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Wild People Quiet: A Novel
A taut, exquisitely rendered story exploring the repercussions of a woman’s decision to hide her Métis identity while living in a small, predominantly white prairie town in the 1940s, for readers of The Berry Pickers, Tommy Orange, and The Vanishing Half.
Torduvalle, Saskatchewan, 1946.
Florence has created a beautiful life for herself. Her home is immaculate; she is a model employee at Pratt’s Insurance, where she works as a secretary. Her hair is the perfect shade of movie-star blonde—never once does she allow her brown roots to show. She dyes them every Saturday night, without fail.
But one morning at the end of summer, everything changes.
Florence notices a new group of men at the local diner, Métis workers from out of town, hired on for the season at a nearby farm. And one of them has a connection to the past that Florence has spent her entire life outrunning. He has one simple request for her.
Suddenly, Florence is thrown back into memories of her life before. Suddenly, the line between who she once was and who she has chosen to be feels very thin.
And when Florence learns of the government’s plans for the Métis community on the fringes of town, she will be faced with a choice—one that will shatter her carefully constructed life forever.
This extraordinary novel asks us what we will do for our community, for our families, for our friends, even at our own expense. It examines the harrowing effects of choosing to live as someone else—and the radiant peace that comes from finally living one’s truth. Gripping, wrenching, and utterly immersive, Wild People Quiet is a stunning achievement by a remarkable literary talent.
Torduvalle, Saskatchewan, 1946.
Florence has created a beautiful life for herself. Her home is immaculate; she is a model employee at Pratt’s Insurance, where she works as a secretary. Her hair is the perfect shade of movie-star blonde—never once does she allow her brown roots to show. She dyes them every Saturday night, without fail.
But one morning at the end of summer, everything changes.
Florence notices a new group of men at the local diner, Métis workers from out of town, hired on for the season at a nearby farm. And one of them has a connection to the past that Florence has spent her entire life outrunning. He has one simple request for her.
Suddenly, Florence is thrown back into memories of her life before. Suddenly, the line between who she once was and who she has chosen to be feels very thin.
And when Florence learns of the government’s plans for the Métis community on the fringes of town, she will be faced with a choice—one that will shatter her carefully constructed life forever.
This extraordinary novel asks us what we will do for our community, for our families, for our friends, even at our own expense. It examines the harrowing effects of choosing to live as someone else—and the radiant peace that comes from finally living one’s truth. Gripping, wrenching, and utterly immersive, Wild People Quiet is a stunning achievement by a remarkable literary talent.
304 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2026
9 people are currently reading
1115 people want to read
About the author
Tara Gereaux
4 books20 followersTara Gereaux’s debut novel, Saltus, was released in 2021. Her first book, a teen novella called Size of a Fist (Thistledown Press, 2015), was nominated for two 2016 Saskatchewan Book Awards. Her writing has been published in several literary magazines and has won awards, including the City of Regina Writing Award in 2016 and 2019.
After graduating with an MFA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia, Tara worked as a story editor and writer in film and television for ten years.
From the Qu’Appelle Valley in Saskatchewan and of Métis and European heritage, Tara lived in Vancouver for nearly two decades before returning to her home on the prairie. She lives in Regina, SK.
After graduating with an MFA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia, Tara worked as a story editor and writer in film and television for ten years.
From the Qu’Appelle Valley in Saskatchewan and of Métis and European heritage, Tara lived in Vancouver for nearly two decades before returning to her home on the prairie. She lives in Regina, SK.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
December 9, 2025
[Will post quote about Michif lives post publication]
A choice she makes in desperation to be free, Florence Campeau decides to become Florence Banks and slip out of her old life to become someone else.
For the past 11 years, Florence has been a secretary at Pratt’s Insurance and Real Estate in Torduvalle, Saskatchewan. She “blends in with everyone else”; nobody would know she’s one of ‘them’. Them, or half-breeds as the predominantly while Prairie community of 1940s Saskatchewan calls the Métis, are a mixed-race Indigenous people. They were not afforded the same respect or opportunities as European settlers.
Tara Gereaux, a Métis person and extremely talented author, has written this five-star story exploring the repercussions of one woman’s decision to hide her Métis identity. Gereaux’s narrative is focused, gentle, vivid, and methodical; the same approach you’d expect from someone skilled enough to be doing beadwork. Like Indigenous beadwork, the quiet narrative produces a noteworthy result. Will we Canadians sit up and pay attention?
I have taught Canadian history and understand the 1885 Northwest Resistance and the script system, but I had never heard of ‘Road Allowance People’, the NRTA of 1930, or ‘Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Act of 1935’. Gereaux educated me. I read in horror at the heartbreaking suffering experienced due to poverty and racism. As a country, we have certainly failed in our responsibility to protect the Metis. Their history is full of dispossession and extinction. It didn’t need to be that way.
Things that gave me pause:
💔the author’s exploration of whether we can be two people at the same time or if we need to split, keeping two separate parts of ourselves
💔the realization that, in keeping something from someone, we actually are keeping something very important and valuable from ourselves.
💔despite the appalling situations forced upon these people, this Road Allowance community is rich in so many ways. I was in awe of the tight community that supported each other as they continued to struggle to keep their culture and way of life intact.
