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Wild People Quiet
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 other Saturday night, without fail.
But one morning, 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 other Saturday night, without fail.
But one morning, 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.
Audible Audio
First published March 3, 2026
About the author
Tara Gereaux
4 books45 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 - 30 of 244 reviews
December 8, 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.
May 29, 2026
3 stars.
A Métis woman tries to make a new life for herself, shedding her heritage, culture and identity that constantly threatens to catch up with her.
This was a well researched, informative, eye-opening look at one woman’s journey to move away from systematic discrimination and oppression with the hopes of creating a new life completely separated from her family, culture and heritage. Growing up, her family faced countless forms of marginalization, never able to move past the systematic racism and discrimination.
This book started off stronger than it ended. I was intrigued and engrossed at the start and felt for the main character. She was a likeable, endearing woman who I admired for her strength and determination. However, as the novel progressed and more of her story was revealed, my investment in her life lessened. Certain descriptive words and her inner thoughts began to feel unnatural and forced for me. Once I hit the halfway point, the writing shifted and took on a preachy tone which was a turn off for me. I began to feel like the author was forcing a lesson on the reader instead of the reader getting lost in the story and drawing their own conclusions.
Beading is a cultural aspect explored that I enjoyed learning about. However, even as I appreciated this educational component, I felt that some of these beading scenes were quite forced and over the top, taking away from any feeling of realness or authenticity. The second half of the book also shifted toward a more cliche and at times, cheesy, dialogue as well as character interactions.
Overall, I liked the idea of this book and am happy I learned from it. I appreciate how the author was exploring an important topic and showing just how many layers there are to cultural marginalization and discrimination. However, I didn’t quite click with the writing and found the overall execution wasn’t as powerful or impactful as I had hoped or expected.
A Métis woman tries to make a new life for herself, shedding her heritage, culture and identity that constantly threatens to catch up with her.
This was a well researched, informative, eye-opening look at one woman’s journey to move away from systematic discrimination and oppression with the hopes of creating a new life completely separated from her family, culture and heritage. Growing up, her family faced countless forms of marginalization, never able to move past the systematic racism and discrimination.
This book started off stronger than it ended. I was intrigued and engrossed at the start and felt for the main character. She was a likeable, endearing woman who I admired for her strength and determination. However, as the novel progressed and more of her story was revealed, my investment in her life lessened. Certain descriptive words and her inner thoughts began to feel unnatural and forced for me. Once I hit the halfway point, the writing shifted and took on a preachy tone which was a turn off for me. I began to feel like the author was forcing a lesson on the reader instead of the reader getting lost in the story and drawing their own conclusions.
Beading is a cultural aspect explored that I enjoyed learning about. However, even as I appreciated this educational component, I felt that some of these beading scenes were quite forced and over the top, taking away from any feeling of realness or authenticity. The second half of the book also shifted toward a more cliche and at times, cheesy, dialogue as well as character interactions.
Overall, I liked the idea of this book and am happy I learned from it. I appreciate how the author was exploring an important topic and showing just how many layers there are to cultural marginalization and discrimination. However, I didn’t quite click with the writing and found the overall execution wasn’t as powerful or impactful as I had hoped or expected.
June 12, 2026
“Wild People Quiet”, a Novel by Tara Gereaux
3.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️1/2
Great concept and good writing, although I wished the dialogues were stronger (some felt forced).
The storytelling was good and somewhat compelling (I did miss my train station, after work).1/21/
The story is set between 1908 and 1946, in Saskatchewan, Canada.
This book started so well.
At 15% I thought I had a winner.
But unfortunately the delivery of the story ended up being underwhelming and a bit flat.
This had everything to be a powerful, emotional and impactful story, but I had the impression that the author held back her feelings and toned down the development of the story. It was way too gentle, for such a topic.
I did appreciate its timeline structure and the development of the main character, but I did not feel the writer’s heartbeat.
