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Gichigami
One December evening, when 13-year-old Marta crosses the frozen Lake Superior and reaches the home she shares with her father, she finds a woman standing at their door. As Marta approaches, she realizes the woman, who looks like a tropical bird caught in the snow, is her mother who’d abruptly left them six years before. Marta hopes this is a turning point, that her mother will stay this time—despite hating this town, this island, and their creaky, towering Victorian house. But not everyone in town is thrilled with her mother’s arrival, least of all her dad.
Almost as soon as she arrives, however, Marta’s mother abruptly vanishes again, nowhere to be found, leaving Marta with more questions than answers. Her father denies her mother was ever there and Marta is left with the mystery of her mother’s homecoming. She begins to wonder if he is lying, or if there is a deeper secret being kept from her by the entire tight-knit community. As Marta delves into her mother's sudden reappearance and subsequent disappearance, she seeks answers, visiting places that were significant to her mother and questioning people she knew. Desperate for answers that will shed light on the mystery, this quest leads her to uncover a web of secrets that threaten to unravel everything she thought she knew about her family and herself.
Gichigami is an eerie coming-of-age novel, weaving between Marta and the person desperately trying to keep Marta and her mother apart. This poignant exploration of the lives of women and girls of the Midwest shines a light on the struggles of absent mothers, runaway daughters, and those who yearn for more than life has offered them. With rich prose and vivid imagery, Lindsey Steffes spins a tale of loss, longing, and betrayal set against the backdrop of the harsh yet beautiful landscape of Lake Superior.
Almost as soon as she arrives, however, Marta’s mother abruptly vanishes again, nowhere to be found, leaving Marta with more questions than answers. Her father denies her mother was ever there and Marta is left with the mystery of her mother’s homecoming. She begins to wonder if he is lying, or if there is a deeper secret being kept from her by the entire tight-knit community. As Marta delves into her mother's sudden reappearance and subsequent disappearance, she seeks answers, visiting places that were significant to her mother and questioning people she knew. Desperate for answers that will shed light on the mystery, this quest leads her to uncover a web of secrets that threaten to unravel everything she thought she knew about her family and herself.
Gichigami is an eerie coming-of-age novel, weaving between Marta and the person desperately trying to keep Marta and her mother apart. This poignant exploration of the lives of women and girls of the Midwest shines a light on the struggles of absent mothers, runaway daughters, and those who yearn for more than life has offered them. With rich prose and vivid imagery, Lindsey Steffes spins a tale of loss, longing, and betrayal set against the backdrop of the harsh yet beautiful landscape of Lake Superior.
182 pages, Paperback
Published March 4, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 5, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the free copy!
I love a coming-of-age story, and Gichigami was no different! Marta is a 13 year old girl who is struggling to accept the absence of her mother, alongside dealing with a father who is distant.
This was great, and I finished it in under 12 hours. Marta felt so raw and real to me, she really portrayed being a troubled teenager brilliantly. Because of this, I do wish the whole story was told from her perspective, instead of some being told from Sylvia’s POV.
Gichigami loses 1 star because there were some unanswered questions for me. Perhaps this was the intention of the author, Lindsey Steffes , but it unfortunately left me as a reader feeling quite disappointed. For example, Marta’s father allures to the idea that Sylvia is the reason Marta’s mother disappeared, but then never explored this more?
Overall, a fantastic little read and I would definitely recommend!
I love a coming-of-age story, and Gichigami was no different! Marta is a 13 year old girl who is struggling to accept the absence of her mother, alongside dealing with a father who is distant.
This was great, and I finished it in under 12 hours. Marta felt so raw and real to me, she really portrayed being a troubled teenager brilliantly. Because of this, I do wish the whole story was told from her perspective, instead of some being told from Sylvia’s POV.
Gichigami loses 1 star because there were some unanswered questions for me. Perhaps this was the intention of the author, Lindsey Steffes , but it unfortunately left me as a reader feeling quite disappointed. For example, Marta’s father allures to the idea that Sylvia is the reason Marta’s mother disappeared, but then never explored this more?
Overall, a fantastic little read and I would definitely recommend!
April 7, 2025
I was eager to read Gichigami because I understand winter on Lake Superior very well since I grew up in Duluth. I sat on the beach on the Gulf Coast, remembering my childhood as I read. The setting for the book, Gichigami, was marvelous, the plot, however, not so much.
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January 2, 2025Lindsey Steffes ’12
Author
From the author:
One December evening, when 13-year-old Marta crosses the frozen Lake Superior and reaches the home she shares with her father, she finds a woman standing at their door. As Marta approaches, she realizes the woman, who looks like a tropical bird caught in the snow, is her mother who’d abruptly left them six years before. Marta hopes this is a turning point, that her mother will stay this time—despite hating this town, this island, and their creaky, towering Victorian house. But not everyone in town is thrilled with her mother’s arrival, least of all her dad.
Almost as soon as she arrives, however, Marta’s mother abruptly vanishes again, nowhere to be found, leaving Marta with more questions than answers. Her father denies her mother was ever there, and Marta is left with the mystery of her mother’s homecoming. She begins to wonder if he is lying, or if there is a deeper secret being kept from her by the entire tight-knit community. As Marta delves into her mother's sudden reappearance and subsequent disappearance, she seeks answers, visiting places that were significant to her mother and questioning people she knew. Desperate for answers that will shed light on the mystery, Marta's quest leads her to uncover a web of secrets that threatens to unravel everything she thought she knew about her family and herself.
Gichigami is an eerie coming-of-age novel, weaving between Marta and the person desperately trying to keep Marta and her mother apart. This poignant exploration of the lives of women and girls of the Midwest shines a light on the struggles of absent mothers, runaway daughters, and those who yearn for more than life has offered them. With rich prose and vivid imagery, Lindsey Steffes spins a tale of loss, longing, and betrayal set against the backdrop of the harsh yet beautiful landscape of Lake Superior.
Author
From the author:
One December evening, when 13-year-old Marta crosses the frozen Lake Superior and reaches the home she shares with her father, she finds a woman standing at their door. As Marta approaches, she realizes the woman, who looks like a tropical bird caught in the snow, is her mother who’d abruptly left them six years before. Marta hopes this is a turning point, that her mother will stay this time—despite hating this town, this island, and their creaky, towering Victorian house. But not everyone in town is thrilled with her mother’s arrival, least of all her dad.
Almost as soon as she arrives, however, Marta’s mother abruptly vanishes again, nowhere to be found, leaving Marta with more questions than answers. Her father denies her mother was ever there, and Marta is left with the mystery of her mother’s homecoming. She begins to wonder if he is lying, or if there is a deeper secret being kept from her by the entire tight-knit community. As Marta delves into her mother's sudden reappearance and subsequent disappearance, she seeks answers, visiting places that were significant to her mother and questioning people she knew. Desperate for answers that will shed light on the mystery, Marta's quest leads her to uncover a web of secrets that threatens to unravel everything she thought she knew about her family and herself.
Gichigami is an eerie coming-of-age novel, weaving between Marta and the person desperately trying to keep Marta and her mother apart. This poignant exploration of the lives of women and girls of the Midwest shines a light on the struggles of absent mothers, runaway daughters, and those who yearn for more than life has offered them. With rich prose and vivid imagery, Lindsey Steffes spins a tale of loss, longing, and betrayal set against the backdrop of the harsh yet beautiful landscape of Lake Superior.
January 17, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley for this free ARC. All views and opinions in this review are my own.
This book was a coming-of-age tale of Marta, a 13 year old trying to deal with the aftermath of her mother’s unexpected departure, and her fraught relationship with her father, her struggles in making friends and her dislike of her mother’s best friend.
I thought the author did a great job writing the point of view of a teenager, with all the accompanying angst and complicated feelings that come with growing up and trying to deal with a dysfunctional family. The focus on the tight-knit small town community and islands surrounding Lake Superior also highlighted the feeling of bleakness and isolation that one gets while reading the story.
I just wished the characters were written a little better so that I could feel more invested in the outcome of their stories, but perhaps the author intended to keep things up to the reader to interpret on their own.
This book was a coming-of-age tale of Marta, a 13 year old trying to deal with the aftermath of her mother’s unexpected departure, and her fraught relationship with her father, her struggles in making friends and her dislike of her mother’s best friend.
I thought the author did a great job writing the point of view of a teenager, with all the accompanying angst and complicated feelings that come with growing up and trying to deal with a dysfunctional family. The focus on the tight-knit small town community and islands surrounding Lake Superior also highlighted the feeling of bleakness and isolation that one gets while reading the story.
I just wished the characters were written a little better so that I could feel more invested in the outcome of their stories, but perhaps the author intended to keep things up to the reader to interpret on their own.
March 5, 2025
After six years of feeling abandoned by her mother, Marta's mother appears at the door, then quickly leaves again. But this time, Marta intends to find answers to her questions. Lindsey Steffes' story of a young girl taking her first steps outside the community her father has constructed to keep her safe, while trying to figure out who is telling the truth, was a good read that I finished in an afternoon. Short story length but full of the emotions and challenges Marta would face, it is well worth your time to read and share.
May 24, 2025
Gichigami is a beautifully written coming of age story, fraught with mystery, atmosphere, and pensive melancholy.
The prose is evocative and the characters are real, though they are often as enigmatic to us as readers as they are to our protagonist, Marta.
I was immediately captured by the setting — the frozen island town on Lake Superior felt like a character itself. It’s the perfect backdrop to a story filled with longing, desolation, and quiet suspense.
Highly recommend!!!
The prose is evocative and the characters are real, though they are often as enigmatic to us as readers as they are to our protagonist, Marta.
I was immediately captured by the setting — the frozen island town on Lake Superior felt like a character itself. It’s the perfect backdrop to a story filled with longing, desolation, and quiet suspense.
Highly recommend!!!
December 16, 2024
Thank you, University of Massachusetts Press for the copy of Gichigami by Lidsey Steffes. I loved the promise of the premise. I’m not sure why, but the writing style kept me distant from the characters and never engaged me. I wanted to feel empathy for Marta, but never could. If you’re more concerned with the story than the characters, you might love this one. 3 stars
July 17, 2025
Gichigami is a beautiful and captivating story about Marta and her journey to figure out the truth about her mom, her story and what really happened. There are twists and turns that kept me wanting to read more. The characters will stick with me for a long time and I absolutely loved every page of this book! Would highly recommend!
April 29, 2025
It's not just a story; it sticks with you. The people in it felt real, like you actually knew them. And the whole thing, it's beautiful and kind of sad at the same time. Definitely a book I won't forget anytime soon.
July 25, 2025
2.5 stars
I was unattached to the characters. I found the mystery of where the mom went boring and eventually unresolved. Overall, it could have been interesting for me, but it fell flat.
I was unattached to the characters. I found the mystery of where the mom went boring and eventually unresolved. Overall, it could have been interesting for me, but it fell flat.
August 21, 2025
I won this book on Goodreads. it is a dark coming of age story with no likable or relatable characters.
September 5, 2025
Loved the story/plot line. Kept me engaged and connected to the characters. Hoping there will be a continuation of this story! Wonderful setting, made me feel like I was there!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews