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The Night Wanderer: A Native Gothic Novel
Nothing ever happens on the Otter Lake reservation. But when 16-year-old Tiffany discovers her father is renting out her room, she’s deeply upset. Sure, their guest is polite and keeps to himself, but he’s also a little creepy.
Little do Tiffany, her father, or even her astute Granny Ruth suspect the truth. The mysterious Pierre L’Errant is actually a vampire, returning to his tribal home after centuries spent in Europe. But Tiffany has other things on her her new boyfriend is acting weird, disputes with her father are escalating, and her estranged mother is starting a new life with somebody else. Fed up and heartsick, Tiffany threatens drastic measures and flees into the bush. There, in the midnight woods, a chilling encounter with L’Errant changes everything ... for both of them.
A mesmerizing blend of Gothic thriller and modern coming-of-age novel, THE NIGHT WANDERER is unlike any other vampire story.
Little do Tiffany, her father, or even her astute Granny Ruth suspect the truth. The mysterious Pierre L’Errant is actually a vampire, returning to his tribal home after centuries spent in Europe. But Tiffany has other things on her her new boyfriend is acting weird, disputes with her father are escalating, and her estranged mother is starting a new life with somebody else. Fed up and heartsick, Tiffany threatens drastic measures and flees into the bush. There, in the midnight woods, a chilling encounter with L’Errant changes everything ... for both of them.
A mesmerizing blend of Gothic thriller and modern coming-of-age novel, THE NIGHT WANDERER is unlike any other vampire story.
215 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 17, 2007
41 people are currently reading
2014 people want to read
About the author
Drew Hayden Taylor
59 books300 followersDuring the last thirty years of his life, Drew Hayden Taylor has done many things, most of which he is proud of. An Ojibway from the Curve Lake First Nations in Ontario, he has worn many hats in his literary career, from performing stand-up comedy at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., to being Artistic Director of Canada's premiere Native theatre company, Native Earth Performing Arts. He has been an award-winning playwright (with over 70 productions of his work), a journalist/columnist (appearing regularly in several Canadian newspapers and magazines), short-story writer, novelist, television scriptwriter, and has worked on over 17 documentaries exploring the Native experience. Most notably, he wrote and directed REDSKINS, TRICKSTERS AND PUPPY STEW, a documentary on Native humour for the National Film Board of Canada.
He has traveled to sixteen countries around the world, spreading the gospel of Native literature to the world. Through many of his books, most notably the four volume set of the FUNNY, YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE ONE series, he has tried to educate and inform the world about issues that reflect, celebrate, and interfere in the lives of Canada's First Nations.
Self described as a contemporary story teller in what ever form, last summer saw the production of the third season of MIXED BLESSINGS, a television comedy series he co-created and is the head writer for. This fall, a made-for-tv movie he wrote, based on his Governor General's nominated play was nominated for three Gemini Awards, including Best Movie. Originally it aired on APTN and opened the American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco, and the Dreamspeakers Film Festival in Edmonton.
The last few years has seen him proudly serve as the Writer-In-Residence at the University of Michigan and the University of Western Ontario. In 2007, Annick Press published his first Novel, THE NIGHT WANDERER: A Native Gothic Novel, a teen novel about an Ojibway vampire. Two years ago, his non-fiction book exploring the world of Native sexuality, called ME SEXY, was published by Douglas & McIntyre. It is a follow up to his highly successful book on Native humour, ME FUNNY.
The author of 20 books in total, he is eagerly awaiting the publication of his new novel in February by Random House as "One of the new faces of fiction for 2010", titled MOTORCYCLES AND SWEETGRASS. In January, his new play, DEAD WHITE WRITER ON THE FLOOR, opens at Magnus Theatre in Thunder Bay. Currently, he is working on a new play titled CREES IN THE CARRIBEAN, and a collection of essays called POSTCARDS FROM THE FOUR DIRECTIONS. More importantly, he is desperately trying to find the time to do his laundry.
Oddly enough, the thing his mother is most proud of is his ability to make spaghetti from scratch.
He has traveled to sixteen countries around the world, spreading the gospel of Native literature to the world. Through many of his books, most notably the four volume set of the FUNNY, YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE ONE series, he has tried to educate and inform the world about issues that reflect, celebrate, and interfere in the lives of Canada's First Nations.
Self described as a contemporary story teller in what ever form, last summer saw the production of the third season of MIXED BLESSINGS, a television comedy series he co-created and is the head writer for. This fall, a made-for-tv movie he wrote, based on his Governor General's nominated play was nominated for three Gemini Awards, including Best Movie. Originally it aired on APTN and opened the American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco, and the Dreamspeakers Film Festival in Edmonton.
The last few years has seen him proudly serve as the Writer-In-Residence at the University of Michigan and the University of Western Ontario. In 2007, Annick Press published his first Novel, THE NIGHT WANDERER: A Native Gothic Novel, a teen novel about an Ojibway vampire. Two years ago, his non-fiction book exploring the world of Native sexuality, called ME SEXY, was published by Douglas & McIntyre. It is a follow up to his highly successful book on Native humour, ME FUNNY.
The author of 20 books in total, he is eagerly awaiting the publication of his new novel in February by Random House as "One of the new faces of fiction for 2010", titled MOTORCYCLES AND SWEETGRASS. In January, his new play, DEAD WHITE WRITER ON THE FLOOR, opens at Magnus Theatre in Thunder Bay. Currently, he is working on a new play titled CREES IN THE CARRIBEAN, and a collection of essays called POSTCARDS FROM THE FOUR DIRECTIONS. More importantly, he is desperately trying to find the time to do his laundry.
