence? Will readers be more ready to forgive Noemi for her cruel self-centered ignorance regarding Roddy’s suicide?
What I have come to understand in my many years of life is that some people never learn because they are not seeking the knowledge that will set them free of their ignorance. Noemi was raised in a house with a grandmother who suffered from alcoholism—an illness that ultimately led to her death—with a mother who was crass & rarely present.
Noemi also had the opportunity to grow past the ignorance of her parent, a woman who raves love for men who are ghosts, men who are the opposite of the protagonist, Louie. Again, perhaps it is too demanding of me to assume that Noemi has the willpower or the strength to become more than what she is; few people do so, why am I so caught up in her issues?
The troubles that plague Louie left me empathetic to him. He was sixteen when the events in 1986 took place & readers will note the matured tone of a person who struggles to grow like a rose hidden under a log. Louie is written with gusto, & gumption, with faults in his naive logic but, who can blame him, he lives in a world where his neighbour committed serial murders & blamed a malevolent spirit for his psychological issues.
In that same breath, you may wonder why I struggle with approaching Noemi with such patience. Perhaps it is because I have been sixteen, & similarly to Louie, I took the reins for a situation I was in no way grown enough to heal. Whereas I have not reached the age of forty & what Noemi lacks, I have in spades.
What is the role of a reader? Am I supposed to compare myself to Noemi & Louie? Am I supposed to pick a side & stick to the path I have chosen? Halfway through this book, I abandoned hope that Noemi would change, I did not believe her to be capable of it but, Louie had such a long life yet to lead, & I did not want to read about his youth becoming entrapped with the slithering gizzard that crouches on my bedpost.
Philosophical masticating in the background, I maneuvered my way through lore & mythology that was not my own. The stories of critters & crawling friends were familiar to me & I was glad to see the comfort of tales that would not give me the answer I needed, neither did they present the characters with the road they should take.
The community of people who vanished, were murdered, & died as a consequence of their addictions or their mental illnesses, clobbered the silly tale of ghosts & screaming corpses. I read most of this book at night, lying in bed listening to the wind whisper to me; each of these situations was more than the life they consumed.
Certain characters presented readers with good reason to pause & take inventory. Why did Jean-Luc eat the bones of the deceased? In some systems of belief, eating the flesh, bones, & meat of people whom one respects allows this person to consume their essence. When Jean-Luc explains that he dug up the graves of respected members of the community & people who were loving & kind, readers may reflect on the person that he is rather than the one he thinks he wants to be.
In wishing to be like the Tamahka (Tunica-Biloxi word for alligator) Jean-Luc emptied himself of his essence, becoming a shadowed sac some may refer to as a Wendigo. Therefore one may be left asking; Do the dreams we have require us to scalp divinity from top to bottom?
I appreciated the morose, gruellingly devastating approach that Medina took to introduce the deadly sin of desire, specifically, the longing to escape the body we are sewn to. Ernest murdered his mother because he could, because he was bored, & because inside he was probably a person who was clinically psychotic.
The flashbacks that the reader is given to remember Horace added a layer of sadness to this story that I did not expect to find. Odd, perhaps, for me to admit that I was not ready for sorrow when I read Horror as though I have never experienced fear in my life but, true it is, nonetheless. Indeed, reading about the potential that was striped from Horace by being a person who had a stutter, to being the child of a family that was on the receiving end of violence from another feuding family, sunk the stone deeper in my soles.
Readers will surely wander through the chapters of this book swiftly, & wonder at the ease they feel while reading such a story. In truth, the experiences of the characters are terrifying because they are not dedicated fabrications, intended for a freaky night of reading.
Indigenous Peoples experience the highest rate of suicide worldwide. Indigenous Peoples experience starkly high rates of addiction worldwide. It is no mystery why this is yet, in Noemi, readers may find comfort in their ignorance.
It is unacceptable to remain in the dark when people, who do not deserve to suffer Charon’s cold finger directing them to their seats on the splintered boat, continue to drown. Why then, do people revel in the shocked face of ghastly surprise meant only for birthday cakes & Christmas morning?
This is a story about the intergenerational burden of a community of people who have struggled to stay-face in a world that has repeatedly told them their demise would be a pleasure to witness. I return to what I said earlier, my frustrated notions of annoyance against Noemi & her structured ignorance. Perhaps you will think me a product of a life that has left little room for patience, forgiveness, or tenderness; you would be wrong, but only partly. In fact, I work tirelessly to ensure that the spaces in which I go reflect the song the crows have sung as we greet each other, & that I spill only soft wind into the rooms where doors have been previously closed. I am troubled by a reality I know well & I remain frustrated that humanity does not advocate for a space where what has been need not be any longer.
Whether an alligator swallowed Mrs. Shelby or whether her son murdered her in her home; whether Horace was mutilated by a Vampire or whether his friend carved out his heart so that he may never rest; whether Mae was consumed by a demon or whether she chocked on her own vomit; victims of crime, victims of exhaustion from fighting against a beast greater than the Meli Omahka or any of its other names; people suffer the fate that befalls them as they dangle on the edge of a cliff where, rather than sacred & safe, the rocks have been moulded into the dead-eyed faces of the perilous Nazgûl.
Ultimately, the beating that reverberates the ribs, pumping willpower to the brain, & steadying the river watcher, riddles a tale as old as time; Who can escape the self? Readers will be met with causes worthy of their care with optimism that the alligator, the woodpecker, the armadillo, & the coyote will act as guides to them whereas in life they persist in ignoring the very people for whom these animals are kin. Troubling as the ghost may appear, his reflection is often more coyly our own than we care to admit.
For readers who have wandered the land in tune with the formidable looming cloud, this story will wriggle into the tendinous ring, like the fantom of despair made into the giggling forest’s safe-heaven for the Alligatoridae who seek to return to the underworld where their smooth underbelly guard the stones of souls long since laid to rest.
Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, & Nick Medina for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2024
Had all the components that should make this a great read, and I love learning more about the Native Indians, but I found myself bored and often lost most of the time - lost because I would forget what I was reading out of boredom.
April 22, 2024
This was an interesting book. I’m not sure exactly what category to put it in. It has elements of horror, but I’m not sure it could really be called a horror novel. This one took me significantly longer than normal to read and I think it was because of the awkward pacing. The book starts in the present tense with Noemi getting a visit from her estranged Uncle Louie and then finding out her boyfriend was dead apparently by suicide. The other perspective is Louie’s but it is in the past when he was a teenager and there was a lot of mysterious happenings around the reservation. It’s clear there is a purpose to Louie telling the story of that particular summer, but it was more than just a slow burn. I had a hard time getting into that timeline’s story, and it was the bulk of the book. I did like the story once I got done with it, but it took me pushing a bit to finish it. Overall I gave this one 3.5 stars rounded up because I did like the cultural stories woven in.
April 28, 2024
Indian Burial Ground is Nick Medina’s second novel and I will make a point of seeking out his first. This story takes place on the reservation in two time periods, the mid 1980s and the present day. We first meet Noemi in the present day, on what may be the worst night of her life. She’s planning to meet her boyfriend when she learns he is dead, a possible suicide. From this unsettling beginning, we are introduced to a family and community who have struggled over the years. Other major characters include Noemi’s mother, Lula, her uncle, Louie, and their mother, Ma, a barely functioning alcoholic.
It is through Louie’s teenage stories in the 1980s that we are introduced to much of the Indian folklore and origin myths that permeate this novel. These become important as Louie learns of the necessity of life and community being in balance. When balance of good and evil is lost, bad or evil can take power until balance is restored. And that imbalance can allow all sorts of havoc in life, including some horrific events. And there are some unnatural and unexpected events that occur here as life does become unbalanced during Louie’s teenage years, when Lula is a young mother of Noemi.
Themes related to both real world social issues and cultural heritage make this a strong and interesting story. And it’s well written as well as compelling.
Recommended reading.
Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for an eARC of this book. This review is my own.
It is through Louie’s teenage stories in the 1980s that we are introduced to much of the Indian folklore and origin myths that permeate this novel. These become important as Louie learns of the necessity of life and community being in balance. When balance of good and evil is lost, bad or evil can take power until balance is restored. And that imbalance can allow all sorts of havoc in life, including some horrific events. And there are some unnatural and unexpected events that occur here as life does become unbalanced during Louie’s teenage years, when Lula is a young mother of Noemi.
Themes related to both real world social issues and cultural heritage make this a strong and interesting story. And it’s well written as well as compelling.
Recommended reading.
Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for an eARC of this book. This review is my own.
August 22, 2025
Life is balance. Light and dark. Good and evil. When both sides are equal, life is good, but when evil outweighs good, bad things happen.
Bad things are happening on the Louisiana reservation where Noemi Broussard lives. Her Uncle Louie is visiting in town for a pow wow, a visit that she is looking forward to as he has been away for nearly a decade, but on the night he arrives, she receives a phone call. Her boyfriend was killed in a hit-and-run, and the police suspect that it was suicide.
For Louie, the tragedy brings back memories that he thought he repressed from decades ago, when he was a teenager. Life was out of balance then, too, and several people died as a result. To this day, there have been things about that time in his life that he has never confronted or dealt with. Tonight, he and his niece will be forced to confront them.
Nick Medina's novel "Indian Burial Ground" is a suspenseful supernatural thriller that invokes Native American folklore and legends while also powerfully dealing with the uncomfortable and tragic statistics of high rates of alcoholism/drug abuse and suicide on Native American reservations.
Flashing back and forth in time, Medina's novel tells a timeless and universal story of the importance of family and forgiveness.
Bad things are happening on the Louisiana reservation where Noemi Broussard lives. Her Uncle Louie is visiting in town for a pow wow, a visit that she is looking forward to as he has been away for nearly a decade, but on the night he arrives, she receives a phone call. Her boyfriend was killed in a hit-and-run, and the police suspect that it was suicide.
For Louie, the tragedy brings back memories that he thought he repressed from decades ago, when he was a teenager. Life was out of balance then, too, and several people died as a result. To this day, there have been things about that time in his life that he has never confronted or dealt with. Tonight, he and his niece will be forced to confront them.
Nick Medina's novel "Indian Burial Ground" is a suspenseful supernatural thriller that invokes Native American folklore and legends while also powerfully dealing with the uncomfortable and tragic statistics of high rates of alcoholism/drug abuse and suicide on Native American reservations.
Flashing back and forth in time, Medina's novel tells a timeless and universal story of the importance of family and forgiveness.
June 27, 2024
DNF around 38%
I wasn't sure I wanted to read Indian Burial Ground but since I have had Nick Medina on my TBR since his debut and saw lots of great things on Booksta, I decided to give it a shot. I don't know if it was the audiobook or what, but I found this incredibly hard to follow and very confusing. I preferred Noemi's viewpoint over Louie's, but as far as I listened, his viewpoint unfortunately took over most of it. I didn't get far enough to see how they connected either.
I also was not a fan of the audiobook, though I did enjoy Erin Tripp as the narrator for Noemi. Gary Farmer's narration was where I struggled since he narrated Louie, and I was not a fan of him at all. He sounded like he was putting periods in between almost every single word and his inflections were almost totally off. I will probably try this book again at some other point and read it instead, but for now, it is sadly a DNF. 😔
I wasn't sure I wanted to read Indian Burial Ground but since I have had Nick Medina on my TBR since his debut and saw lots of great things on Booksta, I decided to give it a shot. I don't know if it was the audiobook or what, but I found this incredibly hard to follow and very confusing. I preferred Noemi's viewpoint over Louie's, but as far as I listened, his viewpoint unfortunately took over most of it. I didn't get far enough to see how they connected either.
