Those Who Dwell Below

Those Who Run in the Sky #2

by Aviaq Johnston

Haunted by the vicious creatures of his recent past, Pitu tries to go back to a normal life at home after the other-worldly travels and near-death encounters of his recent disappearance into the world of the spirits. But Pitu knows that there is more work to be done, and more that he must learn in his new role as a shaman.

When word of a starving village nearby reaches Pitu, he must go help its people appease the angry spirits. It soon becomes clear that Pitu must travel to the bottom of the ocean to meet Nuliajuk, the vengeful woman below, one of the most powerful beings in Inuit mythology.

There he learns about his role in saving the starving community and that all in his home camp may not be as it seems . . .

Genres: Indigenous, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Canada

208 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2019

About the author

Aviaq Johnston is a young Inuk author from Igloolik, Nunavut. Her debut novel Those Who Run in the Sky was released in the spring of 2017. In 2014, she won first place in the Aboriginal Arts and Stories competition for her short story “Tarnikuluk,” which also earned her a Governor General’s History Award. Aviaq is a graduate of Nunavut Sivuniksavut, and she has a diploma in Social Service Work from Canadore College. Aviaq loves to travel and has lived in Australia and Vietnam. She spends most of her time reading, writing, studying, and procrastinating. She goes back and forth between Iqaluit, Nunavut, and Ottawa, Ontario.

Reviews

[Wendelle]

Apart from being such a memorable introduction to Inuit mythology, this book is such a hauntingly well-written narrative. The ambience is very affecting, it can be terrifying or disconcerting exactly when it intends to be.

[Marlowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as we were coming to the last few chapters, the real world happened. An adult close to my child had to go into hiding from her husband. I explained the situation as best I could, but it's hard to explain spousal abuse to a child whose never witnessed anything like it.

Then Pitu came back to the starving village to confront what had happened. Not just abuse and rape, but also the neighbours who heard and saw and knew but did nothing.

Instead of talking directly about my kid's acquaintance, we could talk about Pitu and Ikuma. When Pitu and another man talk about how guilty they feel, how they wished they had done more, my son and I talked about what they could have done, and what he could do as a man. We talked about choosing what kind of man he wants to be. We talked about how seeing other people being abused is a choice, and then acting to help is another choice. We talked about all the reasons why Pitu and the other man didn't act, and how all the villagers had been turning away from what was happening, too.

This book came into our lives at just the right time. I'm so grateful to Johnston for grappling with these huge social issues, as they did in Those Who Run In The Sky. Fiction like this gives children a space to learn and think about these things from a place of safety.

Aside from all that, it's just a great book. The narrative is compelling, Pitu is an interesting character, and the problems he confronts are meaningful.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this out loud to my students after they fell in love with Pitu in his first book “those who run in the sky”. They felt this book was either as good or slightly less good but only because Pitu didn’t spend as much time in the spirit world. They are eager for book 3!

[John Jantunen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aviaq Johnston's gifts for narrative storytelling are on full display in Those Who Dwell Below, her follow up to the critically-acclaimed Those Who Run In The Sky. On the surface the novel is a thoroughly engaging re-imagining of the Inuit Nuliajuk legend involving a teenage shaman on a quest to appease a vengeful and fearsome undersea spirit, and thus save his village from starvation, but where the book really shines is in her characterizations of a people who inhabit a world ever-teetering on the brink of calamity. Accompanied by often-times startling black and white illustrations by Toma Feizo Gas, the book reveals a writer who is unafraid to take the reader to a place they may not wish to go and it's a testament to Aviaq's considerable prowess as an author that by its closing pages one can't help but be grateful that she had the courage to lead us on such a perilous and ultimately transformative journey.

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first book about Pitu and his journey, and I was mesmerized by it. the second book, Those Who Dwell Below, touched my heart because it touched upon so many issues facing indigenous communities. I come from a small reservation and many of the issues that Pitu faced hit home for me. This book showed that it truly is a difficult journey with hard choices to make when facing challenges like domestic violence, parental neglect, and growing up within a community that has difficulty holding abusers accountable.

[Bella Qiu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book although not in any way high-tech but I think it should belong to the science fiction category. The background of the movie is a cold zone, such as the North Pole or the South Pole. The main character and the characters in the movie, including all the dialogues, have special vocabulary. The content is very interesting and another truth is stated. Men lose a lot and gain a lot in order to find the place where their spirit and soul yearn.

[Nicoletta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another incredible journey with Pitu! :) Oh how I so want Aviaq Johnston to write 100 more books in this series. The characters are amazing, the settings are amazing, the stories are amazing - wow! She is such a natural-born storyteller :)

[Sarah Couture · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Les légendes autochtones sont magnifiques. On a l’impression de se faire raconter cette histoire. Ça nous permet de mieux comprendre cette culture qui diffère de la nôtre.

C’est un roman rempli de beaux messages et de l’impact que nous avons sur les autres et notre environnement.

[Dawalhamo Tenzin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully scary book about facing your demons and about different cultures and stuff I enjoyed this book very much I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in indigenous cultures or a good scare. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Mrs Kannekens]

A compelling story that takes readers into the legends and culture of the Inuit and glimpses into daily life in the days before colonization. I enjoyed the liberal use of Inuktitut words throughout.

[Chelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful story with a lot of important lessons.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this story was so good! I did not expect for it to end with a cliff hanger. I hope Pitu learns to listen to the spirits.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

gosh i enjoyed the first book but i LOVED this one. i could read 1000 books on pitu and his adventures, i love the characters so so much.

[Mary-Esther Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magical, mystical, and full of wisdom.

[Audrey Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story for both children and adults!

[Jacalope · Rating 5 out of 5]

So neat to read a book set in the time when Inuit Shamans were a key part of the community. Loved this.