Oddly enough, the thing his mother is most proud of is his ability to make spaghetti from scratch.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
July 26, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up
Part coming of age story, part gothic vampire tale centering indigenous characters. The Night Wanderer is an excellent little novel that's a bit creepy and has really solid character work. This follows a 16 year old girl living on the Otter Lake reservation in Canada and dating a white boy who might not be as great as she thinks he is. Her mom left their family a year ago and she is struggling in school and not getting along with her father who is grieving in his own way. To make ends meet, her dad decides to take in a European border and tells her she must move to the basement. But their guest may not be what he seems... This was great and I would read more from the author in the future. It's also the perfect suggestion for someone who wants to dip their toes into horror but doesn't want anything too scary or gory. The author narrates the audiobook and does a great job. I received an audio copy for review from Libro.FM, all opinions are my own.
Part coming of age story, part gothic vampire tale centering indigenous characters. The Night Wanderer is an excellent little novel that's a bit creepy and has really solid character work. This follows a 16 year old girl living on the Otter Lake reservation in Canada and dating a white boy who might not be as great as she thinks he is. Her mom left their family a year ago and she is struggling in school and not getting along with her father who is grieving in his own way. To make ends meet, her dad decides to take in a European border and tells her she must move to the basement. But their guest may not be what he seems... This was great and I would read more from the author in the future. It's also the perfect suggestion for someone who wants to dip their toes into horror but doesn't want anything too scary or gory. The author narrates the audiobook and does a great job. I received an audio copy for review from Libro.FM, all opinions are my own.
May 10, 2011
I really wanted to like this one more than I did. It could have been so much more than what's here. It actually feels like two disjointed stories barely linked together and that the good story isn't actually told.
Tiffany is a difficult character to like. She is so overblown in her reaction's to things in her life. She seems almost a charicature of a teenage girl, stomping and cussing and running off, saying they'll all be sorry. I get that teenage girls are emotional and overly dramatic at times, but she's just too much silliness instead of real a flesh and blood girl.
And speaking of blood, that brings us to the other central character, Pierre L'Errant. I so much wish his story had been told. This book would have been great if Tiffany's chapters had been pared down to one or two to bookend Pierre's story which would have been very interesting. Sadly, when he gets around to telling his story, we're told he tells his story, but we don't get to read his story. Aaarrrggghhh! Yes, we got the bones of it, but there surely was so much more that could and, in my opinion, should have been included.
This book is only a little over 200 pages and still it felt like a long read. I was never gripped by the story, never had any trouble putting it down until later. I never felt involved with the characters or story.
It's called a Native Gothic novel, but the Native touches are very light. It seemed to me that it could be about anyone and that was something of a disappointment. The only Native connections seemed to be Tiffany's use of her tax-free card, the fact that they lived on the reserve and her grandmother's use of Anishinabe words and phrases that no one else can understand. Maybe that is how it is living on a reserve today, I don't know, but I was hoping there would be more connection to that.
I did like Pierre's understanding and connection to his homeland and I'd have liked to know more about his preparations and all. But I've already said I would have liked to have known his whole story.
I have to add that I was surprised by how little dialogue there is in this book. The author is a playwright so I'd think great dialogue would be his strongest talent, but the conversations here are either brief or alluded to without actually reading them or they don't seem to flow very well. I'm not sure why. So much of the story is internal for each character; either their thoughts or bits of backstory, but not much on the page is action.
Still, I'd try another book from this author.
Tiffany is a difficult character to like. She is so overblown in her reaction's to things in her life. She seems almost a charicature of a teenage girl, stomping and cussing and running off, saying they'll all be sorry. I get that teenage girls are emotional and overly dramatic at times, but she's just too much silliness instead of real a flesh and blood girl.
And speaking of blood, that brings us to the other central character, Pierre L'Errant. I so much wish his story had been told. This book would have been great if Tiffany's chapters had been pared down to one or two to bookend Pierre's story which would have been very interesting. Sadly, when he gets around to telling his story, we're told he tells his story, but we don't get to read his story. Aaarrrggghhh! Yes, we got the bones of it, but there surely was so much more that could and, in my opinion, should have been included.
This book is only a little over 200 pages and still it felt like a long read. I was never gripped by the story, never had any trouble putting it down until later. I never felt involved with the characters or story.
It's called a Native Gothic novel, but the Native touches are very light. It seemed to me that it could be about anyone and that was something of a disappointment. The only Native connections seemed to be Tiffany's use of her tax-free card, the fact that they lived on the reserve and her grandmother's use of Anishinabe words and phrases that no one else can understand. Maybe that is how it is living on a reserve today, I don't know, but I was hoping there would be more connection to that.
I did like Pierre's understanding and connection to his homeland and I'd have liked to know more about his preparations and all. But I've already said I would have liked to have known his whole story.
I have to add that I was surprised by how little dialogue there is in this book. The author is a playwright so I'd think great dialogue would be his strongest talent, but the conversations here are either brief or alluded to without actually reading them or they don't seem to flow very well. I'm not sure why. So much of the story is internal for each character; either their thoughts or bits of backstory, but not much on the page is action.
Still, I'd try another book from this author.
October 31, 2020
I was very pleasantly surprised by this little YA book. It's about 16 year old Tiffany who is dealing with typical 16 year old girl problems; school, boys, parents, ect. Also some super natural stuff that I won't go into here so not to spoil anything. The whole time I was reading this, I was fully planning on giving it three stars. Just kind of ho hum not terrible not really amazing either. Then towards the end, the book starts to get into some deeper more serious stuff. This is what made me bump it up to a solid four stars. Congrats to Drew Hayden Taylor for catching me totally by surprise. I would recommend this to fans of YA books with super natural aspects.