I also was not a fan of the audiobook, though I did enjoy Erin Tripp as the narrator for Noemi. Gary Farmer's narration was where I struggled since he narrated Louie, and I was not a fan of him at all. He sounded like he was putting periods in between almost every single word and his inflections were almost totally off. I will probably try this book again at some other point and read it instead, but for now, it is sadly a DNF. 😔
August 27, 2025
A Night Worms book!!
-started with the audiobook on Libby-switched to physical (the male narrator was dry/monotone)
-intergenerational trauma
-reclaims the “Indian burial ground” trope through authentic Indigenous voices and myth (like the movie Poltergeist)
-complex and sometimes uneven story
-genre-blend of mystery & horror (mostly mystery/triller)
-supernatural horror balanced with Takoda reservation life & social commentary
-Dual POVs & timelines Naomi/Louie and timeline jumps (it's a little confusing) ultimately, I wish Medina would have chosen Louie's POV. Naomi's wasn't needed and is a distraction
-maybe too many ideas in one book?
--Alligator mythology
--Vampire lore? A murder mystery where the body was drained of blood
--desecration of graves
-pacing issues/not in a good slow-burn style but just some serious lulls
-Negative body image stereotype (the character always depicted eating or asking for food)
-mental health and suicide as they relate to Indigenous communities.
-started with the audiobook on Libby-switched to physical (the male narrator was dry/monotone)
-intergenerational trauma
-reclaims the “Indian burial ground” trope through authentic Indigenous voices and myth (like the movie Poltergeist)
-complex and sometimes uneven story
-genre-blend of mystery & horror (mostly mystery/triller)
-supernatural horror balanced with Takoda reservation life & social commentary
-Dual POVs & timelines Naomi/Louie and timeline jumps (it's a little confusing) ultimately, I wish Medina would have chosen Louie's POV. Naomi's wasn't needed and is a distraction
-maybe too many ideas in one book?
--Alligator mythology
--Vampire lore? A murder mystery where the body was drained of blood
--desecration of graves
-pacing issues/not in a good slow-burn style but just some serious lulls
-Negative body image stereotype (the character always depicted eating or asking for food)
-mental health and suicide as they relate to Indigenous communities.
June 25, 2024
I really wanted to love this book! The gorgeous cover, the summary of the plot, all of it drew me in giving me Pet Sematary vibes, of sorts. Overall, this was a slow-burn, coming-of-age Indigenous mystery with elements of horror. With shifting timelines (unlabeled as such in the printed book), as well as multiple perspectives, I had a surprisingly rough time gaining traction in this one, despite its' languid pacing. At the point I comprehended the shifts in time and individualized the characters, I just wasn't as invested and was just ready for it to be over. I felt that this book could have been significantly shorter and still communicated its' point, while also keeping me intrigued.
There were several triggering and reoccurring themes throughout, such as self-harm, addiction, mental health issues, harm to animals and of course, violence. All that being said, the prose was undoubtedly above-average, and if it had been condensed the overall storyline would have garnered a much higher rating, so I'm sure I'm going to be in the minority in this opinion, and many will really enjoy this book. I feel like if you are a Stephen Graham Jones enthusiast, then this might very well be right up your alley, and would definitely recommend it!
There were several triggering and reoccurring themes throughout, such as self-harm, addiction, mental health issues, harm to animals and of course, violence. All that being said, the prose was undoubtedly above-average, and if it had been condensed the overall storyline would have garnered a much higher rating, so I'm sure I'm going to be in the minority in this opinion, and many will really enjoy this book. I feel like if you are a Stephen Graham Jones enthusiast, then this might very well be right up your alley, and would definitely recommend it!
November 9, 2025
INDIAN BURIAL GROUND [2024] By Nick Medina
My Review 3.5 Stars Rounded to 4.0 Stars
Indian Burial Ground [2024] by Nick Medina is a novel chosen by our horror book club (Splatterpunk) to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. This 382-page novel was nominated in Goodreads Choice Awards Favorite Horror (2024) . In addition, it was an Amazon Editor’s Pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense .
Some readers enjoy knowing a writer’s inspiration for a story. Medina was interviewed by The Nerd Daily and discussed several inspirations for the story. He told the interviewer about an article from 2012 which reported that a toddler allegedly sat up in his coffin and spoke, and that story ultimately became Indian Burial Ground . Additionally, which was not surprising, Medina was inspired by the statistics on alcoholism and suicide in the Native American communities.
This narrative is unraveled using two first person narrators (or “two person POV”) with each person occupying two different timelines. Switching back and forth between the past and present requires attentiveness on the part of a reader. But it requires considerably more than just being attentive to keep pace with the female narrator Noemi speaking in present day when the very next chapter you are whisked away in a time machine and travel backwards to 1986 when the male narrator Louie is 16-years old. It is my opinion that being mentally yanked back and forth between the past and the present rendered it difficult to focus on and retain pertinent information from both timelines. That is the proximal cause of the amount of time it required to read this novel.
Louie's exploits as a teenager are interesting and not solely due to the Native American Heritage in the pages dedicated to the past. There are phenomena that cannot be easily explained, creepy if not downright scary occurrences that involve the dead, and Louie's tenacious beliefs in vampires and evil spirits.
In present day Noemi is grown and has wasted her life and her potential. The tale begins with the mysterious death of her current lover who was her second chance in life. Louie, older and mature returns to the reservation in present day after an absence of twelve years. In present tense Noemi is nerve wracking about the circumstances of Roddy's tragic death. Louie in present day intimated that there may be a connection between Roddy's death and an event in the past when he was a teenager. A coyote was seen next to Roddy’s twisted body with blood around its mouth.
The chapters dedicated to the 16-year-old Louie are far more interesting with a questionable vampire, and all the family heartache alcohol can buy. I enjoyed learning the answers to the numerous strange occurrences in 1986 when Louie was but a teenager. These puzzling and chilling events included suicides, murders, grave robbing, missing persons, and much more. I absolutely loved all of the well written descriptions of the origin stories and the details of the colorful customs and native folklore. The plot twist at the end was a complete surprise.
It would be accurate to say that the majority of the action took place in the past when Louie was becoming a man. The horror elements in the novel also transpired in the past with the stronger "meatier" chapters seen through the eyes and experiences of Louie.
The present with Naomi’s POV principally dealt with mental health issues, notably suicidal ideation. There were no obvious links to Louie’s past experiences, no horror elements, and seemed superfluous to the book.
Finally, there is an intriguing tale here, a fascinating multi-faceted one. The presentation was simply lacking. It was also a stretch to tout the book as a thriller and designate it as a horror novel. That said I did absolutely love its paranormal aspects.
I appreciate Cole's nomination of Nick Medina's widely praised book for our club to participate in celebrating Native American Heritage Month.
I rated the book 3.5 Stars but rounded it to 4.0 Stars because of Goodreads rating system.
My Review 3.5 Stars Rounded to 4.0 Stars
Indian Burial Ground [2024] by Nick Medina is a novel chosen by our horror book club (Splatterpunk) to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. This 382-page novel was nominated in Goodreads Choice Awards Favorite Horror (2024) . In addition, it was an Amazon Editor’s Pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense .
"Indian Burial Ground is wonderfully creepy and relentlessly dark. Part adventure narrative, part supernatural horror story, and part eerie mystery, this novel slithers under your skin and makes you wish you knew less with every step it brings you closer to the truth. Nick Medina is waiting in the dark to whisper in your ear about dead things, about the tamahka, about blood and Native mythology. You should let him."
—Gabino Iglesias , author of The Devil Takes You Home
Some readers enjoy knowing a writer’s inspiration for a story. Medina was interviewed by The Nerd Daily and discussed several inspirations for the story. He told the interviewer about an article from 2012 which reported that a toddler allegedly sat up in his coffin and spoke, and that story ultimately became Indian Burial Ground . Additionally, which was not surprising, Medina was inspired by the statistics on alcoholism and suicide in the Native American communities.
This narrative is unraveled using two first person narrators (or “two person POV”) with each person occupying two different timelines. Switching back and forth between the past and present requires attentiveness on the part of a reader. But it requires considerably more than just being attentive to keep pace with the female narrator Noemi speaking in present day when the very next chapter you are whisked away in a time machine and travel backwards to 1986 when the male narrator Louie is 16-years old. It is my opinion that being mentally yanked back and forth between the past and the present rendered it difficult to focus on and retain pertinent information from both timelines. That is the proximal cause of the amount of time it required to read this novel.
Louie's exploits as a teenager are interesting and not solely due to the Native American Heritage in the pages dedicated to the past. There are phenomena that cannot be easily explained, creepy if not downright scary occurrences that involve the dead, and Louie's tenacious beliefs in vampires and evil spirits.
In present day Noemi is grown and has wasted her life and her potential. The tale begins with the mysterious death of her current lover who was her second chance in life. Louie, older and mature returns to the reservation in present day after an absence of twelve years. In present tense Noemi is nerve wracking about the circumstances of Roddy's tragic death. Louie in present day intimated that there may be a connection between Roddy's death and an event in the past when he was a teenager. A coyote was seen next to Roddy’s twisted body with blood around its mouth.
The chapters dedicated to the 16-year-old Louie are far more interesting with a questionable vampire, and all the family heartache alcohol can buy. I enjoyed learning the answers to the numerous strange occurrences in 1986 when Louie was but a teenager. These puzzling and chilling events included suicides, murders, grave robbing, missing persons, and much more. I absolutely loved all of the well written descriptions of the origin stories and the details of the colorful customs and native folklore. The plot twist at the end was a complete surprise.
It would be accurate to say that the majority of the action took place in the past when Louie was becoming a man. The horror elements in the novel also transpired in the past with the stronger "meatier" chapters seen through the eyes and experiences of Louie.
The present with Naomi’s POV principally dealt with mental health issues, notably suicidal ideation. There were no obvious links to Louie’s past experiences, no horror elements, and seemed superfluous to the book.
Finally, there is an intriguing tale here, a fascinating multi-faceted one. The presentation was simply lacking. It was also a stretch to tout the book as a thriller and designate it as a horror novel. That said I did absolutely love its paranormal aspects.
I appreciate Cole's nomination of Nick Medina's widely praised book for our club to participate in celebrating Native American Heritage Month.
I rated the book 3.5 Stars but rounded it to 4.0 Stars because of Goodreads rating system.
Well Written Literature About Native American Customs and Folklore
April 13, 2024
Indian Burial Ground is a genre bending mystery sprinkled with a mix of supernatural horror and thriller elements. The story is a bit on the slower paced side and is more character driven than plot. The book contains many underlying themes such as addiction, grief, family, and generational trauma.
I was a bit confused on the mythology in this one. Since the book is centered around a fictional tribe, I couldn’t help but wonder if the mythology was also made up by the author or is it the mythology belonging to a real tribe, maybe I missed something?
Overall I really enjoyed this one. This is my third read by the author and I look forward to seeing what he writes in the future.
I alternated between reading and listening to the audiobook. The audiobook was narrated by Gary Farmer (one of my favorites) and Erin Tripp.
Many thanks to Berkley Pub and NetGalley for the gifted e-arc! Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina will be available on April 16.
I was a bit confused on the mythology in this one. Since the book is centered around a fictional tribe, I couldn’t help but wonder if the mythology was also made up by the author or is it the mythology belonging to a real tribe, maybe I missed something?
Overall I really enjoyed this one. This is my third read by the author and I look forward to seeing what he writes in the future.
I alternated between reading and listening to the audiobook. The audiobook was narrated by Gary Farmer (one of my favorites) and Erin Tripp.
Many thanks to Berkley Pub and NetGalley for the gifted e-arc! Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina will be available on April 16.
April 16, 2024
INDIAN BURIAL GROUND by Author Nick Medina is a bone chilling, highly atmospheric acknowledgment of the stereotyping and plight of Indigenous people. A character driven story of generational drama that's rich in mythology and tribal lore, this story highlights social issues long suffered by marginalized people living on reservations including suicide, alcoholism, and violence. It's an honest, straight forward portrayal of a family in crisis as they confront the spirits and demons they thought buried.
Thirty-eight-year-old Noemi Brossard is optimistic about escaping the reservation for a better life when she receives devastating news that her prosperous, happy boyfriend committed suicide. She knows in her heart something's not right and begins probing into the circumstances surrounding his death. After being gone for decades, her Uncle Louie returns to the reservation around the same time. To help Noemi with her grief, he descends back down the dark, lethal rabbit hole of his past, sharing his time as a seventeen-year-old boy working to hold his family together as his mother succumbed to the lure of alcohol. Eventually, Louie ended up alone caring for a young Noemi while navigating an array of mysterious and horrific supernatural events occurring on tribal land. Among other things, strange occurrences are attributed to a sinister spirit targeting the tribe and some of these scenes are horror based, so be forewarned. Now, Noemi and Louie are facing some tough questions. Has Louie's return to the tribe angered the spirits causing them to lash out? Was Noemi's boyfriend's death suicide or is something more sinister happening? Despite the imperilment of unlocking demons and spirits best left to rest, Louie and Noemi begin rattling cages by digging into the past.
INDIAN BURIAL GROUND is a stunning, bloodcurdling blend of mystery and horror. I don't mind saying I'm a wimp when it comes to reading horror, but I found this story to be eerily hypnotic and haunting and was intrigued by the mysterious yet deadly aura engulfing the characters and story overall. Medini's expert weaving of mythical and cultural lore throughout enhances the story line while lending an authentic yet supernatural feel. The story unfolds through two timelines - the dark past through Louie and the present via Noemi. Both points of view come together to paint a heartbreaking picture of the generational impact of trauma and abuse on groups of Indigenous people. While the story is chilling with a menacing tone, an encouraging message of inner strength and hope manages to peek through.
Author Nick Medini has crafted a brutally honest, powerful story of the devastating effects of substance abuse on both the addicted and their loved ones in INDIAN BURIAL GROUND. His commitment and willingness to take a stand and offer a voice to marginalized people by exposing the stereotyping and challenges faced by life on a reservation is commendable. Medini's passion and desire to open the public's eyes and be a conduit for change is evident by the inclusion of his message at the end offering helpful avenues to Natives (and anyone else) seeking help for alcohol abuse and mental health issues. The author's enthusiasm and knowledge of Native lore and culture is clear as he flawlessly weaves supernatural myths and legends into this suspense laden, heartbreaking mystery/horror story. Highly recommended to fans of mystery, horror and stories featuring Indigenous people.
4.5 Stars
Special thanks to Berkley Publishing for an arc of this title and for the book tour invitation. All opinions expressed are my own. Review published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and is available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews.
Thirty-eight-year-old Noemi Brossard is optimistic about escaping the reservation for a better life when she receives devastating news that her prosperous, happy boyfriend committed suicide. She knows in her heart something's not right and begins probing into the circumstances surrounding his death. After being gone for decades, her Uncle Louie returns to the reservation around the same time. To help Noemi with her grief, he descends back down the dark, lethal rabbit hole of his past, sharing his time as a seventeen-year-old boy working to hold his family together as his mother succumbed to the lure of alcohol. Eventually, Louie ended up alone caring for a young Noemi while navigating an array of mysterious and horrific supernatural events occurring on tribal land. Among other things, strange occurrences are attributed to a sinister spirit targeting the tribe and some of these scenes are horror based, so be forewarned. Now, Noemi and Louie are facing some tough questions. Has Louie's return to the tribe angered the spirits causing them to lash out? Was Noemi's boyfriend's death suicide or is something more sinister happening? Despite the imperilment of unlocking demons and spirits best left to rest, Louie and Noemi begin rattling cages by digging into the past.
INDIAN BURIAL GROUND is a stunning, bloodcurdling blend of mystery and horror. I don't mind saying I'm a wimp when it comes to reading horror, but I found this story to be eerily hypnotic and haunting and was intrigued by the mysterious yet deadly aura engulfing the characters and story overall. Medini's expert weaving of mythical and cultural lore throughout enhances the story line while lending an authentic yet supernatural feel. The story unfolds through two timelines - the dark past through Louie and the present via Noemi. Both points of view come together to paint a heartbreaking picture of the generational impact of trauma and abuse on groups of Indigenous people. While the story is chilling with a menacing tone, an encouraging message of inner strength and hope manages to peek through.
Author Nick Medini has crafted a brutally honest, powerful story of the devastating effects of substance abuse on both the addicted and their loved ones in INDIAN BURIAL GROUND. His commitment and willingness to take a stand and offer a voice to marginalized people by exposing the stereotyping and challenges faced by life on a reservation is commendable. Medini's passion and desire to open the public's eyes and be a conduit for change is evident by the inclusion of his message at the end offering helpful avenues to Natives (and anyone else) seeking help for alcohol abuse and mental health issues. The author's enthusiasm and knowledge of Native lore and culture is clear as he flawlessly weaves supernatural myths and legends into this suspense laden, heartbreaking mystery/horror story. Highly recommended to fans of mystery, horror and stories featuring Indigenous people.
4.5 Stars
Special thanks to Berkley Publishing for an arc of this title and for the book tour invitation. All opinions expressed are my own. Review published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and is available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews.
March 11, 2025
“I scowled at the reflection bobbing by my feet and locked eyes with the monster that had overtaken me, it wanted me to cause pain, it wanted me to murder……soon it was I who stood stronger than the invading spirit, the alligator pieces created a bloody stew in the water…”
This was the first book that I have read by Nick Medina and it will not be my last.
This was the first book that I have read by Nick Medina and it will not be my last.