Gereaux brings to life the burden of living as someone else as she shares a little-known element of Metis history, culture and identity. The author’s focus is on resilience and resistance and the book packs a punch despite its soft delivery. It’s one historical fiction lovers and Canadians need on our reading lists ASAP.
I was gifted this copy by Simon & Schuster Canada and was under no obligation to provide a review.
A choice she makes in desperation to be free, Florence Campeau decides to become Florence Banks and slip out of her old life to become someone else.
For the past 11 years, Florence has been a secretary at Pratt’s Insurance and Real Estate in Torduvalle, Saskatchewan. She “blends in with everyone else”; nobody would know she’s one of ‘them’. Them, or half-breeds as the predominantly while Prairie community of 1940s Saskatchewan calls the Métis, are a mixed-race Indigenous people. They were not afforded the same respect or opportunities as European settlers.
Tara Gereaux, a Métis person and extremely talented author, has written this five-star story exploring the repercussions of one woman’s decision to hide her Métis identity. Gereaux’s narrative is focused, gentle, vivid, and methodical; the same approach you’d expect from someone skilled enough to be doing beadwork. Like Indigenous beadwork, the quiet narrative produces a noteworthy result. Will we Canadians sit up and pay attention?
I have taught Canadian history and understand the 1885 Northwest Resistance and the script system, but I had never heard of ‘Road Allowance People’, the NRTA of 1930, or ‘Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Act of 1935’. Gereaux educated me. I read in horror at the heartbreaking suffering experienced due to poverty and racism. As a country, we have certainly failed in our responsibility to protect the Metis. Their history is full of dispossession and extinction. It didn’t need to be that way.
Things that gave me pause:
💔the author’s exploration of whether we can be two people at the same time or if we need to split, keeping two separate parts of ourselves
💔the realization that, in keeping something from someone, we actually are keeping something very important and valuable from ourselves.
💔despite the appalling situations forced upon these people, this Road Allowance community is rich in so many ways. I was in awe of the tight community that supported each other as they continued to struggle to keep their culture and way of life intact.
Gereaux brings to life the burden of living as someone else as she shares a little-known element of Metis history, culture and identity. The author’s focus is on resilience and resistance and the book packs a punch despite its soft delivery. It’s one historical fiction lovers and Canadians need on our reading lists ASAP.
I was gifted this copy by Simon & Schuster Canada and was under no obligation to provide a review.
March 3, 2026
4.5 stars
Torduvalle, Saskatchwan, 1946 - Florence Banks has created a beautiful life for herself in this small prairie town where she has been working as a secretary in an insurance office for the past 11 years. She's a model employee and resident of the town, keeps an immaculate home filled with beautiful objects and her hair is the perfect shade of movie-star blonde because she's meticulous about never letting her brown roots show. But one morning at the end of summer, Florence sees a group of Métis men hired for seasonal farm work and recognizes one who has a connection to her past that threatens to shatter her carefully-constructed life.
This dual timeline historical fiction novel set in a fictional small town in Saskatchewan (with flashbacks to the main character's childhood and early adulthood) is a deeply personal novel. The author's grandfather was Métis but when she was growing up her family told people they were French. As an adult, she sought to explore Métis history to better understand the decision her grandfather and others made to hide their heritage and also to reconnect to the Métis culture herself.
This is a gentle yet thought-provoking exploration of identity and the repercussions of one young woman's decision to live her life as someone else. I also appreciated the history lesson woven into this novel as I didn't know about much of what the Métis people endured during this shameful chapter of Canadian history. Tara Gereaux puts a very human face on the history by introducing us to characters living with the discrimination, mistreatment and pressure to assimilate and by showing the impact that government policy had on them.
Wild People Quiet is a beautifully-written, extraordinary story of one unforgettable woman finding her way back to her family and reclaiming her culture but also a story of the history, culture and resilience of the Métis people.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing an ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Torduvalle, Saskatchwan, 1946 - Florence Banks has created a beautiful life for herself in this small prairie town where she has been working as a secretary in an insurance office for the past 11 years. She's a model employee and resident of the town, keeps an immaculate home filled with beautiful objects and her hair is the perfect shade of movie-star blonde because she's meticulous about never letting her brown roots show. But one morning at the end of summer, Florence sees a group of Métis men hired for seasonal farm work and recognizes one who has a connection to her past that threatens to shatter her carefully-constructed life.
This dual timeline historical fiction novel set in a fictional small town in Saskatchewan (with flashbacks to the main character's childhood and early adulthood) is a deeply personal novel. The author's grandfather was Métis but when she was growing up her family told people they were French. As an adult, she sought to explore Métis history to better understand the decision her grandfather and others made to hide their heritage and also to reconnect to the Métis culture herself.
This is a gentle yet thought-provoking exploration of identity and the repercussions of one young woman's decision to live her life as someone else. I also appreciated the history lesson woven into this novel as I didn't know about much of what the Métis people endured during this shameful chapter of Canadian history. Tara Gereaux puts a very human face on the history by introducing us to characters living with the discrimination, mistreatment and pressure to assimilate and by showing the impact that government policy had on them.
Wild People Quiet is a beautifully-written, extraordinary story of one unforgettable woman finding her way back to her family and reclaiming her culture but also a story of the history, culture and resilience of the Métis people.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing an ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
March 3, 2026
This story centres around Florence, a Métis woman, who is masking as a white woman in Saskatchewan in the 1940s. When a group of Métis men arrive as hired help, a past connection threatens to topple her carefully crafted life.
This novel was beautiful, exploring identity, community, and belonging. I loved how the writer linked in bead working, giving a glimpse into Canadian history we should all be more aware of.
4.5⭐️
This novel was beautiful, exploring identity, community, and belonging. I loved how the writer linked in bead working, giving a glimpse into Canadian history we should all be more aware of.
4.5⭐️
February 24, 2026
This is the kind of book that I know will be a 2026 bestseller. Gereaux's voice is incredibly beautiful, the techniques throughout are absorbing, and I could not put this book down.
Beyond addressing some serious Canadian systemic issues, this book made me think about family, loyalty, the choices we make and how they influence our life. The way Gereaux addresses the Métis in the book is well done and I hope that it can resonate with people that have a smaller understanding of this Canadian history. Everything is beautifully melded together and I cannot wait for this book to get on the shelves. I will certainly be recommending it to many people!!!
Beyond addressing some serious Canadian systemic issues, this book made me think about family, loyalty, the choices we make and how they influence our life. The way Gereaux addresses the Métis in the book is well done and I hope that it can resonate with people that have a smaller understanding of this Canadian history. Everything is beautifully melded together and I cannot wait for this book to get on the shelves. I will certainly be recommending it to many people!!!
January 26, 2026
This was a really compelling, well-written novel. It’s about a Métis woman in Saskatchewan in alternating timelines of 1946 and 1906-1913. The narrator, Florence, grows up in a Métis community as a kid but as an adult she passes as white and hides her heritage. I found the characters and relationships interesting and they will stay with me. I learned some history I didn’t know and want to continue that learning. I also really enjoyed the role that beadwork played in the story. This comes out in March and is well worth checking out!!
March 3, 2026
Wild People Quiet explores the plight of the Métis people in a dual timeline spanning the early 1900’s to the 1040’s in Saskatchewan.
Florence has worked hard to achieve success. She has a home, a job and a car. But that success has come at a cost of renouncing her identity and her family. That is until an unexpected Métis visitor arrives at a cafe in town.
As government decisions loom that threaten the local Métis community, Florence is forced into a painful reckoning. Does she maintain the life she has built based on lies, or does she step toward the identity she’s long denied?
This story deals with some heavy subject matter like poverty, injustice, racism and government interference. It also delves into the beautiful art of beading and its importance to the Métis.
Even though Florence isn’t the most likeable character, you can’t help but feel for her for the things she can’t control. You can’t help but feel that whatever choices she makes, something will be lost. This is a great read.
Also, the cover of this book, featuring a beadwork scene is beautiful.
Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC.
Florence has worked hard to achieve success. She has a home, a job and a car. But that success has come at a cost of renouncing her identity and her family. That is until an unexpected Métis visitor arrives at a cafe in town.
As government decisions loom that threaten the local Métis community, Florence is forced into a painful reckoning. Does she maintain the life she has built based on lies, or does she step toward the identity she’s long denied?
This story deals with some heavy subject matter like poverty, injustice, racism and government interference. It also delves into the beautiful art of beading and its importance to the Métis.
Even though Florence isn’t the most likeable character, you can’t help but feel for her for the things she can’t control. You can’t help but feel that whatever choices she makes, something will be lost. This is a great read.
Also, the cover of this book, featuring a beadwork scene is beautiful.
Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC.
January 29, 2026
A beautiful and necessary novel about a shameful period in Canada’s history that is too often forgotten. I loved learning more about Métis history and was heartbroken by the rejection and oppression Métis people endured at the hands of white settlers. Sadly, much of this mistreatment still exists today.
Gereaux does an incredible job of revealing the collective memory of the Métis people through the unraveling of Florence’s carefully constructed life. Florence is hiding in plain sight, and her fear of being discovered as Indigenous is palpable. Acknowledging her heritage would mean giving up her career, her material comforts, and the relationships she had built over a lifetime. Reading this was enraging.
I especially loved how Gereaux uses beadwork as a metaphor for Florence’s life, with each stitch representing both beauty and pain. Now more than ever, we need books like these. Overall, this was a beautifully written and deeply evocative read.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for the advanced reader’s copy.
November 23, 2025
Tara Gereaux’s Wild People, Quiet is a courageous and necessary novel; one that confronts a painful part of Canadian history too often pushed to the margins. Through its intimate storytelling, the book compels readers to reckon with the experiences of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) peoples and the far-reaching consequences of government actions that were designed to erase cultures, families, and identities.
What makes Gereaux’s work especially powerful is its quiet insistence on truth. Rather than relying on grand historical exposition, she brings readers close to the emotional realities of the characters: individuals and families whose lives are marked by displacement, mistrust, and an enduring search for belonging. These stories, though fictionalized, are deeply rooted in lived experiences and community memory. They remind readers that the harms inflicted by colonial policies are not abstract historical events; they are wounds carried in bodies, relationships, and intergenerational narratives.