November 9, 2010
Tiffany Hunter is dealing with a lot. She lives in Otter Lake, an Anishinabe (Ojibwa) reservation in central Ontario with her dad and grandmother. She's doing poorly in school, she fights with her dad constantly, and to make matters even more difficult she is trying to navigate a new relationship with a white boyfriend. Demons and ghost stories are the last thing on her mind—but they're the center of everything for Pierre L’Errant, the new boarder Tiffany's father has just taken into their home. Though from Europe, he is clearly Native, and mentions he is of Anishinabe ancestry. But who is he really, and where did he come from? Why has he come to Otter Lake, of all places? In The Night Wanderer, Drew Hayden Taylor gives us a new and refreshing twist on the centuries-old legend of the vampire.
The more I thought about this book, the more I liked it. At its heart, it is about home and family. Tiffany struggles with this, as she is constantly battling with her father over pretty much anything, though especially about her boyfriend Tony. There are a lot of underlying issues with this, as Tiffany's mother left her father, Keith, for a white man about a year earlier. Keith is still trying to recover, and unfortunately he isn't getting very far. He doesn't know how to handle his daughter, so he lets out his anger and pain on her—and she returns it full force. Stuck in the middle of this is Granny Ruth, Keith's mother. She's feisty, but is trying to deal with all of this pain and anger and not-talking-about-the-real-issue on her own, until Pierre enters the picture.
Pierre is a character we can sympathize with, though we're not sure we can trust him. His motives aren't clear until the very end. But what is clear is his attachment to his homeland, the place where he was born centuries before, when he made the decision to leave it and everything he knew for adventure and the unknown. He is not the tortured vampire struggling with what he is at his very essence, though there are hints that he has thought about it. He knows what he is and accepts it, which is truly a nice change from the brooding bad-boy vampire so popular in today's teen fiction.
Taylor works Anishinabe (more commonly known as Ojibwa) culture and language into Pierre's and Tiffany's intersecting stories—both in the modern and more ancient culture and teen experiences. Tiffany is trying to sort out what it means to be a part of her native community, often trying to escape it, though sometimes feeling guilty for not knowing more than she does (for example, she can't speak the language, like her grandmother). Usually I am hesitant to read fiction about certain cultures, especially Native American ones, for fear of misrepresentation of the people and the history. But because Taylor is Ojibwa himself, I trusted his descriptions and allowed myself to enjoy the story, knowing it is authentic. He also manages to include an interracial relationship and its resulting difficulties, such as racism and Tiffany's discomfort at being the only Native teen in a group of white ones.
Another thing I loved are the sometimes surprising little dashes of humor Taylor throws into his prose every so often. I found myself sporting a quick grin at many little details he includes, like this sentence in the middle of a suspenseful scene: "From deep in the bush, a hunter older than James, his house, and the mayonnaise at the back of his refrigerator all put together watched him closely" (79). But despite this comic relief, there are a few chapter that got my heart pounding—many strange and unnatural things are seen on the Otter Lake Reservation after Pierre arrives.
My only complaints lie with the characterization of Tiffany. For a while I felt like she was too flat of a character—I wasn't really getting where she was coming from, and she just seemed a bit off through the beginning. It took me a while to get into the book because it was mostly about Tiffany at first. However, once Taylor started writing about Pierre and other characters, I could see his talent better. I found out afterward that this was originally written as a play, and I thought that might have had something to do with it.
These days, everyone is sick of vampires and their sparkles and forbidden love interests in virginal white girls. But with his fresh interpretation and the addition of family drama and the importance of home, Taylor has given us a reason to enjoy vampire novels again.
The more I thought about this book, the more I liked it. At its heart, it is about home and family. Tiffany struggles with this, as she is constantly battling with her father over pretty much anything, though especially about her boyfriend Tony. There are a lot of underlying issues with this, as Tiffany's mother left her father, Keith, for a white man about a year earlier. Keith is still trying to recover, and unfortunately he isn't getting very far. He doesn't know how to handle his daughter, so he lets out his anger and pain on her—and she returns it full force. Stuck in the middle of this is Granny Ruth, Keith's mother. She's feisty, but is trying to deal with all of this pain and anger and not-talking-about-the-real-issue on her own, until Pierre enters the picture.
Pierre is a character we can sympathize with, though we're not sure we can trust him. His motives aren't clear until the very end. But what is clear is his attachment to his homeland, the place where he was born centuries before, when he made the decision to leave it and everything he knew for adventure and the unknown. He is not the tortured vampire struggling with what he is at his very essence, though there are hints that he has thought about it. He knows what he is and accepts it, which is truly a nice change from the brooding bad-boy vampire so popular in today's teen fiction.
Taylor works Anishinabe (more commonly known as Ojibwa) culture and language into Pierre's and Tiffany's intersecting stories—both in the modern and more ancient culture and teen experiences. Tiffany is trying to sort out what it means to be a part of her native community, often trying to escape it, though sometimes feeling guilty for not knowing more than she does (for example, she can't speak the language, like her grandmother). Usually I am hesitant to read fiction about certain cultures, especially Native American ones, for fear of misrepresentation of the people and the history. But because Taylor is Ojibwa himself, I trusted his descriptions and allowed myself to enjoy the story, knowing it is authentic. He also manages to include an interracial relationship and its resulting difficulties, such as racism and Tiffany's discomfort at being the only Native teen in a group of white ones.