June 8, 2024
I really wish authors (or directors) didn't include fat or obese people in their art just so they can denigrate and demean them over and over. I'm not going to provide spoilers, but I will say what happened in this book clearly shows the author's opinions of fat or obese people.
April 7, 2024
Did Not Finish at 25 percent.
I really can't even summarize or recap this one. Sorry. I can honestly say that I started this way back at the end of last year and tried to get into it a few times and finally just pulled the plug. I was not enjoying it. The jumbled storytelling with the two characters in two different timelines/ages was doing my head in. I don’t know what is going on but I just hit, I don’t care enough to force read this anymore the other day and I still don't care enough to finish it.
The flow was really bad and it may have made better sense to have the earlier timeline first and we just stick with it, instead of jumping back and forth and trying to figure out the ages/timelines.
May 15, 2024
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2024/05/10/...
Indian Burial Ground is my first book by Nick Medina, but the world of horror fiction is no stranger to his works inspired by Native American history and steeped in folklore and mythology. After hearing amazing things about his debut novel Sisters of the Lost Nation, I just couldn’t pass up the chance to check this one out.
The story unfolds across two distinct timelines. In the present, Noemi Broussard is well on her way to a fresh start with a plan to move away from the reservation where she grew up, following in the footsteps of her uncle Louie who left years before. But just as everything seems to be working out, Noemi is hit with devastating news. Her boyfriend Roddy, with whom she was deeply in love, had apparently committed suicide. But it just didn’t make sense. They had been looking forward to spending their lives together, and Roddy was happy. Wasn’t he? Grief stricken, Noemi is convinced there is more to his death and returns to tribal lands to seek the truth.
After many years away, her uncle Louie has also returned to the reservation, but his reasons for coming back are rooted in the secrets of his past, which are revealed in the second timeline that takes place in the eighties. This thread follows Louie as an adolescent whose mother is struggling with alcoholism and whose aunt is a busy teen mom with a young daughter named Noemi, leaving him to take care of the little girl most days. From his experiences, we learn that sinister and unexplainable events have long been happening to the tribe, eventually resulting in an unsettled Louie leaving the reservation.
Dual timelines can be tricky, but in the right hands, a book employing this technique can be very powerful. In fact, I was initially skeptical that Indian Burial Ground could pull it off, with Noemi and Louie’s storylines tripping all over each other’s feet like awkward dance partners. Roddy’s suicide was an effective and immediate hook, and it was hard not to resent being thrown back into Louie’s past when I was much more interested in Noemi’s investigation in the present. Still, I was glad I stuck it out, because ultimately, it is Louie’s POV that impressed me and truly engaged.
Louie is a man haunted, not only by malignant forces targeting his tribe but also by those tearing his family apart—substance abuse, addiction, poverty—leaving him to hold everything together. Through the teenage Louie’s eyes, the author weaves the indigenous experience into the fabric of this story as his character grapples with demons both internal and external. Meanwhile, Noemi’s tale of heartbreak in the present day is no less poignant, for while her search for answers into Roddy’s death is lighter on the horror and urgency, reading more like a mystery, it still resonates. Through her POV, readers also get to witness the bond between uncle and niece, one forged through loss and hardship but also a shared determination to seek answers and solace.
I found too that I enjoyed Medina’s writing. Although I was mildly put off by the slow and uneven pacing at the start, the more I thought about it, the more this slow-burn approach made sense. Indian Burial Ground is about the characters—Noemi and Louie—and without taking the time explore each of them in depth, this novel would have quickly become overwhelming and disorienting. Despite a few hiccups from the complex narrative structure, in the end Medina managed to achieve a delicate balance in his exploration of the eternal struggle between good and evil.
Expect no easy answers. Indian Burial Ground is a haunting and unsettling work of horror that defies easy categorization, yet its magnetic quality is sure to draw readers into its depths to keep you turning the pages.
Indian Burial Ground is my first book by Nick Medina, but the world of horror fiction is no stranger to his works inspired by Native American history and steeped in folklore and mythology. After hearing amazing things about his debut novel Sisters of the Lost Nation, I just couldn’t pass up the chance to check this one out.
The story unfolds across two distinct timelines. In the present, Noemi Broussard is well on her way to a fresh start with a plan to move away from the reservation where she grew up, following in the footsteps of her uncle Louie who left years before. But just as everything seems to be working out, Noemi is hit with devastating news. Her boyfriend Roddy, with whom she was deeply in love, had apparently committed suicide. But it just didn’t make sense. They had been looking forward to spending their lives together, and Roddy was happy. Wasn’t he? Grief stricken, Noemi is convinced there is more to his death and returns to tribal lands to seek the truth.
After many years away, her uncle Louie has also returned to the reservation, but his reasons for coming back are rooted in the secrets of his past, which are revealed in the second timeline that takes place in the eighties. This thread follows Louie as an adolescent whose mother is struggling with alcoholism and whose aunt is a busy teen mom with a young daughter named Noemi, leaving him to take care of the little girl most days. From his experiences, we learn that sinister and unexplainable events have long been happening to the tribe, eventually resulting in an unsettled Louie leaving the reservation.
Dual timelines can be tricky, but in the right hands, a book employing this technique can be very powerful. In fact, I was initially skeptical that Indian Burial Ground could pull it off, with Noemi and Louie’s storylines tripping all over each other’s feet like awkward dance partners. Roddy’s suicide was an effective and immediate hook, and it was hard not to resent being thrown back into Louie’s past when I was much more interested in Noemi’s investigation in the present. Still, I was glad I stuck it out, because ultimately, it is Louie’s POV that impressed me and truly engaged.
Louie is a man haunted, not only by malignant forces targeting his tribe but also by those tearing his family apart—substance abuse, addiction, poverty—leaving him to hold everything together. Through the teenage Louie’s eyes, the author weaves the indigenous experience into the fabric of this story as his character grapples with demons both internal and external. Meanwhile, Noemi’s tale of heartbreak in the present day is no less poignant, for while her search for answers into Roddy’s death is lighter on the horror and urgency, reading more like a mystery, it still resonates. Through her POV, readers also get to witness the bond between uncle and niece, one forged through loss and hardship but also a shared determination to seek answers and solace.
