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Gitwaałtk
150 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 13, 2026
Gitwaałtk by Crystal AJ Smith is a tiny but mighty debut novel that completely pulled at my heartstrings. The story centers on a young Indigenous woman grieving her sister-cousin, who was found dead along the Highway of Tears. When the police dismiss the tragedy, she sets out on a profound quest to find the person responsible, aided by her na̱xnox—spiritual beings taking the form of river otters. While technically fiction, the raw power of the writing carries the unmistakable urgency and truth of non-fiction, exposing the heartbreaking realities and generational trauma that Indigenous families endure daily.
What stood out to me most were the incredible visuals and the deep connection to cultural heritage. Smith uses a unique blend of short vignettes and poetry that makes the imagery practically leap off the page. I loved that this book inspired me to learn something entirely new, leading me to do my own research into the culture. Watching the spiritual otters help the main character seek justice and work to close these deep family wounds was an absolutely beautiful element of the plot, balancing immense sorrow with cultural resilience.
A reader expecting a fast-paced, traditional Hollywood thriller might be surprised by the poetic pacing, but for me, this was the book's greatest triumph. It relies on emotional urgency rather than dramatic tricks, forcing us to sit with the genuine pain and enduring strength of the characters. This is a captivating, educational, and deeply affecting novel that will stay with me for a very long time, and I highly recommend it to everyone.
Five out of five stars.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
What stood out to me most were the incredible visuals and the deep connection to cultural heritage. Smith uses a unique blend of short vignettes and poetry that makes the imagery practically leap off the page. I loved that this book inspired me to learn something entirely new, leading me to do my own research into the culture. Watching the spiritual otters help the main character seek justice and work to close these deep family wounds was an absolutely beautiful element of the plot, balancing immense sorrow with cultural resilience.
A reader expecting a fast-paced, traditional Hollywood thriller might be surprised by the poetic pacing, but for me, this was the book's greatest triumph. It relies on emotional urgency rather than dramatic tricks, forcing us to sit with the genuine pain and enduring strength of the characters. This is a captivating, educational, and deeply affecting novel that will stay with me for a very long time, and I highly recommend it to everyone.
Five out of five stars.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
April 25, 2026
4.5. Beautiful, short and effective prose. Moving and honest with a lot of intentional and connected imagery. Genre-bending. I was left wanting more. More killer whales and otter connections in the end.
The cover is gorgeous, and the black inner pages stood out.
The cover is gorgeous, and the black inner pages stood out.
May 22, 2026
A hauntingly beautiful story that is in no way fictional for most of the Indigenous community. It is a very angry read which is very refreshing
June 23, 2026
Gitwaałtk is a powerful and deeply moving story that stayed with me. Crystal AJ Smith explores grief, loss, and resilience through the story of a young Indigenous woman searching for answers after her sister-cousin disappears along the Highway of Tears.
Told through a blend of poetry and short vignettes, the writing feels raw, intimate, and incredibly impactful. Every page carries the weight of personal heartbreak while also shining a light on the larger realities faced by Indigenous women, families, and communities. It examines the lasting effects of colonization, intergenerational trauma, and the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
What resonated with me most was the way Smith balances sorrow with strength. Family, community, culture, and tradition become sources of healing and resistance, even in the face of unimaginable pain. The spiritual elements woven throughout add another layer of depth, creating a journey that is both heartbreaking and hopeful.
Thank you so much @river_street_writes & @ghp_pql for the #gifted copy!
All opinions are my own 🩵
Told through a blend of poetry and short vignettes, the writing feels raw, intimate, and incredibly impactful. Every page carries the weight of personal heartbreak while also shining a light on the larger realities faced by Indigenous women, families, and communities. It examines the lasting effects of colonization, intergenerational trauma, and the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
What resonated with me most was the way Smith balances sorrow with strength. Family, community, culture, and tradition become sources of healing and resistance, even in the face of unimaginable pain. The spiritual elements woven throughout add another layer of depth, creating a journey that is both heartbreaking and hopeful.
Thank you so much @river_street_writes & @ghp_pql for the #gifted copy!
All opinions are my own 🩵
July 2, 2026
A ponderance on grief, colonialism and how they both impact Indigenous communities. Heartbreaking and moving and raw.
April 14, 2026
Wow.
After reading page one I knew this was going to be an emotional read. The writing was so powerful. I know it was fiction but it read like non fiction. We could see how much our main character loved her “twin” (was actually her cousin) and how her death affected the whole family. It breaks my heart how shitty white people are, just kill people because no one will care because the people you killed aren’t white and literally happens. It just blows my mind. This would absolutely be considered generation trauma with what our main characters grandmother went through. This is one of those books that is tiny but mighty.
I would recommend this book to everyone.
Thank you so much to The Porcupine’s Quill and River Street Writes for getting a copy in my hands to read and enjoy.
After reading page one I knew this was going to be an emotional read. The writing was so powerful. I know it was fiction but it read like non fiction. We could see how much our main character loved her “twin” (was actually her cousin) and how her death affected the whole family. It breaks my heart how shitty white people are, just kill people because no one will care because the people you killed aren’t white and literally happens. It just blows my mind. This would absolutely be considered generation trauma with what our main characters grandmother went through. This is one of those books that is tiny but mighty.
I would recommend this book to everyone.
Thank you so much to The Porcupine’s Quill and River Street Writes for getting a copy in my hands to read and enjoy.
April 8, 2026
A young indigenous woman who is grieving the loss of her cousin, who she considers like her twin sister. She was found dead along the highway of tears and the police state she died of natural causes 😡. The woman embarks on a journey to find her sister’s killer, with the help of her na̱xnox, the spiritual beings in the form of otters 🦦. Unique view of what Indigenous families are enduring each time one of their women is found murdered along this trail, the grief, anger and hopelessness they feel. Captivating and important read that grabbed me in from the first page.
Thank you to River Street Writes for an advanced copy of this book.
Thank you to River Street Writes for an advanced copy of this book.
May 21, 2026
I read Gitwaaltk in one sitting. It follows a young Indigenous woman grappling with the disappearance of her cousin along the Highway of Tears, exploring grief, memories, and the weight of colonization and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Written in short, poetic pieces with a spiritual touch, with animals and ancestors guiding her, the story is emotional, heavy, and deeply personal, but I couldn’t put it down.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Gitwaaltk by Crystal AJ Smith
This is a striking debut novel that centers on a young Indigenous woman who is grappling with the disappearance of her sister/cousin to the highway of tears.
Smith crafts the narrative through short vignettes and poetry to weave personal grief with collective trauma, exposing the legacy of colonization and the profound impacts on family and community. The novel situates individual loss within the broader context: the intergenerational scars of colonization, the lingering devastation of the residential school system and the systemic failures surrounding missing and murdered Indigenous women. One of the novel’s memorable passages reflects this painful inheritance “ Our community was lucky in that several Elders made it to the bush and survived when they were little, that they didn’t get taken, they didn’t get abused, they didn’t get assaulted, they didn’t have our language beaten out of them. But it’s hard to teach when so many of their peers were taken, went and became lost, went and lost their humanness, went and lost their souls to the schools. Their peers came back hollow, and had children, and raised those children to be hollow, and even those children are now raising their children to be hollow.”
The narrator, as a knowledge keeper, connects with her naxnox to navigate her grief, rage and desire to support her sister on her journey home, blending spiritual elements with stark social critique.
While the novel’s plot is spare, its emotional and political urgency is undeniable. It’s greatest strength lies not in traditional storytelling, but in its relentless, affecting portrayal of the realities facing Indigenous women and communities and the feelings it elicits in the reader. The prose evokes raw pain, anguish and rage alongside deep feelings of despair and isolation, compelling readers to reckon with these truths.