Gereaux writes with compassion, clarity, and restraint. Her prose allows space for the characters’ voices, which often echo the real stories of FNMI survivors who have spoken out about residential schools, forced relocations, and other forms of systemic oppression. This is one of the book’s greatest strengths: it encourages readers to listen and to sit with discomfort, to understand the weight of lived trauma, and to reflect on the role non-Indigenous Canadians have played, knowingly or not, in these injustices.
At the same time, Wild People, Quiet is not simply a catalogue of harm. It is a story of resilience, of communities that continue to resist, reclaim, and heal. Gereaux shows how culture, kinship, and identity persist despite centuries of attempts to quiet them. In doing so, she reframes FNMI histories not only as records of suffering, but as testimonies of strength.
Ultimately, Gereaux’s novel is a vital contribution to the growing body of literature that brings hidden histories to light. It challenges readers to confront truths that have long been overlooked, and it calls for meaningful reflection about accountability, reconciliation, and the responsibility each of us carries to truly hear the stories of FNMI peoples.
Wild People, Quiet is not an easy read, but it is an essential one. It offers the kind of storytelling that lingers long after the final page, urging readers to remember, to question, and to do better.
What makes Gereaux’s work especially powerful is its quiet insistence on truth. Rather than relying on grand historical exposition, she brings readers close to the emotional realities of the characters: individuals and families whose lives are marked by displacement, mistrust, and an enduring search for belonging. These stories, though fictionalized, are deeply rooted in lived experiences and community memory. They remind readers that the harms inflicted by colonial policies are not abstract historical events; they are wounds carried in bodies, relationships, and intergenerational narratives.
Gereaux writes with compassion, clarity, and restraint. Her prose allows space for the characters’ voices, which often echo the real stories of FNMI survivors who have spoken out about residential schools, forced relocations, and other forms of systemic oppression. This is one of the book’s greatest strengths: it encourages readers to listen and to sit with discomfort, to understand the weight of lived trauma, and to reflect on the role non-Indigenous Canadians have played, knowingly or not, in these injustices.
At the same time, Wild People, Quiet is not simply a catalogue of harm. It is a story of resilience, of communities that continue to resist, reclaim, and heal. Gereaux shows how culture, kinship, and identity persist despite centuries of attempts to quiet them. In doing so, she reframes FNMI histories not only as records of suffering, but as testimonies of strength.
Ultimately, Gereaux’s novel is a vital contribution to the growing body of literature that brings hidden histories to light. It challenges readers to confront truths that have long been overlooked, and it calls for meaningful reflection about accountability, reconciliation, and the responsibility each of us carries to truly hear the stories of FNMI peoples.
Wild People, Quiet is not an easy read, but it is an essential one. It offers the kind of storytelling that lingers long after the final page, urging readers to remember, to question, and to do better.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An exceptionally gorgeous historical novel of Metis culture in Saskatchewan in the early to mid 1900s – this is the story of Florence, a Metis woman who shuns her heritage and tight-knit community when she realizes she can pass and gain all the white privilege that accompanies it, is heartbreakingly beautiful and historical fiction at its finest. It is an outstanding example of small, rural (white) town living and its prejudices juxtaposed with the small, but emotionally and culturally rich, supportive communities of Metis.
Florence’s decision to hide her past in exchange for a ‘better’ life begins to unravel after decades of living a secret life and denying not just her ancestry, but her entire family. Florence’s gradual and quiet realization of what she has sacrificed and lost slowly emerges as she begins to rediscover her true self. This was beautifully illustrated in the gentle, subtle (and rocky) reconnection with her family as the crumbling of Florence’s carefully constructed and comfortable life begins.
I found myself so emotionally invested in this story… I was tense, outraged… furious as a town that once accepted her as ‘one of their own’ immediately begins to disenfranchise and callously shun her. Florence, despite her earlier choices, demonstrates a singularly graceful resilience.
Gereaux’s prose is gorgeously visual and heartbreaking. Her quietly soulful descriptions of Florence’s rediscovery of her culture and identity through her gradual reintroduction to her childhood past of beading was some of the most beautiful and emotionally descriptive of loss and rediscovery – a perfect metaphor for Florence’s life.
I think I’ve read my favourite book of the year already. I can’t express how much I loved this novel – I haven’t been so emotionally invested in a story and its characters like this in quite some time. An immediate classic of literature!
My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily; all opinions are my own.
Florence’s decision to hide her past in exchange for a ‘better’ life begins to unravel after decades of living a secret life and denying not just her ancestry, but her entire family. Florence’s gradual and quiet realization of what she has sacrificed and lost slowly emerges as she begins to rediscover her true self. This was beautifully illustrated in the gentle, subtle (and rocky) reconnection with her family as the crumbling of Florence’s carefully constructed and comfortable life begins.
I found myself so emotionally invested in this story… I was tense, outraged… furious as a town that once accepted her as ‘one of their own’ immediately begins to disenfranchise and callously shun her. Florence, despite her earlier choices, demonstrates a singularly graceful resilience.