I also appreciated how the novel frequently used the art of Métis floral beading as a rich thematic device for reconnection and healing.
Regardless my negative points, this was still a good read and I’m sure other readers will love it.
E-book (Kobo): 336 pages (default), 97k words (only one “f”), divided into 4 parts and a total of 26 chapters
3.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️1/2
Great concept and good writing, although I wished the dialogues were stronger (some felt forced).
The storytelling was good and somewhat compelling (I did miss my train station, after work).1/21/
The story is set between 1908 and 1946, in Saskatchewan, Canada.
This book started so well.
At 15% I thought I had a winner.
But unfortunately the delivery of the story ended up being underwhelming and a bit flat.
This had everything to be a powerful, emotional and impactful story, but I had the impression that the author held back her feelings and toned down the development of the story. It was way too gentle, for such a topic.
I did appreciate its timeline structure and the development of the main character, but I did not feel the writer’s heartbeat.
I also appreciated how the novel frequently used the art of Métis floral beading as a rich thematic device for reconnection and healing.
Regardless my negative points, this was still a good read and I’m sure other readers will love it.
E-book (Kobo): 336 pages (default), 97k words (only one “f”), divided into 4 parts and a total of 26 chapters
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⭐️
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.
September 10, 2026
Florence, a Metis girl in 1908, experiences the love of a family as well as the discrimination of society. Her father is shot right in front of her by law enforcement officers over a misunderstanding. Her home life changes after that, with her mother being unable to deal with the tragedy. She decides she wants to escape her heritage. The story is told in a split timeline. It was well done,however, I was left feeling as though the story was unfinished. I find it difficult to read about the racial injustice in Canadian history. Makes me sad and, although the story was in a time in history that I wasn’t even alive, ashamed.
April 7, 2026
Between a 3.5-4 ⭐️. I really enjoyed this dual timeline historical fiction novel which highlighted the history, culture and resilience of the Métis. It sheds light on Canada’s dark history. Once finished, I found myself searching for more information on the history of the Métis and their beautiful beadwork.
April 11, 2026
4.25🌟 This was really well done! This book had already been on my radar and and then I saw the author on a Canadian morning talk show and it interested me even more. I really enjoyed the beadwork part of the story and found myself looking things up while reading. I have another book by this author and will read that soon🇨🇦
July 19, 2026
It's been a while since I read a 5 star book. The author tells a poignant story about Florence, a Métis woman passing as white in a small town in Canada. She left her family many years before in order to have a different kind of life. The appearance of her brother sets in motion a downward spiral that also leads to a reconnection with her heritage. The writing was beautiful and thought provoking.
March 8, 2026
This story is going to sit with me indefinitely. Wow. Beautifully written. Can you imagine now, in 2026, living under an alias just so you can have a job, own a home, and not be looked down upon by everyone in your city? The lengths you have to go to hide and distance yourself from you family and heritage. Heartbreaking but raw and real.
May 27, 2026
4⭐️
This book felt quiet and thoughtful in the best way. Florence’s journey back to herself really stayed with me. Watching her slowly peel back the layers of who she thought she needed to be and reconnect with what actually made her feel alive was inspiring and honestly pretty relatable.
The writing had this calm, reflective feel to it that made me want to slow down while reading. I really appreciated the message about identity, expectations, and finding your way back to the version of yourself that got lost along the way.
This book felt quiet and thoughtful in the best way. Florence’s journey back to herself really stayed with me. Watching her slowly peel back the layers of who she thought she needed to be and reconnect with what actually made her feel alive was inspiring and honestly pretty relatable.
The writing had this calm, reflective feel to it that made me want to slow down while reading. I really appreciated the message about identity, expectations, and finding your way back to the version of yourself that got lost along the way.
December 23, 2025
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!!!