Another thing I loved are the sometimes surprising little dashes of humor Taylor throws into his prose every so often. I found myself sporting a quick grin at many little details he includes, like this sentence in the middle of a suspenseful scene: "From deep in the bush, a hunter older than James, his house, and the mayonnaise at the back of his refrigerator all put together watched him closely" (79). But despite this comic relief, there are a few chapter that got my heart pounding—many strange and unnatural things are seen on the Otter Lake Reservation after Pierre arrives.
My only complaints lie with the characterization of Tiffany. For a while I felt like she was too flat of a character—I wasn't really getting where she was coming from, and she just seemed a bit off through the beginning. It took me a while to get into the book because it was mostly about Tiffany at first. However, once Taylor started writing about Pierre and other characters, I could see his talent better. I found out afterward that this was originally written as a play, and I thought that might have had something to do with it.
These days, everyone is sick of vampires and their sparkles and forbidden love interests in virginal white girls. But with his fresh interpretation and the addition of family drama and the importance of home, Taylor has given us a reason to enjoy vampire novels again.
January 21, 2025
I loved this book. I listened to the audiobook on Hoopla and it was narrated by the author. I enjoyed his reading, and I liked the book so much I bought a physical copy, too.
This is the story of a centuries-old indigenous vampire who left his tribe in Canada to travel with French traders back to Europe to see the world. While in France he contracted a deadly disease, and on his deathbed he was saved by a vampire who gifted him with immortality. But now he's back in America, returning to the land of his people, which he has missed immensely.
The book is set mostly in a contemporary timeline, but there are flashbacks to the vampire's youth nearly 300 years ago, when he was still human. The vampire's perspective is the most interesting in the book. But we also get a lot of story from a native girl on a reservation, and her experiences with a broken home, poverty, and racism. The vampire takes on a sort of big brother role to her and helps her see beyond her own pain to realize the beauty in the world.
I found this book very touching but also informative. I learned about things I didn't know, like how indigenous people in Canada have identification cards exempting them from paying taxes, and how non-indigenous people will befriend them to abuse that privilege for themselves. But keep in mind it's a little bit dated at this time, so there's no mention of social media apps whatsoever, and the teenage girl doesn't even have a phone. haha
I always laugh when I read a YA vampire book and the vampires are always French. But this book had a great twist to that trope and I thought it was all well-done. The last chapter of the book in particular really tugs at the heart-strings.
This is the story of a centuries-old indigenous vampire who left his tribe in Canada to travel with French traders back to Europe to see the world. While in France he contracted a deadly disease, and on his deathbed he was saved by a vampire who gifted him with immortality. But now he's back in America, returning to the land of his people, which he has missed immensely.
The book is set mostly in a contemporary timeline, but there are flashbacks to the vampire's youth nearly 300 years ago, when he was still human. The vampire's perspective is the most interesting in the book. But we also get a lot of story from a native girl on a reservation, and her experiences with a broken home, poverty, and racism. The vampire takes on a sort of big brother role to her and helps her see beyond her own pain to realize the beauty in the world.
I found this book very touching but also informative. I learned about things I didn't know, like how indigenous people in Canada have identification cards exempting them from paying taxes, and how non-indigenous people will befriend them to abuse that privilege for themselves. But keep in mind it's a little bit dated at this time, so there's no mention of social media apps whatsoever, and the teenage girl doesn't even have a phone. haha
I always laugh when I read a YA vampire book and the vampires are always French. But this book had a great twist to that trope and I thought it was all well-done. The last chapter of the book in particular really tugs at the heart-strings.
June 8, 2018
3.5 Stars
This was a well written young adult novel told from the perspective of an Aboriginal teenager girl living on reserve in Canada. I would have liked the vampire element to play more prominently in the story. Not all creepy, this reads more like urban fantasy than horror.
This was a well written young adult novel told from the perspective of an Aboriginal teenager girl living on reserve in Canada. I would have liked the vampire element to play more prominently in the story. Not all creepy, this reads more like urban fantasy than horror.
May 26, 2023
Written by an Indigenous author living in Canada, THE NIGHT WANDERER is targeted towards the Young Adult audience. However, I believe it is a fabulous book that readers of any age will enjoy.
THE NIGHT WANDERER is a gothic, tale set on Anishinaabe land.
Drew Hayden Taylor has created characters so believable that readers will start to wonder if they are actually based on real people.
I do not want to give any spoilers, so suffice it to say that you MUST READ this book.
I rate this book as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I WILL DEFINITELY be reading more books written by Drew Hayden Taylor.
THE NIGHT WANDERER is a gothic, tale set on Anishinaabe land.
Drew Hayden Taylor has created characters so believable that readers will start to wonder if they are actually based on real people.
I do not want to give any spoilers, so suffice it to say that you MUST READ this book.
I rate this book as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I WILL DEFINITELY be reading more books written by Drew Hayden Taylor.
December 3, 2010
I thought this was an interesting read and it's not something I usually pick up. This was the first book I've read where the paranormal guy in the book was actually creepy (I suppose The Historian may count too but since I basically just skimmed most of that book, including the parts about Dracula, I can't really say.). One of the strange things, though, is that even though Pierre is a vampire who does not mind killing humans, he still came across as a good guy but Pierre was also pretty nice to Tiffany (more so than necessary) and he helped out her and her family even when there was no reason for him to get involved. I couldn't understand his motive and I felt that it really contradicted the image that I thought the author wanted to give of Pierre, which was that he was not the usual "human-souled" vampire that you typically see in YA lit. But I don't know-I suppose without Pierre's involvement in family matters, he wouldn't have come across as such a sympathetic character, and it's important to think of him as such in order to get the full effect at the close of the last chapter.