Gereaux’s prose is gorgeously visual and heartbreaking. Her quietly soulful descriptions of Florence’s rediscovery of her culture and identity through her gradual reintroduction to her childhood past of beading was some of the most beautiful and emotionally descriptive of loss and rediscovery – a perfect metaphor for Florence’s life.
I think I’ve read my favourite book of the year already. I can’t express how much I loved this novel – I haven’t been so emotionally invested in a story and its characters like this in quite some time. An immediate classic of literature!
My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily; all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
‘I anticipate that he will have a good deal of trouble, and it will require considerable management to keep those wild people quiet.’ John A. Macdonald
This quote is where the title for this book came from and is a very apt title.
Although this novel is fiction, it is based on the true history of Métis in Saskatchewan. It is a sad and heavy read, but such an important one. Gereaux brings this history to life through the character of Florence, making it deeply personal and powerful.
The perspective of ‘passing’ as told from an Indigenous perspective, was especially compelling. Most stories I have read have focused on black Americans passing as white. This story is an exploration of what is lost and gained through that choice. The dual timeline really helps the reader understand this.
What I really loved was the resilience and resistance that the Métis community. The way they faced adversity together and supported each other through it all. As well, as the found family in an unexpected place
This book is another important one highlighting the truths of what has been inflicted on Indigenous peoples in Canada. It is a story that encourages understanding and empathy.
Would I recommend this novel? Yes. It is thoughtfully written, historically important, and deeply heartfelt.
This quote is where the title for this book came from and is a very apt title.
Although this novel is fiction, it is based on the true history of Métis in Saskatchewan. It is a sad and heavy read, but such an important one. Gereaux brings this history to life through the character of Florence, making it deeply personal and powerful.
The perspective of ‘passing’ as told from an Indigenous perspective, was especially compelling. Most stories I have read have focused on black Americans passing as white. This story is an exploration of what is lost and gained through that choice. The dual timeline really helps the reader understand this.
What I really loved was the resilience and resistance that the Métis community. The way they faced adversity together and supported each other through it all. As well, as the found family in an unexpected place
This book is another important one highlighting the truths of what has been inflicted on Indigenous peoples in Canada. It is a story that encourages understanding and empathy.
Would I recommend this novel? Yes. It is thoughtfully written, historically important, and deeply heartfelt.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Wild People Quiet was an amazing read and I'm happy I stepped out from my typical genres to read it. Tara Gereaux seamlessly weaves together two timelines of our main protaganist, Florence, from the early 1900s and the 1940s to give us a glimpse into what it means to be Métis in Canada during those periods. I loved this book and it confronts the reader with difficult themes and history around racism and prejudice that unfortunately still ring true today. One of the biggest takeaways for me was around the dangers of being forced to whitewash culture (both figuratively and literally) and what we lose when it happens.
At the start, I wrongfully judged Florence as boring, but as we begin to peel back more layers I found her incredibly compelling and couldn't put the book down. While Florence doesn't always make the right choice, it was easy to understand her motivations and emphasize with her. It's hard to stay frustrated with someone when you see society forcing them between a rock and a hard place. All of the characters, both Florence and other side characters, really brought this novel to life and were so well written. I also found this book very educational and informative about both a culture and part of history that I was unaware of.
I will definitely be heavily recommending this book. Thank you Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC!
At the start, I wrongfully judged Florence as boring, but as we begin to peel back more layers I found her incredibly compelling and couldn't put the book down. While Florence doesn't always make the right choice, it was easy to understand her motivations and emphasize with her. It's hard to stay frustrated with someone when you see society forcing them between a rock and a hard place. All of the characters, both Florence and other side characters, really brought this novel to life and were so well written. I also found this book very educational and informative about both a culture and part of history that I was unaware of.
I will definitely be heavily recommending this book. Thank you Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75/5 stars rounded up.
I have long been interested in indigenous stories, and I was quite intrigued by the premise of this book.
In 1946, Torduvalle, Saskatchewan, Florence is living a quiet and perfectly curated life. She has a great job that she’s good at, and although she doesn’t have many friends, she feels that she is happy.
No one knows that she was raised in a mixed-race indigenous family. After some traumatic experiences when she is young, she decides to embrace the fact that she can pass as White. This means she must leave her family behind. Will the cost be worth it?
After many years of living in Torduvalle, she unexpectedly runs into someone from her past, and this threatens her new way of life.
I enjoyed how her memories of the past and her childhood are interspersed with the current day, and skills that she had left behind become meaningful to her once more.
She is forced to examine her heritage and face the hard facts that the Métis people have been discriminated against. I thought this was interesting to read about and to wonder what choice I would make if I were in the same position. It was a bit slow in parts, but I enjoyed it overall.
[Thanks to the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for the advance electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.]
I have long been interested in indigenous stories, and I was quite intrigued by the premise of this book.
In 1946, Torduvalle, Saskatchewan, Florence is living a quiet and perfectly curated life. She has a great job that she’s good at, and although she doesn’t have many friends, she feels that she is happy.
No one knows that she was raised in a mixed-race indigenous family. After some traumatic experiences when she is young, she decides to embrace the fact that she can pass as White. This means she must leave her family behind. Will the cost be worth it?