I found too that I enjoyed Medina’s writing. Although I was mildly put off by the slow and uneven pacing at the start, the more I thought about it, the more this slow-burn approach made sense. Indian Burial Ground is about the characters—Noemi and Louie—and without taking the time explore each of them in depth, this novel would have quickly become overwhelming and disorienting. Despite a few hiccups from the complex narrative structure, in the end Medina managed to achieve a delicate balance in his exploration of the eternal struggle between good and evil.
Expect no easy answers. Indian Burial Ground is a haunting and unsettling work of horror that defies easy categorization, yet its magnetic quality is sure to draw readers into its depths to keep you turning the pages.
July 21, 2024
On the heels of Medina's hugely popular Sisters of the Lost Nation, this 2nd novel in the series can be read as a follow up or as a stand-alone story. Both are set in the same fictional reservation of the "Takoda" tribe that was featured in Book 1 and there are crossover characters. In this book, Medina speaks from two points of view, and swings between past and present, weaving a tapestry of myth and lore and horror and tragedy. It's a sad song of the Takoda people and the ravages that have occurred to their culture and families and social structures. But it's also a song of hope and resilience.
What makes Medina's work stand above the usual horror books is his psychological wisdom and ability to put his insight on to the page: "Some people--the lucky ones--can fulfill their needs themselves. Others require a little help." "We come into this world crying, and though the tears dry up from time to time, there's no such thing as a forever drought."
And perhaps this could be the theme of this novel and the wider world: "Evil never really goes away. It just searches for its next opportunity to spread and posses and steal all our light. It relocates."
Medina will continue to ferret out those evil corners and provide us with an important glimpse into the Native world and the worlds of our own making.
What makes Medina's work stand above the usual horror books is his psychological wisdom and ability to put his insight on to the page: "Some people--the lucky ones--can fulfill their needs themselves. Others require a little help." "We come into this world crying, and though the tears dry up from time to time, there's no such thing as a forever drought."
And perhaps this could be the theme of this novel and the wider world: "Evil never really goes away. It just searches for its next opportunity to spread and posses and steal all our light. It relocates."
Medina will continue to ferret out those evil corners and provide us with an important glimpse into the Native world and the worlds of our own making.
April 15, 2024
Indian Burial Ground is a dual timeline family horror set on a reservation. We follow Noemi in present day, her boyfriend just died and it has been rumoured to be a suicide. In the second timeline we follow Noemi's uncle, Louie, back in the 8os during a horrifying summer.
I really enjoyed this. It was very slow paced and character driven, with main themes surrounding mental health and alcoholism. The pacing, topics, and character focus reminds me a lot of Bad Cree.
The chapters were short which made it really easy to pick up often and never feel lost. There were so many creepy eerie moments and scenes that will stick with me for a long time, and the characters were endlessly memorable.
My only complaints are:
1 - I really preferred Louis' timeline/POV much more than Noemi's. This is just personal preference, but I honestly wish this was just all Louis' POV, a lot of Noemi's chapters felt like filler.
2 -
Overall I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to seeing what else Nick Medina comes out with in the future!
*Thank you to Berkley and netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review*
I really enjoyed this. It was very slow paced and character driven, with main themes surrounding mental health and alcoholism. The pacing, topics, and character focus reminds me a lot of Bad Cree.
The chapters were short which made it really easy to pick up often and never feel lost. There were so many creepy eerie moments and scenes that will stick with me for a long time, and the characters were endlessly memorable.
My only complaints are:
1 - I really preferred Louis' timeline/POV much more than Noemi's. This is just personal preference, but I honestly wish this was just all Louis' POV, a lot of Noemi's chapters felt like filler.
2 -
Overall I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to seeing what else Nick Medina comes out with in the future!
*Thank you to Berkley and netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review*
February 29, 2024
Review in the March 1, 2024 issue of Booklist and on the blog https://raforall.blogspot.com/2024/02... (link live 3/1/24)
Notes: A great choice for fans of Mystery-Horror hybrids which offer a compelling, character focused story that entertains without shying away from providing a direct and honest portrayal of the generational trauma experienced by marginalized people such as White Horse by Wurth or Children of Chicago by Pelayo.
Three Words That Describe This Book: dual time frames, generational trauma, takes stereotypes head on
Medina provides context and help at the end of the novel for those struggling with alcohol or suicidal thoughts, especially in his Native community.
He takes a clear stand and includes a nuanced portrayal of the issues in the book as part of the story. It adds context to the characters and setting and honestly makes the entire story more compelling.
I moderated a panel with Medina for a LJ event last Dec and during it I noted how I love how his books directly take stereotypes of Native communities head on, he acknowledges they exists and have a reason, but also flips them to add context and take control back. I love this about his writing. And the fact that it is just part of the story, but you can see that he is doing this upon reflection is why he is such a great option for a wide audience.
More in 4-6 weeks when the review publishes.
Notes: A great choice for fans of Mystery-Horror hybrids which offer a compelling, character focused story that entertains without shying away from providing a direct and honest portrayal of the generational trauma experienced by marginalized people such as White Horse by Wurth or Children of Chicago by Pelayo.
Three Words That Describe This Book: dual time frames, generational trauma, takes stereotypes head on
Medina provides context and help at the end of the novel for those struggling with alcohol or suicidal thoughts, especially in his Native community.
He takes a clear stand and includes a nuanced portrayal of the issues in the book as part of the story. It adds context to the characters and setting and honestly makes the entire story more compelling.
I moderated a panel with Medina for a LJ event last Dec and during it I noted how I love how his books directly take stereotypes of Native communities head on, he acknowledges they exists and have a reason, but also flips them to add context and take control back. I love this about his writing. And the fact that it is just part of the story, but you can see that he is doing this upon reflection is why he is such a great option for a wide audience.