June 17, 2026
I chose this book because I was interested in exploring identity, family, and choosing to pass as a white person. Although those things were touched on, I kept checking to see if this was a YA novel. The writing, particularly the dialogue, and the juvenile choices from an adult woman screamed YA. Nope. A book for adults. Florence's 1946 choices had me shaking my head, her friendship with Jenny seemed like it sprung from absolutely nowhere, and her reaction to her family confused me. This obviously was not the right book for me.
October 2, 2026
The Wild Quiet People by Tara Geroux really stayed with me. It felt personal, as it really was a story of my ancestors and a gentle reminder of the past Métis people have faced and how far we have come.
I think Florence’s story was so easy to understand but so incredibly frustrating that she had to live a life of lies, in order to “build” something for herself. But in the end, she is reminded that all she really needed to be “successful” was her family.
The story is slow, but about grief, love, family, and finding your way through difficult things, but it never felt overly dramatic, it felt honest and human. This book made me feel sad, hopeful, and reflective all at once, and I know it’s one I’ll think about for a while.
Highly recommend for a Saskatchewan read about the hope and resilience Métis people carry, but also about the racism and hardship that has been overcome.
I think Florence’s story was so easy to understand but so incredibly frustrating that she had to live a life of lies, in order to “build” something for herself. But in the end, she is reminded that all she really needed to be “successful” was her family.
The story is slow, but about grief, love, family, and finding your way through difficult things, but it never felt overly dramatic, it felt honest and human. This book made me feel sad, hopeful, and reflective all at once, and I know it’s one I’ll think about for a while.
Highly recommend for a Saskatchewan read about the hope and resilience Métis people carry, but also about the racism and hardship that has been overcome.
June 10, 2026
Canadian author 🇨🇦
Wild People Quiet by Tara Gereaux is a compelling historical novel about Florence, a Métis woman in 1940s Saskatchewan who hides her Indigenous identity in order to pass as white and build a safer, more accepted life. When someone from her past reappears, the life she carefully created begins to unravel, forcing her to confront her family, heritage, and the painful choices she made to survive. This book sheds light on a dark part of Canadian history. The story was emotional at times and very thought-provoking. I especially enjoyed Florence’s character and found her journey compelling. Although the pacing felt slow at times, the story was informative and is well worth the read. A moving and important piece of Canadian historical fiction.
Wild People Quiet by Tara Gereaux is a compelling historical novel about Florence, a Métis woman in 1940s Saskatchewan who hides her Indigenous identity in order to pass as white and build a safer, more accepted life. When someone from her past reappears, the life she carefully created begins to unravel, forcing her to confront her family, heritage, and the painful choices she made to survive. This book sheds light on a dark part of Canadian history. The story was emotional at times and very thought-provoking. I especially enjoyed Florence’s character and found her journey compelling. Although the pacing felt slow at times, the story was informative and is well worth the read. A moving and important piece of Canadian historical fiction.
April 24, 2026
Wild People Quiet is a wonderful novel exploring the crossroads of systemic bigotry and personal trauma, and the wreckage left in their wake. While the story centers on Florence’s search for self, it is equally a story on the fractured bond between her and her brother, Clancy. As their mirrored lives unfold, their grief manifests in two opposite ways: one by weaving themselves into the world, while the other chooses the path of confrontation and change.
As the Florence’s sense of self begins to unravel, so do the masks worn by those around her. It’s a haunting portrayal of a life spiraling from a single reveal. This is a story that demands a second read, deep reflection, and further discussion, not just on the narrative, but also on the social structures that shaped it. It leaves the reader with an essential question: what does it truly mean to move forward?
As the Florence’s sense of self begins to unravel, so do the masks worn by those around her. It’s a haunting portrayal of a life spiraling from a single reveal. This is a story that demands a second read, deep reflection, and further discussion, not just on the narrative, but also on the social structures that shaped it. It leaves the reader with an essential question: what does it truly mean to move forward?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2026
Important story. Another lesson in the damage of other’ing people, the impacts of shame, and the harms Indigenous people experience(d).