After many years of living in Torduvalle, she unexpectedly runs into someone from her past, and this threatens her new way of life.
I enjoyed how her memories of the past and her childhood are interspersed with the current day, and skills that she had left behind become meaningful to her once more.
She is forced to examine her heritage and face the hard facts that the Métis people have been discriminated against. I thought this was interesting to read about and to wonder what choice I would make if I were in the same position. It was a bit slow in parts, but I enjoyed it overall.
[Thanks to the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for the advance electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.]
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an advanced copy!
Tara Gereaux writes the way that I imagine Florence’s beadwork looks. It’s colourful, delicate, and made with intention. You could tell that she put her heart in this story. I found myself getting lost in her writing. Gereaux’s prose paints truly vivid emotional landscapes.
Wild People Quiet is an intimate story about the choices people make and who they decide to be in a world that pressures them to hide. Florence’s struggle with identity is written so honestly that at times I felt so overwhelmed with emotion. There were times that I had to put the book down and walk away, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the story. Her story is going to stay with me for so long.
Going beyond the story, Gereaux gives us an important look into Métis history and the way the Indigenous people were and still are pushed to the margins of society. The novel shows the mistreatment of these communities by the government, and how survival for them often meant remaining silent. To loosely quote Gereaux, justice is not begging and if that is what you believe, then the oppression has succeeded. This book is not only a beautiful piece of literature, but a necessary one that I feel everyone should have on their shelf.
Tara Gereaux writes the way that I imagine Florence’s beadwork looks. It’s colourful, delicate, and made with intention. You could tell that she put her heart in this story. I found myself getting lost in her writing. Gereaux’s prose paints truly vivid emotional landscapes.
Wild People Quiet is an intimate story about the choices people make and who they decide to be in a world that pressures them to hide. Florence’s struggle with identity is written so honestly that at times I felt so overwhelmed with emotion. There were times that I had to put the book down and walk away, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the story. Her story is going to stay with me for so long.
Going beyond the story, Gereaux gives us an important look into Métis history and the way the Indigenous people were and still are pushed to the margins of society. The novel shows the mistreatment of these communities by the government, and how survival for them often meant remaining silent. To loosely quote Gereaux, justice is not begging and if that is what you believe, then the oppression has succeeded. This book is not only a beautiful piece of literature, but a necessary one that I feel everyone should have on their shelf.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I want to thank Simon & Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Wild People Quiet. However, all opinions expressed here are solely mine.
I added Wild People Quiet to my TBR because I want to learn more about the experience of the Indigenous peoples of Canada. For those who don’t know, the Métis are an Indigenous group that resulted when the fur trappers and traders, mostly the French, had relationships with Indigenous women. They are one of the three main groups of Indigenous people in Canada. As a result of these relationships, many of the children could pass as white. In a time of rampant racism, that could be a good thing.
Florence was one of those people. She wasn’t ashamed of who she was; she was ashamed of how she was forced to live. And took the opportunity she was given to rectify that. Would I be able to do what she did and hide who she was for so long? Probably not.
Gereaux wrote a compelling story with compelling characters. Wild People Quiet could have been a preachy book, telling the world where everything went wrong. Instead, the author took the time to show us the story of her people and how history books don’t always tell the true story.
I added Wild People Quiet to my TBR because I want to learn more about the experience of the Indigenous peoples of Canada. For those who don’t know, the Métis are an Indigenous group that resulted when the fur trappers and traders, mostly the French, had relationships with Indigenous women. They are one of the three main groups of Indigenous people in Canada. As a result of these relationships, many of the children could pass as white. In a time of rampant racism, that could be a good thing.
Florence was one of those people. She wasn’t ashamed of who she was; she was ashamed of how she was forced to live. And took the opportunity she was given to rectify that. Would I be able to do what she did and hide who she was for so long? Probably not.
Gereaux wrote a compelling story with compelling characters. Wild People Quiet could have been a preachy book, telling the world where everything went wrong. Instead, the author took the time to show us the story of her people and how history books don’t always tell the true story.
March 3, 2026
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster Canada and the author for the advanced reader’s physical copy in exchange for an honest review. This one is out TODAY!
I think this should be required reading in any Canadian history class. Or any book club.
I absolutely loved the significance and meaning of beadwork. The loss and re-discovery of identity and most importantly, the raw, real and still present hardships Metis/Michif people face still today stick out in a way that’s moving yet heartbreaking. While this is woven between two timelines- when Florence was young and present day in the story which was 1946, we are now 80 years later and this could be set today and would not be shocking.
I’d say my most favourite part of the book, without giving much away, is the inevitable pull back toward family our FMC feels despite her hesitancy.
I loved how my own city was referenced throughout as a possible place of refuge, how the Metis society was introduced and how through honesty and friendship, a person on the “outside looking in” ended up learning of the horrible ways Metis people were forced from their homes; they were no longer so far removed from the reality of it.
Ah so good. Go get this book.
I think this should be required reading in any Canadian history class. Or any book club.
I absolutely loved the significance and meaning of beadwork. The loss and re-discovery of identity and most importantly, the raw, real and still present hardships Metis/Michif people face still today stick out in a way that’s moving yet heartbreaking. While this is woven between two timelines- when Florence was young and present day in the story which was 1946, we are now 80 years later and this could be set today and would not be shocking.
I’d say my most favourite part of the book, without giving much away, is the inevitable pull back toward family our FMC feels despite her hesitancy.
I loved how my own city was referenced throughout as a possible place of refuge, how the Metis society was introduced and how through honesty and friendship, a person on the “outside looking in” ended up learning of the horrible ways Metis people were forced from their homes; they were no longer so far removed from the reality of it.
Ah so good. Go get this book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
What a gift to the world this novel is! I was captivated from the very beginning. Following a duel timeline of a Métis female growing up in rural Saskatchewan in the early 1900s as well as her struggle with her identity in a small Saskatchewan town in the 1940’s. I was drawn to her courage and strength but also her fear and vulnerability. This story blended historical accuracy, gorgeous Métis culture and beading techniques and the age old question of what would you do in this situation. As someone with many family members in Saskatchewan it was easy to relate to the area while also feeling deep remorse for this dark part of Canadian history that is still so relevant today. Thank you to @netgalley @simonandschuster and @tara.gereaux.writes for the advanced digital copy of “Wild People Quiet”. Easily 💜💜💜💜💜 and a book that will live in my brain for years to come. “You know, life comes at you so fast, and it seems fun and exciting, but you don’t really know it’s happening until you look back and wonder. You wonder how you ended up where you are. You know you made certain choices to get here, but they didn’t seem like choices at the time…” - Tara Gereaux. ‘Wild People Quiet’ is available everywhere early March!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received this book just this month, and while it may be the last novel I read in 2025, and I have a feeling it will be a key book for many in 2026. Written by a new Canadian author, this book is a compelling work of historical fiction that highlights an important part of Canadian history. 🇨🇦
Wild People Quiet, set in 1946 small town Saskatchewan, follows the story of Florence Banks. She has carefully built a quiet, respectable life while keeping everyone at a distance. When she unexpectedly recognizes someone from her past, the life she worked so hard to leave behind begins to resurface. 😔
The book offers an immersive look into the history and experiences of the Métis people in Saskatchewan. Thoughtful and emotionally resonant, the story is a reminder of the importance of living your truth, even when it comes at a cost. Definitely recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book publishes in March 2026 and I was provided a copy by the publisher.
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#tolovetoread #booksof2025 #metishistory
Wild People Quiet, set in 1946 small town Saskatchewan, follows the story of Florence Banks. She has carefully built a quiet, respectable life while keeping everyone at a distance. When she unexpectedly recognizes someone from her past, the life she worked so hard to leave behind begins to resurface. 😔
The book offers an immersive look into the history and experiences of the Métis people in Saskatchewan. Thoughtful and emotionally resonant, the story is a reminder of the importance of living your truth, even when it comes at a cost. Definitely recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book publishes in March 2026 and I was provided a copy by the publisher.
.
#tolovetoread #booksof2025 #metishistory
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 stars rounded down
Thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster, and Tara Gereaux for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
By the time I was approved for this advanced reader copy, I had forgotten the synopsis and essentially went into this book blind. Not remembering the premise led me to initially believe that Florence was a bit boring but once it all started to spill out, Florence was probably the most infuriating character I've loved in a long time. Every single choice she made in this novel had me ready to fist fight her in a parking lot but the fact that she had to make any of them tugged at my heart strings. Her character 's struggles with her identity were so realistic and in-depth, Gereaux was able to create a flawed character that the reader is still rooting for.
I appreciated the dual timelines and the author's writing style, I'll definitely be looking into her other novels and can't wait for the release date so I can purchase a physical copy.
Thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster, and Tara Gereaux for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
By the time I was approved for this advanced reader copy, I had forgotten the synopsis and essentially went into this book blind. Not remembering the premise led me to initially believe that Florence was a bit boring but once it all started to spill out, Florence was probably the most infuriating character I've loved in a long time. Every single choice she made in this novel had me ready to fist fight her in a parking lot but the fact that she had to make any of them tugged at my heart strings. Her character 's struggles with her identity were so realistic and in-depth, Gereaux was able to create a flawed character that the reader is still rooting for.
I appreciated the dual timelines and the author's writing style, I'll definitely be looking into her other novels and can't wait for the release date so I can purchase a physical copy.
February 5, 2026
💕 How far would you go to fit in? Wild People Quiet is an introspection on identity. This story had me reflecting on a time in my own life where I found myself with a choice to make. Unlike Florence, hiding my obvious ethnicity was not an option, but circumstances of the time led to a conscious choice - to be proud or to be ashamed.
Florence Campeau never felt like she belonged in her Métis community. With her hair dyed and her name changed, she put that life behind her and began anew as a widowed blond named Florence Banks. She made a success of herself, albeit keeping people at arms length, least they discover her secret.
It’s 1946 now. Decades have gone by. And her past has collided with her present. This book begins rather slowly, showcasing Florence’s life in a small part of Saskatchewan. Going back and forth between the present and her childhood. It picks up with the arrival of her brother. We already know a little about him from the flashbacks, but here we learn that he is a proud Métis and strives to make life better for his people.
This is in sharp contrast to Florence, who has hidden her Métis side from the world, as though from shame. And little by little, this begins to change. This story is part internal reflection and part societal discrimination. If her friends and co-workers learn the truth, will they accept her or cast her out? Is it more important to protect a lie or to protect your family?
It’s a beautifully written story that touches on struggles and challenges that even now, 80 years later, continue. Perhaps not in exactly the same way, but the undercurrent remains.
The description of all the bead work is gorgeous. The detail and symbolism of it is all is fantastic. A thoroughly wonderful read.
ARC Read 25Jan2026
Florence Campeau never felt like she belonged in her Métis community. With her hair dyed and her name changed, she put that life behind her and began anew as a widowed blond named Florence Banks. She made a success of herself, albeit keeping people at arms length, least they discover her secret.
It’s 1946 now. Decades have gone by. And her past has collided with her present. This book begins rather slowly, showcasing Florence’s life in a small part of Saskatchewan. Going back and forth between the present and her childhood. It picks up with the arrival of her brother. We already know a little about him from the flashbacks, but here we learn that he is a proud Métis and strives to make life better for his people.
This is in sharp contrast to Florence, who has hidden her Métis side from the world, as though from shame. And little by little, this begins to change. This story is part internal reflection and part societal discrimination. If her friends and co-workers learn the truth, will they accept her or cast her out? Is it more important to protect a lie or to protect your family?
It’s a beautifully written story that touches on struggles and challenges that even now, 80 years later, continue. Perhaps not in exactly the same way, but the undercurrent remains.
The description of all the bead work is gorgeous. The detail and symbolism of it is all is fantastic. A thoroughly wonderful read.
ARC Read 25Jan2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
5 🌟
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was tremendous and really threw me into a piece of Saskatchewan Métis history. I fell in love with Florence and found myself invested in her story immediately. From the chicken bone candy to the beading, I was hooked. A story of endurance and found friendship and family. Highly recommend!!
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was tremendous and really threw me into a piece of Saskatchewan Métis history. I fell in love with Florence and found myself invested in her story immediately. From the chicken bone candy to the beading, I was hooked. A story of endurance and found friendship and family. Highly recommend!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
really interesting historical fiction about an effectively well-built setting and an effective vibe throughout. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Beautifully written tale that immersed me in a time of Canadian history of which I knew nothing. The author is truly gifted in transporting readers to a different time and place, exploring what it's like to live two different lives while not truly belonging to one or the other. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A moving story that deals with prejudice, internalized racism, deceit, and the importance of remembering your roots. The characters were complex, imperfect, and realistic. I really loved the descriptions of Florence's beadwork and how she began beading "non-traditional" emblems of the things that shaped who she is. Highly recommend this book.
Review of advance copy
This is not pre-publication, I purchased it at Barnes and Noble 3 days ago.
Interesting story about Native Canadians and their treatment (as shameful as the U.S.). I knew a little, learned some more, and will hopefully continue to learn.
Clear writing made it a quick read.
Interesting story about Native Canadians and their treatment (as shameful as the U.S.). I knew a little, learned some more, and will hopefully continue to learn.
Clear writing made it a quick read.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Beautifully written, captivating and revelatory, this book successfully walks that impossibly-thin line between entertaining and educational. I loved it.
dnf
March 4, 2026Why are we make 20+ minute long chapters?? My brain cannot
February 4, 2026
Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for the copy of this book.
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Florence is living in post WW2 Saskatchewan, living a peaceful life. But when a group of Metis workers show up in town, and one recognizes her, Florence is forced to reconcile her past with her present.
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The book explores the Metis perspective of land claims/land ownership, and how the government forced them off their land. It also questions whether it is ok to pass in order to lead an easier life, but at the expense of your community. An important story that is beautifully written.
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Florence is living in post WW2 Saskatchewan, living a peaceful life. But when a group of Metis workers show up in town, and one recognizes her, Florence is forced to reconcile her past with her present.
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The book explores the Metis perspective of land claims/land ownership, and how the government forced them off their land. It also questions whether it is ok to pass in order to lead an easier life, but at the expense of your community. An important story that is beautifully written.
November 24, 2025
*3.5 stars*
A needed window into not-too-distant Métis history, told through story, and all the more urgent for its recent setting.
A needed window into not-too-distant Métis history, told through story, and all the more urgent for its recent setting.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I loved reading WILD PEOPLE QUIET by Tara Gereaux! This novel follows Florence who makes a life for herself in Torduvalle, Saskatchewan in 1946 while hiding her Métis identity. When she notices a man from out of town who’s connected to her past then her whole world is in chaos and she must reevaluate her life. I loved how this historical fiction was written so we learn about Florence’s childhood and how that impacted her life decisions. She went on such a journey to reconcile with herself and her family and community. It’s a really heartfelt story and it made me tear up at the end. It was really touching to read that ending. I also love the cover and its significance to the story!
Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for my free review copy and the publisher for my physical ARC!
Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for my free review copy and the publisher for my physical ARC!
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