I really liked reading about the Native mythology. I wish the author had included more of that. He only described a couple of myths very briefly. It was the first time I ever read about the legend of the wendigo. I had heard about it before on an episode of Supernatural (awesome show!) but I hadn't come across anything about wendigos since. It's really not that common of a myth, which is a shame because I think the story's really interesting.
One problem that I had with the book, though, is the fact that Drew Hayden Taylor does not know how to write about teenage girls. Tiffany came across as so cliche that she never seemed real to me. Also, Taylor would have a character think something and then say the exact same thing out loud, which was unnecessarily repetitive. This happened a few times and it got a little annoying.
I really liked reading about the Native mythology. I wish the author had included more of that. He only described a couple of myths very briefly. It was the first time I ever read about the legend of the wendigo. I had heard about it before on an episode of Supernatural (awesome show!) but I hadn't come across anything about wendigos since. It's really not that common of a myth, which is a shame because I think the story's really interesting.
One problem that I had with the book, though, is the fact that Drew Hayden Taylor does not know how to write about teenage girls. Tiffany came across as so cliche that she never seemed real to me. Also, Taylor would have a character think something and then say the exact same thing out loud, which was unnecessarily repetitive. This happened a few times and it got a little annoying.
January 23, 2013
Pierre L'Errant is a secretive man. He is travelling to the Otter Lake Reserve, but his is exhibiting mysterious behaviour such as hiding in the airport all day and only leaving the buildings when it is night time.
On the Reserve, sixteen year old Tiffany Hunter has been told by her father that she must move all her belongings to the room in the basement; no explanation is given to her. Being a teenager is tough enough when your mother runs off with another man and you are a visible minority in your school. Now her father doesn't appear to want her in his daily life.
This book has all the earmarks of a Modern Gothic novel: mystery and horror. Next, add in a little romance and the angst that accompanies all teenage affairs of the heart and the stage is almost set. We also learn, that the swamp at the north end of the reserve is believed to be populated by unseen monsters and demons. Thank goodness I wasn't sitting home alone while reading this.
I can't tell you any more about the story as I'm sure I would spoil the suspense and mystery.
We do spend a lot of time with Tiffany and learn of her troubles of coming of age while living first, in a broken family and then by being the outsider at school and in her boyfriend's group of friends. She also is dealing with the heritage of the Hunter Clan. Her grandmother speaks to her in the language of the Anishinabe, of which she is the last fully fluent speaker on the Otter Lake Reserve. Tiffany hardly understands a word, but her grandmother continues to do this. How is it that Pierre understands her?
This novel is clearly written for a young adult audience. It is just creepy enough to keep their attention, but not too scary to cause nightmares. Much of the focus is on Tiffany and her boyfriend, with that story running parallel to that of why Pierre is visiting the reserve.
I continue to enjoy the writing of Drew Hayden Taylor and look forward to another of his works.
On the Reserve, sixteen year old Tiffany Hunter has been told by her father that she must move all her belongings to the room in the basement; no explanation is given to her. Being a teenager is tough enough when your mother runs off with another man and you are a visible minority in your school. Now her father doesn't appear to want her in his daily life.
This book has all the earmarks of a Modern Gothic novel: mystery and horror. Next, add in a little romance and the angst that accompanies all teenage affairs of the heart and the stage is almost set. We also learn, that the swamp at the north end of the reserve is believed to be populated by unseen monsters and demons. Thank goodness I wasn't sitting home alone while reading this.
I can't tell you any more about the story as I'm sure I would spoil the suspense and mystery.
We do spend a lot of time with Tiffany and learn of her troubles of coming of age while living first, in a broken family and then by being the outsider at school and in her boyfriend's group of friends. She also is dealing with the heritage of the Hunter Clan. Her grandmother speaks to her in the language of the Anishinabe, of which she is the last fully fluent speaker on the Otter Lake Reserve. Tiffany hardly understands a word, but her grandmother continues to do this. How is it that Pierre understands her?
This novel is clearly written for a young adult audience. It is just creepy enough to keep their attention, but not too scary to cause nightmares. Much of the focus is on Tiffany and her boyfriend, with that story running parallel to that of why Pierre is visiting the reserve.
I continue to enjoy the writing of Drew Hayden Taylor and look forward to another of his works.
October 6, 2010
Tiffany Hunter has a lot of typical teenager problems: her dad hates her white boyfriend and thinks Tiffany should study more, her boyfriend's friends seem uncomfortable with her because she's Native, and her mom took off with another guy. She longs to be older and to be able to leave boring Otter Lake Reserve for the exciting outside world. And now just to make things more complicated, her dad has taken in a boarder, a mysterious European named Pierre L'Errant who doesn't eat with them and only goes out at night.
I thought this was a really neat and original take on vampires. (This isn't a spoiler because it's quite clear to the reader from the outset what Pierre really is.) Instead of being sexy and beguiling, Pierre is old and knowledgeable, ready to come back to his ancestral home after wandering Europe for centuries.
Taylor shows bits and pieces of the Ojibwa culture of Pierre's youth, along with the culture clashes of today, between Tiffany and her family and her boyfriend. I thought the teenage voice faltered occasionally in Tiffany's parts of the narrative, but not enough to throw me out of the book. And I really liked the ending, which is full of tension yet not at all a showdown between vampire and human.
I thought this was a really neat and original take on vampires. (This isn't a spoiler because it's quite clear to the reader from the outset what Pierre really is.) Instead of being sexy and beguiling, Pierre is old and knowledgeable, ready to come back to his ancestral home after wandering Europe for centuries.