April 21, 2026
This was a great historical fiction on the Métis experience in Saskatchewan. 4.25
April 25, 2026
A story to remind us that the good old days were not good for most people, including indigenous and Métis people.
July 26, 2026
3.75 Although I understood the main character’s choices to make a better life for herself, I couldn’t bear her heartbreaking cruelty to her little brother. She often came across as flat and lifeless. I did love the beading descriptions.
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!!
July 30, 2026
Wild People Quiet quietly broke my heart. Tara Gereaux's writing is beautiful and understated, drawing you into Florence's life so deeply that her joys and heartbreaks feel personal.
This novel explores identity, family, belonging, and the lasting impact of prejudice with so much compassion. I found myself frustrated and heartbroken by the way Florence was treated, but also reminded that this story reflects a painful part of history that deserves to be acknowledged.
What I appreciated most was the complexity of the characters. Gereaux doesn't make it easy to categorize people as simply good or bad. There is cruelty, but there are also moments of growth, kindness, and humanity.
The ending was beautiful and hopeful without minimizing everything that came before. This is a story that will stay with me, and I'm so glad I read it. An easy five stars.
This novel explores identity, family, belonging, and the lasting impact of prejudice with so much compassion. I found myself frustrated and heartbroken by the way Florence was treated, but also reminded that this story reflects a painful part of history that deserves to be acknowledged.
What I appreciated most was the complexity of the characters. Gereaux doesn't make it easy to categorize people as simply good or bad. There is cruelty, but there are also moments of growth, kindness, and humanity.
The ending was beautiful and hopeful without minimizing everything that came before. This is a story that will stay with me, and I'm so glad I read it. An easy five stars.
April 12, 2026
The author creates a wonderful protagonist in Florence , taking the reader back and forth between her earlier days and her present in small-town Saskatchewan. I enjoyed the Métis language segments spoken by Aunt Lillian and the descriptions of the art of beading. The historical elements are interesting and important for Canadians to learn.
September 23, 2026
Wild People Quiet by Tara Gereaux
This is a heart wrenching story about Florence, a Métis woman who runs away from her family as a girl and hides her identity and passes as white. Her carefully constructed new life is disrupted when her brother arrives in the community she now lives.
“There are two separate parts to her now, two different ways to be in the world.”
Set in the 1940’s, the novel also reaches into Florence’s childhood, revealing her determination and strength as she builds a new life for herself. The dual timeline examines the emotional cost of Florence’s search for freedom, respect and financial security. It provides the contrast between her past with her present: the richness of the connection to community, culture and family despite the poverty vs the lonely, isolated rigid life with financial security
Gereaux illuminates the hardships and struggles of Metis people, including exclusion from stores and restaurants, discrimination in employment and housing, in addition to direct racism and harassment. Communities were forced to build homes along on road allowances, only to be labeled squatters and subjected to forcible removals. Despite these injustices, Geteaux captures the vibrancy of these communities and families - their resilience, generosity, communal spirit, cultural traditions, language and the spirit to continue to celebrate life.
Florence’s confrontation with her choices and gradual reclamation of her identity is powerful, as she begins to recognize everything she had lost. I especially appreciated the way beading serves as a continuous thread throughout the novel, becoming a metaphor for Florence’s connection to, rejection of and reclamation of her identity and her culture.
This is also a deeply personal story for Gereaux as her Grandfather chose to hide his identity, inspiring her to write this novel. I admire her deliberate use of Michif without translation. It honours the language and invites readers to encounter it on its own terms.
This is a moving exploration of identity, belonging, family and the profound cost of denying who you are.
This is a heart wrenching story about Florence, a Métis woman who runs away from her family as a girl and hides her identity and passes as white. Her carefully constructed new life is disrupted when her brother arrives in the community she now lives.
“There are two separate parts to her now, two different ways to be in the world.”
Set in the 1940’s, the novel also reaches into Florence’s childhood, revealing her determination and strength as she builds a new life for herself. The dual timeline examines the emotional cost of Florence’s search for freedom, respect and financial security. It provides the contrast between her past with her present: the richness of the connection to community, culture and family despite the poverty vs the lonely, isolated rigid life with financial security
Gereaux illuminates the hardships and struggles of Metis people, including exclusion from stores and restaurants, discrimination in employment and housing, in addition to direct racism and harassment. Communities were forced to build homes along on road allowances, only to be labeled squatters and subjected to forcible removals. Despite these injustices, Geteaux captures the vibrancy of these communities and families - their resilience, generosity, communal spirit, cultural traditions, language and the spirit to continue to celebrate life.
Florence’s confrontation with her choices and gradual reclamation of her identity is powerful, as she begins to recognize everything she had lost. I especially appreciated the way beading serves as a continuous thread throughout the novel, becoming a metaphor for Florence’s connection to, rejection of and reclamation of her identity and her culture.
This is also a deeply personal story for Gereaux as her Grandfather chose to hide his identity, inspiring her to write this novel. I admire her deliberate use of Michif without translation. It honours the language and invites readers to encounter it on its own terms.
This is a moving exploration of identity, belonging, family and the profound cost of denying who you are.
March 22, 2026
It's 1946 in Torduvalle, Saskatchewan. Florence lives a carefully curated and controlled life. Her home is filled with beautiful things, she wears beautiful clothes, her hair is a beautiful shade of blonde, and she's a secretary who's respected for her professionalism and skill.
One day she sees a few Métis workers from out of town, and one of them recognizes her. She pretends not to know the man, but she does. It's her younger brother Clancy. Florence has done her best to distance herself from her former life, and Clancy's presence threatens everything.
She's subsequently overwhelmed by memories of their childhood, while wanting no one to know that she's associated with "those people", the half-indigenous, half-white Métis, who are treated with derision and hatred.
When Florence learns what the government has in store for a nearby Métis community, she's faced with a decision; does she let her brother know?
I had not known of the specific Acts and regulations mentioned in this book that the government dreamed up to disenfranchise the Métis, but it does not surprise me at all. It's all of a piece of the horrible things the Canadian and provincial governments have done for centuries to dispossess and kill non-whites.
The story is told with great sensitivity and compassion; we understand Florence, even while she's doing her best to outrun her past and pretend to be someone she is not. We also enjoy the friendship she's begun to build with her neighbour Jennie, whose life is coming apart because she wants to work outside of the home, a decision her husband is deeply frightened by.
Florence's beadwork is a wonderful way to connect her to her past, and it is also much more than skilful in its execution. Florence is a gifted beadworker, and it calms her, but also is a source of hope and possibility for her. The lovely cover is no doubt a reference to this important side of Florence.
Of course, things don't work out in a way that allows Florence to maintain her deceptions, but they do allow her to reconnect with her family, and to begin to find out who she really is.
Tara Gereaux has created a deeply emotional, and informative, story about a woman whose must find her true identity and reclaim her culture. It's beautifully written, and wonderful.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Simon & Schuster Canada for this ARC in exchange for my review.
One day she sees a few Métis workers from out of town, and one of them recognizes her. She pretends not to know the man, but she does. It's her younger brother Clancy. Florence has done her best to distance herself from her former life, and Clancy's presence threatens everything.
She's subsequently overwhelmed by memories of their childhood, while wanting no one to know that she's associated with "those people", the half-indigenous, half-white Métis, who are treated with derision and hatred.
When Florence learns what the government has in store for a nearby Métis community, she's faced with a decision; does she let her brother know?
I had not known of the specific Acts and regulations mentioned in this book that the government dreamed up to disenfranchise the Métis, but it does not surprise me at all. It's all of a piece of the horrible things the Canadian and provincial governments have done for centuries to dispossess and kill non-whites.
The story is told with great sensitivity and compassion; we understand Florence, even while she's doing her best to outrun her past and pretend to be someone she is not. We also enjoy the friendship she's begun to build with her neighbour Jennie, whose life is coming apart because she wants to work outside of the home, a decision her husband is deeply frightened by.
Florence's beadwork is a wonderful way to connect her to her past, and it is also much more than skilful in its execution. Florence is a gifted beadworker, and it calms her, but also is a source of hope and possibility for her. The lovely cover is no doubt a reference to this important side of Florence.
Of course, things don't work out in a way that allows Florence to maintain her deceptions, but they do allow her to reconnect with her family, and to begin to find out who she really is.
Tara Gereaux has created a deeply emotional, and informative, story about a woman whose must find her true identity and reclaim her culture. It's beautifully written, and wonderful.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Simon & Schuster Canada for this ARC in exchange for my review.
October 17, 2026
Wild People Quiet by Tara Gereaux was shortlisted for the 2026 Giller Prize. Set in Saskatchewan in 1946, it tells the story of Florence Banks, a Métis woman who has been passing as white. She has a respectable job as a secretary at an insurance company and goes to great lengths to maintain her carefully constructed identity, even bleaching her blonde hair every week. But when people connected to her past reappear and the government’s plans for the Métis community threaten to disrupt the life she has built, keeping her secret becomes increasingly difficult.
There is plenty of interesting material here, particularly the themes of identity, belonging and the lengths people will go to in order to escape prejudice. The historical background is fascinating, and the book sheds light on an aspect of Canadian history that deserves to be better known.
However, I found the story a little underwhelming. Florence’s predicament is compelling, but the writing sometimes felt rather heavy-handed, with the themes being spelt out a little too obviously. The characters didn’t always feel as convincing as they might have done, and the story never quite drew me in.
An interesting book with an important story to tell, but for me the subject matter was more successful than the storytelling. I can see why it attracted attention, but it wasn’t quite a Giller shortlist winner in my eyes
There is plenty of interesting material here, particularly the themes of identity, belonging and the lengths people will go to in order to escape prejudice. The historical background is fascinating, and the book sheds light on an aspect of Canadian history that deserves to be better known.
However, I found the story a little underwhelming. Florence’s predicament is compelling, but the writing sometimes felt rather heavy-handed, with the themes being spelt out a little too obviously. The characters didn’t always feel as convincing as they might have done, and the story never quite drew me in.
An interesting book with an important story to tell, but for me the subject matter was more successful than the storytelling. I can see why it attracted attention, but it wasn’t quite a Giller shortlist winner in my eyes
June 13, 2026
Set in a fictional small town in Saskatchewan in 1946, the novel introduces readers to Florence, a woman in her 40s who works as a secretary for an insurance agency in the fictional town of Torduvalle and has carefully built a life for herself where none of her neighbours or colleagues know that she is Métis. But when a group of Métis workers from out of town, who have been hired to work at a local farm for the season turn up, everything Florence has spent her adult life keeping secret becomes harder to ignore.
Florence’s choice to hide her heritage and pass as white is one that many Métis made, particularly in the years following the Red River Resistance when Métis were dispossessed of their traditional lands, and later as they were forced from the makeshift road allowance communities where they made new homes.
This is an educational story- if you don’t know a lot about Métis culture and the history in our province, this will definitely teach you something. Understanding their long time issues with being recognized and the harm that was done because of things like racism, road allowances etc.
Overall, a beautifully written story and characters that you love even when they are not at their best.
You can check her out at Festival of Words this summer in Moose Jaw! Come join me!
Florence’s choice to hide her heritage and pass as white is one that many Métis made, particularly in the years following the Red River Resistance when Métis were dispossessed of their traditional lands, and later as they were forced from the makeshift road allowance communities where they made new homes.
This is an educational story- if you don’t know a lot about Métis culture and the history in our province, this will definitely teach you something. Understanding their long time issues with being recognized and the harm that was done because of things like racism, road allowances etc.
Overall, a beautifully written story and characters that you love even when they are not at their best.
You can check her out at Festival of Words this summer in Moose Jaw! Come join me!
June 22, 2026
A quiet and important novel, but it's the kind of quiet that stays with you long after you've finished reading. Tara Gereaux tells this story with remarkable restraint and care, allowing the characters and their emotions to unfold naturally rather than forcing dramatic moments.
The book engages with a dark chapter of Canadian history that isn't as distant as many people would like to believe. The legacy of that history is woven into the lives of the characters in ways that feel authentic, painful, and deeply important. Gereaux never turns the story into a lesson, but instead shows how the past continues to shape families, communities, and identities in the present. The pacing is gentle and reflective, which may not be for every reader, but I found it perfectly suited to the story being told. There is beauty in the silences, in the everyday moments, and in the resilience of the people at its centre. A thoughtful, moving, and important read that reminds us that history is never truly behind us.
The book engages with a dark chapter of Canadian history that isn't as distant as many people would like to believe. The legacy of that history is woven into the lives of the characters in ways that feel authentic, painful, and deeply important. Gereaux never turns the story into a lesson, but instead shows how the past continues to shape families, communities, and identities in the present. The pacing is gentle and reflective, which may not be for every reader, but I found it perfectly suited to the story being told. There is beauty in the silences, in the everyday moments, and in the resilience of the people at its centre. A thoughtful, moving, and important read that reminds us that history is never truly behind us.
July 28, 2026
First off — I love the cover and how it immediately opens to a dedication about beadwork and the connection to Indigenous people. Absolutely stunning.
This book started off so strong but somewhat lost the strength in the end. I started to lose empathy for Florence when she kept betraying her family members.
I understand why she made the life choices she did & it’s very unfortunate that her story probably isn’t all fiction. The discrimination that Indigenous people have faced in Canada is lengthy & disgusting.
I’m very happy she found beadwork again & allowed herself to become connected to her family & the community.
Well done book that showcases the similarities of social standing/politics against Indigenous communities in 1911 & in 1940s. One could argue it also shines light to how these same issues continue to happen even up to today (ie. Sixties Scoop, Residential Schools, etc). History repeats itself & Canada — this isn’t a good one to repeat.
This book started off so strong but somewhat lost the strength in the end. I started to lose empathy for Florence when she kept betraying her family members.
I understand why she made the life choices she did & it’s very unfortunate that her story probably isn’t all fiction. The discrimination that Indigenous people have faced in Canada is lengthy & disgusting.
I’m very happy she found beadwork again & allowed herself to become connected to her family & the community.
Well done book that showcases the similarities of social standing/politics against Indigenous communities in 1911 & in 1940s. One could argue it also shines light to how these same issues continue to happen even up to today (ie. Sixties Scoop, Residential Schools, etc). History repeats itself & Canada — this isn’t a good one to repeat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2026
WILD PEOPLE QUIET by Tara Gereaux is nominated for the Giller Prize, recognizing excellence from Canadian authors, and it's a lovely book, not unlike PASSING or THE VANISHING HALF, where a half breed woman passes for white. Gereaux chronicles the story of Florence, a strong woman who has set herself up as Florence Banks, denying her past successfully. When her brother re-enters her life, she feels a pull from the woman she used to be, and in her desire to reconcile the person she's become with the woman she once was, she creates both internal and external chaos. It's a lovely novel, conventionally told, but there's nothing like a good story well told. Definitely a page turner, WILD PEOPLE QUIET is honest in its understanding of how we cannot deny our past to determine our future. Again, another novel that is superior to many of those nominated for the Booker awards. Highly recommend. Quiet, yes, but powerful indeed.
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