More in 4-6 weeks when the review publishes.
May 16, 2024
This is the second work of Medina’s that I have read and, unfortunately, my complaints for this novel are similar to those of Sisters of the Lost Nation. Medina writes wonderfully layered and authentic MC’s but struggles with pacing in his stories. In this story specifically, the action was there and then it wasn’t—followed by long periods of mundanity where I felt disengaged and wanted to rush through due to boredom. I was hooked at the start but by the time I got about a third of the way through, I found myself glancing at the stack of pages still ahead of me and wondered how the story could possibly go on for so long.
The novel focuses on two main timelines/ main characters: Noemi and Louie, though most of the story unfolds in Louie’s timeline. Both are tragic and sad—there’s no getting around that—but beautiful. As is typical of Medina’s stories, there was plenty of Native American mythology and folklore weaved in and I enjoyed reading about it.
Overall, it was an intriguing premise with a bit of a convoluted ending that I feel could have been executed better but I enjoyed it enough and would recommend readers pick it up and see for themselves.
The novel focuses on two main timelines/ main characters: Noemi and Louie, though most of the story unfolds in Louie’s timeline. Both are tragic and sad—there’s no getting around that—but beautiful. As is typical of Medina’s stories, there was plenty of Native American mythology and folklore weaved in and I enjoyed reading about it.
Overall, it was an intriguing premise with a bit of a convoluted ending that I feel could have been executed better but I enjoyed it enough and would recommend readers pick it up and see for themselves.
April 16, 2024
"Some nightmares transform you. Some become a part of you. Some do both."
Merging indigenous horror with a bittersweet coming of age story, Indian Burial Ground takes readers to the bayou of Louisiana, to the reservation the Broussard family has lived on for generations. After years of feeling stagnant in her life, 38-year-old Noemi Broussard is finally excited about her future with her loving boyfriend, Roddy. When Roddy dies in an apparent suicide, in a particularly violent and shocking manner, Noemi can’t accept the facts of his death and becomes convinced something more menacing is at play. The key to discovering what really happened to Roddy may lie with Noemi’s Uncle Louie, who has recently returned to tribal lands after more than a decade away, and who experienced something on the reservation as a teenager in 1986 that still haunts him.
The novel unfolds on two timelines, with the mystery of Roddy’s death driving the present-day narrative, but Indian Burial Ground is mostly Louie’s story in 1986, a tale that is just as heartbreaking as it is horrifying. Nick Medina is a skillful storyteller, weaving a slow-burning story about legend and myth, addiction, family drama, mental health issues, and generational/inherited trauma. Medina doesn’t shy away from the hard things, and I don’t just mean the scary stuff: He addresses the complexities of indigenous life, particularly on a reservation, head-on. The horror elements are incredibly unsettling, relayed in Medina’s hypnotic, vivid prose, but he also offers a sensitive portrayal of a complicated family, weighted down by their circumstances but not without hope. This is a book about navigating grief, about growing up and growing away from people we thought would be in our lives forever, about the fierce, protective, forgiving love that bonds a family. And it’s also a book about mythological horrors and evil lurking in the places you least expect. The way Medina balances all of this in the narrative is so creative, nuanced, and compelling.
Indian Burial Ground is a deeply-felt character study, a horror novel, and a complex examination of indigenous life all in one. I can’t wait to go back and read Sisters of the Lost Nation, and I’ll definitely be looking forward to Medina’s future works too. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for the early reading opportunity.
April 11, 2024
After reading Sisters of A Lost Nation, Medina became an auto buy author for me. When I saw Indian Burial Ground, I knew I needed to read it ASAP. Told between two timelines (past and 80s) and two POVs (Louie and Noemi), we get a mythical tale of mystery and family living with addiction, poverty and some underlying evil.
I love when stories have a mystery and weave past and present to give you the final answer to the question. The way Medina writes, you fall in love with the characters right away. I felt so much for Louie. He was so brave even though his childhood was far from perfect. The folklore interwoven through the fabric of the story was beautiful and aided to the overall message of it. Thought provoking and filled with dread, I did not see the ending coming and BAM! It was SO perfect.
If you are looking for real life monsters with a bit of lore pick this up. Medina will continue to be an autobuy author for me. As with Sisters of A Lost Nation, read the Afterword. He provides such great information/insight to the background of his stories.
I love when stories have a mystery and weave past and present to give you the final answer to the question. The way Medina writes, you fall in love with the characters right away. I felt so much for Louie. He was so brave even though his childhood was far from perfect. The folklore interwoven through the fabric of the story was beautiful and aided to the overall message of it. Thought provoking and filled with dread, I did not see the ending coming and BAM! It was SO perfect.
If you are looking for real life monsters with a bit of lore pick this up. Medina will continue to be an autobuy author for me. As with Sisters of A Lost Nation, read the Afterword. He provides such great information/insight to the background of his stories.
July 8, 2024
Indian Burial Ground is told through two timelines, Louie and Noemi as a mysterious curse plagues their community.
Overall the two timelines did not connect well and Noemi’s story was much less entertaining than Louie’s. Louie’s was well paced and the characters more developed, and the story more complete with an arc. However, I felt that the interruptions from Noemi’s timeline kept stopping the progression of Louie’s story just as it was getting good.
I think this could have been a better book if Noemi’s was more fleshed out and if she really had to battle something similar to Louie. Because of this I felt the ending was very anticlimactic.
Overall the two timelines did not connect well and Noemi’s story was much less entertaining than Louie’s. Louie’s was well paced and the characters more developed, and the story more complete with an arc. However, I felt that the interruptions from Noemi’s timeline kept stopping the progression of Louie’s story just as it was getting good.
I think this could have been a better book if Noemi’s was more fleshed out and if she really had to battle something similar to Louie. Because of this I felt the ending was very anticlimactic.
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