Taylor shows bits and pieces of the Ojibwa culture of Pierre's youth, along with the culture clashes of today, between Tiffany and her family and her boyfriend. I thought the teenage voice faltered occasionally in Tiffany's parts of the narrative, but not enough to throw me out of the book. And I really liked the ending, which is full of tension yet not at all a showdown between vampire and human.
November 16, 2017
a quite quick read. it's just 200 pages and not very dense ones, so this one was easy to read through quickly. it was a good story and i liked the info on the native canadian population. also how the vampire is portrayed was absolutely nicely done. the story though is quite small and does not give room to spread out correctly. i think there was much more potential for a much broader story. i understand this was more or less written for teenagers, but teenagers nowadays also read game of thrones or the whole harry potter back catalogue in a devouring manner, so the amount of pages could nevertheless have been much more. this would have helped me feel more with the characters and also feel more emotions during the quite clever end.
December 29, 2010
In two alternating narratives we are introduced to Tiffany, a typical teenage girl, and Pierre, a mysterious "European" traveler. The first half of the book is dominated by Tiffany's point of view; this gives it an uneven feel since it is almost entirely quotidian matter about school, her boyfriend, wishing she could have new shoes, fighting with her dad, etc. The small bits of Pierre with hints of the supernatural seem like an odd interruption and connect only coincidentally with Tiffany's life. But the second half works betters, as their stories connect.
October 9, 2016
This ia a YA book (not normally a favorite of mine), but also a vampire book (a definite favorite of mine).
It was actually pretty interesting because of the Anishinabe/Ojibwa angle of the story. More creepy than outright scary & a very good ending, imo.
I'd recommend it for young teens & up. A worthwhile read & a good October read that's not too scary.
It was actually pretty interesting because of the Anishinabe/Ojibwa angle of the story. More creepy than outright scary & a very good ending, imo.
I'd recommend it for young teens & up. A worthwhile read & a good October read that's not too scary.
October 4, 2025
If I were to describe The Night Wanderer in one word, it would be melancholic.
There was a million and one parallels to the struggle of indigenous peoples under colonialism and the loss of traditions in this book, but I’m not educated enough to discuss them with meaning.
What I can discuss, is the deep, heartbreaking feeling of being on the outside looking in. Both Tiffany and Pierre feel like they’re apart, rather than a part, of their community for surprisingly similar reasons.
Drew Hayden Taylor also chooses to break the mold on the vampire trope in unique ways here. While all the traditional powers of the vampire are on display, the way the vampire acts is both surprising and refreshing. His motivations when they emerge made me wonder if a reread is in order to see how many signs I missed the first time.
4.25 out of 5.00. Depending on what else I read this year, it may make the top 10.
There was a million and one parallels to the struggle of indigenous peoples under colonialism and the loss of traditions in this book, but I’m not educated enough to discuss them with meaning.
What I can discuss, is the deep, heartbreaking feeling of being on the outside looking in. Both Tiffany and Pierre feel like they’re apart, rather than a part, of their community for surprisingly similar reasons.
Drew Hayden Taylor also chooses to break the mold on the vampire trope in unique ways here. While all the traditional powers of the vampire are on display, the way the vampire acts is both surprising and refreshing. His motivations when they emerge made me wonder if a reread is in order to see how many signs I missed the first time.
4.25 out of 5.00. Depending on what else I read this year, it may make the top 10.
November 5, 2025
I give this book 4.5 stars!
I really loved it and would recommend, the ending was good but a bit anticlimactic😊 Fuck Tony
I really loved it and would recommend, the ending was good but a bit anticlimactic😊 Fuck Tony
August 28, 2023
Native Vampire!!!!!!!!!
June 12, 2025
3.5 stars, read for English class
Although at first this book seemed like it wasn’t going to be much I really enjoyed it, during the last few chapters we see Tiffany go through a struggle all teenagers go through, feelings of loneliness and hurt, she can’t accept the pain that comes with life and wants to escape. While Pierre accepts his life and all the bad and good that came with it while he reminisces about his past. Her story mirrors his as a teen, two kids who believe there is so much more than their home, taking for granted what they actually have. The story highlights teenage angst which I believe is important for the characters, even though it’s hard they must learn to live with the decisions they make as teens.
The main flaw of this book in my opinion was that Tiffany’s dad and grandma, Keith and Ruth, are not very interesting. They take up lots of page space that could be used to develop the actual interesting characters and they don’t, or even develop the currently uninteresting ones.
Although at first this book seemed like it wasn’t going to be much I really enjoyed it, during the last few chapters we see Tiffany go through a struggle all teenagers go through, feelings of loneliness and hurt, she can’t accept the pain that comes with life and wants to escape. While Pierre accepts his life and all the bad and good that came with it while he reminisces about his past. Her story mirrors his as a teen, two kids who believe there is so much more than their home, taking for granted what they actually have. The story highlights teenage angst which I believe is important for the characters, even though it’s hard they must learn to live with the decisions they make as teens.
The main flaw of this book in my opinion was that Tiffany’s dad and grandma, Keith and Ruth, are not very interesting. They take up lots of page space that could be used to develop the actual interesting characters and they don’t, or even develop the currently uninteresting ones.
May 2, 2017
I finished this novel on the day I began reading it. I didn't want to put it down. It was very readable, with a fast-paced story and short chapters. This isn't surprising considering that the Ojibway Canadian author adapted it from a script he had written years earlier. One cannot be too generous with descriptions or wordy in dialogue with theatre without quickly losing the audience. So it's tightly told, and fun to read.