I will definitely keep my eye out for her next book.
This is a striking debut novel that centers on a young Indigenous woman who is grappling with the disappearance of her sister/cousin to the highway of tears.
Smith crafts the narrative through short vignettes and poetry to weave personal grief with collective trauma, exposing the legacy of colonization and the profound impacts on family and community. The novel situates individual loss within the broader context: the intergenerational scars of colonization, the lingering devastation of the residential school system and the systemic failures surrounding missing and murdered Indigenous women. One of the novel’s memorable passages reflects this painful inheritance “ Our community was lucky in that several Elders made it to the bush and survived when they were little, that they didn’t get taken, they didn’t get abused, they didn’t get assaulted, they didn’t have our language beaten out of them. But it’s hard to teach when so many of their peers were taken, went and became lost, went and lost their humanness, went and lost their souls to the schools. Their peers came back hollow, and had children, and raised those children to be hollow, and even those children are now raising their children to be hollow.”
The narrator, as a knowledge keeper, connects with her naxnox to navigate her grief, rage and desire to support her sister on her journey home, blending spiritual elements with stark social critique.
While the novel’s plot is spare, its emotional and political urgency is undeniable. It’s greatest strength lies not in traditional storytelling, but in its relentless, affecting portrayal of the realities facing Indigenous women and communities and the feelings it elicits in the reader. The prose evokes raw pain, anguish and rage alongside deep feelings of despair and isolation, compelling readers to reckon with these truths.
I will definitely keep my eye out for her next book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I think the synopsis of this book does some injustice to the author. I went in expecting a non-fiction read about the author losing her family member to the highway of tears, and how she comes to lean on her family and community to help bring the case to light.
Instead I was confused and turned around when I was encompassed in a read with sensationalized actions, confusing time jumps, storylines that were picked up and left, only to be snapped up again with little to no logical arrangement, and so much tell and not show. I was baffled and confused, and wondering what certain terms meant that didn't get explanation until much later in the novel, and even then, it took murderous shapeshifting otters for me to realize this was a work of fiction.
From there we're turned and tossed into scenes with little to no descriptions, clinging to dialogue and brief details in the hopes that something makes sense. I can see what the author wanted to do with this, but I think the lack of support in fleshing out detailed scenes, in being clear the book is fiction and in writing realistic dialogue or terms just left this to be confusing and odd.
There are also assumptions that the reader will understand Indigenous terms, mythology and culture, and even my attempt at searching online myself came up with nothing to explain the history I was trying to understand, only hoping later on in the story there would be more context to help flesh it out a bit - like the term for the green forest people and otters.
Either way, this was an intriguing attempt, but it felt as if it was a rough draft instead of a finished story, and there's nowhere showing that this is a paranormal fiction novel the reader is stepping into, and not insight into the damage from the highway of tears.
*****
I was sent a complimentary advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Instead I was confused and turned around when I was encompassed in a read with sensationalized actions, confusing time jumps, storylines that were picked up and left, only to be snapped up again with little to no logical arrangement, and so much tell and not show. I was baffled and confused, and wondering what certain terms meant that didn't get explanation until much later in the novel, and even then, it took murderous shapeshifting otters for me to realize this was a work of fiction.
From there we're turned and tossed into scenes with little to no descriptions, clinging to dialogue and brief details in the hopes that something makes sense. I can see what the author wanted to do with this, but I think the lack of support in fleshing out detailed scenes, in being clear the book is fiction and in writing realistic dialogue or terms just left this to be confusing and odd.
There are also assumptions that the reader will understand Indigenous terms, mythology and culture, and even my attempt at searching online myself came up with nothing to explain the history I was trying to understand, only hoping later on in the story there would be more context to help flesh it out a bit - like the term for the green forest people and otters.