Unfortunately, as much as I enjoyed reading it, and really did want to like it, I found the flaws in the book a little too glaring to ignore. The female protagonist, a teenage girl, is too melodramatic and extreme to be believable. As someone who works with young adults, and who has done so for many years, I just could not imagine a realistic person to match what I was reading. Her escalation is just too fast, and too far. Also, the final confrontation between this female character and the Night Wanderer character for which the book is named is inexplicably contrived. The last pages painfully conclude the book like a "very special episode", revealing that the story we have been reading has been a vehicle for didactic exposition before all else. And the subject matter of this little lesson, though important, is simply not earned by the two hundred pages that precede it. It feels forced.
Furthermore, some of the "advice" the book so baldly gives is just not very deep or important, and is given with very little empathy, rather more like a lecture telling a character, and the reader by proxy, to basically just grow up. This is without any appropriate acknowledgement that, melodramatic though she may be, our protagonist's feelings are her own, and she deserves some validation for it. She is not wrong to *feel* wronged. In fact, not only is the counsel blunt and lacking empathy, it even comes with violence, which is more than problematic. I couldn't help but get a feeling like the author thought this melodramatic girl just needed to be knocked around and told to smarten up, even if that wasn't his intention (which I choose to believe it wasn't).
Still, there are a lot of really brilliant ideas here. The author uses the agelessness of vampires and the European roots of traditional vampire lore to illuminate the difficulties of change in the Canadian FNMI community over time, the erosion of culture by European influence, and the different generational perspectives on those difficulties. Romantic relationships across cultures are explored to some degree, though without any suggestion that they could ever work or be healthy, which is too bad.
(The next two paragraphs are written the next day, after reading the graphic novel adaptation.)
I would like to see this story as it was originally, in theatre, before being adapted into a novel. Theatre has a way of handling melodrama that doesn't always transfer well to other mediums. Also, interpretation of time and space can be more fluid in theatre, which may have helped the story. It was told at a fast clip, which made it an easy read. However, ninety minutes on a stage might have better created the illusion of the space the story needed to breathe. It also may have given the actors an opportunity to better sell me on the main characters' motivations.
Upon reading the graphic novel, I can more clearly see that it is the final act that needs work. I just don't believe it. I don't feel it is earned by the story preceding it. There is so much action and movement that brings us to this place where two characters suddenly sit and talk. It just doesn't strike me as the same story. And the first two acts make me want to know a great deal more about these characters than the last act allows. So a lot of air just gets let out of the story's tension, instead of giving us a true climax.
I enjoyed reading this book, which is a lot for me to say for YA Vampire Fiction. I wanted to like it more than I did. I would highly recommend it to any lover of YA fiction and/or or vampire fiction who likes the idea of reading the genre as penned by an Ojibway Canadian. However, if looking for the best of Canadian fiction, I would suggest searching elsewhere.
I really wanted to like this. If the author were to ever rewrite this book, or write another longer, more complete, more adult version of the story, or expand the story of Pierre L'errant, I would definitely read it.
Unfortunately, as much as I enjoyed reading it, and really did want to like it, I found the flaws in the book a little too glaring to ignore. The female protagonist, a teenage girl, is too melodramatic and extreme to be believable. As someone who works with young adults, and who has done so for many years, I just could not imagine a realistic person to match what I was reading. Her escalation is just too fast, and too far. Also, the final confrontation between this female character and the Night Wanderer character for which the book is named is inexplicably contrived. The last pages painfully conclude the book like a "very special episode", revealing that the story we have been reading has been a vehicle for didactic exposition before all else. And the subject matter of this little lesson, though important, is simply not earned by the two hundred pages that precede it. It feels forced.
Furthermore, some of the "advice" the book so baldly gives is just not very deep or important, and is given with very little empathy, rather more like a lecture telling a character, and the reader by proxy, to basically just grow up. This is without any appropriate acknowledgement that, melodramatic though she may be, our protagonist's feelings are her own, and she deserves some validation for it. She is not wrong to *feel* wronged. In fact, not only is the counsel blunt and lacking empathy, it even comes with violence, which is more than problematic. I couldn't help but get a feeling like the author thought this melodramatic girl just needed to be knocked around and told to smarten up, even if that wasn't his intention (which I choose to believe it wasn't).
Still, there are a lot of really brilliant ideas here. The author uses the agelessness of vampires and the European roots of traditional vampire lore to illuminate the difficulties of change in the Canadian FNMI community over time, the erosion of culture by European influence, and the different generational perspectives on those difficulties. Romantic relationships across cultures are explored to some degree, though without any suggestion that they could ever work or be healthy, which is too bad.
(The next two paragraphs are written the next day, after reading the graphic novel adaptation.)
I would like to see this story as it was originally, in theatre, before being adapted into a novel. Theatre has a way of handling melodrama that doesn't always transfer well to other mediums. Also, interpretation of time and space can be more fluid in theatre, which may have helped the story. It was told at a fast clip, which made it an easy read. However, ninety minutes on a stage might have better created the illusion of the space the story needed to breathe. It also may have given the actors an opportunity to better sell me on the main characters' motivations.
Upon reading the graphic novel, I can more clearly see that it is the final act that needs work. I just don't believe it. I don't feel it is earned by the story preceding it. There is so much action and movement that brings us to this place where two characters suddenly sit and talk. It just doesn't strike me as the same story. And the first two acts make me want to know a great deal more about these characters than the last act allows. So a lot of air just gets let out of the story's tension, instead of giving us a true climax.
I enjoyed reading this book, which is a lot for me to say for YA Vampire Fiction. I wanted to like it more than I did. I would highly recommend it to any lover of YA fiction and/or or vampire fiction who likes the idea of reading the genre as penned by an Ojibway Canadian. However, if looking for the best of Canadian fiction, I would suggest searching elsewhere.
I really wanted to like this. If the author were to ever rewrite this book, or write another longer, more complete, more adult version of the story, or expand the story of Pierre L'errant, I would definitely read it.
June 23, 2016
This book falls into the category of titles I really wanted to like more than I did. I was weeding my horror section and came across this book, and the description--Native American take on a vampire story--really intrigued me. Unfortunately, I don't think the author has much experience with teenage girls, because the main character's voice was completely unbelievable. She was histrionic and self-absorbed (which, yes, teen girls can be) to the point of feeling like a comical stereotype rather than a sympathetic character that the reader should be investing in. Her dialogue and actions were just so over the top that it made it difficult to enjoy the story.
I preferred the vampire's story and wish that it had been the primary voice of the book. The flashbacks about Pierre and the way traditional vampire lore and Native American lore mixed was compelling and what I had expected and hoped for when I picked this book up.
Ultimately I decided not to weed it (on the basis that it does offer a unique take on the vampire story and is a title with Native American characters that isn't historical fiction) and I'll try to recommend it to students who enjoy vampire stories and also possibly as an alternative to Twilight.
I preferred the vampire's story and wish that it had been the primary voice of the book. The flashbacks about Pierre and the way traditional vampire lore and Native American lore mixed was compelling and what I had expected and hoped for when I picked this book up.
Ultimately I decided not to weed it (on the basis that it does offer a unique take on the vampire story and is a title with Native American characters that isn't historical fiction) and I'll try to recommend it to students who enjoy vampire stories and also possibly as an alternative to Twilight.
January 11, 2015
Actually I'd give this 3.5 stars if I could, halfway between 'liked it' and 'really liked it'. I didn't realise this was meant for young adults until I was about a third of the way through; I also didn't like the writing for the first few chapters but I slowly got sucked (haha) into the story. Ultimately I ended up reading this before bed across 4 or 5 nights - amazing, as it takes me literally years to finish a book these days - and I even had nightmares once! The book was addictive, creepy and FUNNY, which I wasn't expecting. Also, very edifying - learned a lot about Anishinaabe/Ojibwa culture. If they made a movie out of this (or better yet, an adult, expanded version of the story), I'd be all over it. I'd like to read the graphic novel next. Overall, an entertaining read, and a unique and creative take on a timeless myth.
February 20, 2014
"Night Wanderer" is told from two perspectives: a young teenage girl living with her father and her grandmother in a single parent household, and also a mysterious native wanderer who comes into this family's life. The family lives on a reservation outside of a small town. The girl is dating a white boy in this town, under the disapproval of her father, when this stranger comes and changes everything.
I would not, given the choice again, go out of my way to read this book. It was strange in a strange way, not necessarily in a gripping way. Events didn't seem to tie together very well, and none of the characters were likable or very easily related to, and overall, pretty flat and static. I was disappointed in this book.
I would not, given the choice again, go out of my way to read this book. It was strange in a strange way, not necessarily in a gripping way. Events didn't seem to tie together very well, and none of the characters were likable or very easily related to, and overall, pretty flat and static. I was disappointed in this book.
July 9, 2022
there were way too many things about this book that were set up but not properly explored!! like how it’s a vampire novel but pierre’s vampirism is kind of just pushed to the side, i just wanted to see him do more vampire stuff :( i also would’ve liked to see more of tiffany’s relationship with her father and possibly more of the effects her mother leaving had on their relationship together
tiffany also suddenly wanting to kill herself at the end of the book??? it kind of came out of nowhere for me and was very weird but i did like the scene with pierre and tiffany talking that came out of it
but yeah, i liked the book but i wish it explored the things it set up in more details
tiffany also suddenly wanting to kill herself at the end of the book??? it kind of came out of nowhere for me and was very weird but i did like the scene with pierre and tiffany talking that came out of it
but yeah, i liked the book but i wish it explored the things it set up in more details
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 3, 2015This reminded me of really classic YA. It's a coming of age story told from third person, though it's also a vampire/horror/gothic read, set on a First Nations reservation. It's not scary and it's obvious what's going on from about page two, but the story that Pierre tells and how it weaves into Nation legends was unique and engaging. It's a quick read, though don't go in for character development -- go in for the storytelling.
Perfectly fine for middle schoolers. It's an older title but timeless.
Perfectly fine for middle schoolers. It's an older title but timeless.
March 27, 2012
This book was alot different than what I am used to reading but I can honestly say I loved it. It took two things that I absolutely love, vampires and Native American culture, and combined the two. It was a wonderful story and beautifully written. I recommend it to someone who wants a quick and good read. The ending was kind of sad for one character but happy for another.
October 17, 2018
I thought this book was good, but not the best book I've read so far this year. I feel like it could have maybe used more detail and more of a interesting plot to it but I'm also very picky when it comes to horror related books. But I did like the fact that it was related to Native American culture and myths.
December 17, 2022
Took me forever to read cause it was so horrible. There was a climax in almost every chapter so when it go to the actual climax. It was boring. Point of view was all over the place and I couldn’t tell what characters point of view we were in for almost half the chapter every. single. time. Would not recommend to my worst enemy.
September 1, 2017
The story line was decent but I found the main character quite annoying, even though she was going through a lot. I felt bad for her at times but also groaned at her. In my opinion, this is a very quick yet only okay read to put it simply.
April 9, 2009
Well written, but for me it lacked intimacy and emotion. The holes ruined what should have been an outstanding book.
September 25, 2010
Kinda boring. OK though.
October 3, 2011
Easy to read but boring and predictable.
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