Either way, this was an intriguing attempt, but it felt as if it was a rough draft instead of a finished story, and there's nowhere showing that this is a paranormal fiction novel the reader is stepping into, and not insight into the damage from the highway of tears.
*****
I was sent a complimentary advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 17, 2026
Gitwaałtk is a deeply moving story that goes beyond the pain of losing someone. At its heart is a young Indigenous woman trying to make sense of the disappearance of her sister-cousin while refusing to allow grief to become the end of her story. Her journey toward justice gives the novel an emotional weight that stays with you.
What I found especially powerful is the way the story connects personal grief with something much larger: family, community, tradition, and cultural identity. The protagonist’s relationship with her na?xnox adds another dimension to her journey, making the search for answers feel not only like a pursuit of justice, but also a journey of understanding and strength.
The idea that healing does not necessarily mean forgetting is one of the book’s strongest themes. The loss she carries becomes part of a larger search for truth, while the presence of family and community shows how people can find strength even when confronted with devastating circumstances.
I also appreciated that the story does not treat the disappearance simply as a mystery to be solved. It gives emotional and cultural weight to the person who was lost and to the person left behind. That makes the protagonist’s determination feel deeply human rather than simply driven by revenge.
Gitwaałtk is ultimately a story about what we do with grief: whether it breaks us, or whether it can become a source of courage, connection, and purpose. Crystal AJ Smith has created a story that brings together loss, justice, Indigenous identity, family, and tradition in a way that invites the reader to think about what healing and remembrance truly mean.
A poignant and thought-provoking read, especially for readers who appreciate stories where the emotional journey of the characters is just as important as the search for answers.
What I found especially powerful is the way the story connects personal grief with something much larger: family, community, tradition, and cultural identity. The protagonist’s relationship with her na?xnox adds another dimension to her journey, making the search for answers feel not only like a pursuit of justice, but also a journey of understanding and strength.
The idea that healing does not necessarily mean forgetting is one of the book’s strongest themes. The loss she carries becomes part of a larger search for truth, while the presence of family and community shows how people can find strength even when confronted with devastating circumstances.
I also appreciated that the story does not treat the disappearance simply as a mystery to be solved. It gives emotional and cultural weight to the person who was lost and to the person left behind. That makes the protagonist’s determination feel deeply human rather than simply driven by revenge.
Gitwaałtk is ultimately a story about what we do with grief: whether it breaks us, or whether it can become a source of courage, connection, and purpose. Crystal AJ Smith has created a story that brings together loss, justice, Indigenous identity, family, and tradition in a way that invites the reader to think about what healing and remembrance truly mean.
A poignant and thought-provoking read, especially for readers who appreciate stories where the emotional journey of the characters is just as important as the search for answers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
It’s always an impressive accomplishment when an author can deliver profound emotional depth within such a short novel. In so few pages, this debut makes a powerful and lasting impact.
This striking story follows a young Indigenous woman confronting the disappearance of her sister/cousin along the Highway of Tears. Through her journey, the novel explores culture, grief, and rage, weaving spiritual elements seamlessly with sharp social critique.
Thank you Porcupine’s Quill for the complimentary copy.
This striking story follows a young Indigenous woman confronting the disappearance of her sister/cousin along the Highway of Tears. Through her journey, the novel explores culture, grief, and rage, weaving spiritual elements seamlessly with sharp social critique.
Thank you Porcupine’s Quill for the complimentary copy.
May 30, 2026
Thank you River Street Writing for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review!
A shockingly short read but my God does it pack a punch. There is so much anger, hurt, and strength in this novel and I loved reading every word of in. I only wish it were longer!
Read the full review on my blog!
Also, I am more active on Storygraph now so if you want to see what I'm read right away, follow me there!
A shockingly short read but my God does it pack a punch. There is so much anger, hurt, and strength in this novel and I loved reading every word of in. I only wish it were longer!
Read the full review on my blog!
Also, I am more active on Storygraph now so if you want to see what I'm read right away, follow me there!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews