Elatsoe

Der fantastische Roman "Elatsoe" von der Autorin Darcie Little Badger, einer Frau aus dem Stamm der Lipan Apache, beinhaltet alles, was gute Jugendliteratur ausmacht: Eine jugendliche Heldin mit einer besonderen Gabe, einem illustren Freundeskreis und einer Familie, die in einer rassistisch-dominanten Umwelt zu ihr hält; einem mächtigen Feind, der sein Ende durch sein Tun verdient hat; sowie Elemente aus Krimi, Fantasie und Realität. Leider existiert noch keine deutsche Übersetzung für diesen gelungenen Roman, jedoch ist das Englisch sehr gut lesbar und zu verstehen --- junge Leser, welche die Herausforderung annehmen, ein aus dem englischen Sprachraum stammenden Original zu lesen, gewinnen hierin eine Leseerfahrung, die bislang in Europa nicht dagewesen ist.

Elatsoe (or Ellie) has inherited the gift of waking ghosts, that has been passed down for generations in her family. After her Cousins seemingly accidental death, his ghost visits Ellie in her dreams, telling her that his death was no accident. He had been murdered by one “Abraham Allerton” a well respected doctor in his community. Ellie and her mother travel to her Cousins home town to help his grieving widow and their son, as well as to prepare his funeral. There she searches for clues on how to prove the doctors involvment in her Cousins death using every resource possible. Another wonderful fantasy story by Darcie Little Badger. I am a huge fan of the simplicity of her writing. No unnecessary drama, no sighs as the characters run head first into danger. Every action and plot point is deliberate and well thought through by both characters and author. One of my favourite parts was how Elatsoes indigenous heritage affected the storyline and the magic around her. Without giving too much away, it lead to some pretty awesome and powerful moments. The characters are so well written with their own quirks and talents: Ellie with her ghost waking ability, her friend Jay and his fae ancestry that allows him to produce a singular will o’ wisp, Jay’s sister Ronnie, a passionate basketball player that has fallen for a vampire, and said vampire who has a preference for spiderclimbing bridges and spray-painting marriage proposals. Again, without giving anything away, the book has a refreshing take on revenge. The only advice for readers is, don’t read the book expecting action alll the way through and unforeseeable twists. The reveals are very well done, and the reader gets all the informations the characters have so that they can figure out the murder as they read, which I absolutely love. The plot is perfectly paced, ending on a high, with short calm parts that you can get completely lost in. I cannot reccommend this book enough, immediatly became one of my favourites, adorning my bookshelf with it’s beautiful dust cover illustration by Rovina Cai.

Elatsoe tells the story of Elatsoe, a 16 year old indigenous girl, who inherited her tribe's ability and knowledge to bring back ghosts from the underworld. And when her beloved cousin is brutally murdered, she is determined to find out who killed him...Although this book starts slow, the book doesn't get boring at any time. For the most part, it had me on the edge of my seat. And I definitely didn't predict the outcome. The world is so different from ours, yet so similar in that the same grievances still prevail: Discrimination, police injustice, pollution. Furthermore, it shows the parts of history that are widely left out of the textbooks and curriculum. The writing and the way the story is told include elements of traditional indigenous storytelling! Which I found so interesting and I am now eager to learn more about it. In addition to that, the author's writing is beautiful in a way that feels completely natural. And she perfectly captures the atmosphere of the scenes: The book is beautiful and dangerous at the same time. Plus, I love how the author managed to capture everyday teenage struggles. It makes the book and its characters relatable. Ellie is such a fascinating protagonist - not just because of her abilities, but because of how she catches details in people's behavior and in the way they express emotion. She is smart on so many levels. And I loved the casual way in which her asexuality was handled. For me, Elatsoe is without a doubt a 5 star book. And I recommend it to anyone interested in getting into indigenous literature as well as those who like magical realism. I wish a German publisher would decide to publish a translation of this book. And these are some of my favorite quotes: Sometimes the world was too mysterious for her liking. Wasn't the underworld a waste and frightening place? Wasn't the Earth vast and frightening, too?

4.75* A new favourite YA and one of my favourite books of 2022 so far. In a alternative USA (present day), where Vampires, Fae and other supernatural beings are commonplace, we follow Ellie (short for Elatsoe), Lipan Apache and bearer of the knowledge how to raise the spirits of dead animals. When her cousin dies under mysterious circumstances and the police is unwilling to further investigate, Ellie decides follow her own traces and try to protect cousin name family - assisted by her best friend insert name and ghost dog insert name. Soon they have to realize that in the pristine little town where her cousins died, not all is at it seems. Elatsoe tells a story of justice, family and identity, weaving the spooky atmosphere, the mystery adventure and Ellie's family history together to tell a cozy tale perfect for everyone who likes a good Halloween read but is too sensitive for Horror (aka me). I loved particularly Ellie's relationships with her family (a YA book with present, supportive and still responsible parents?!) and friends. Ellie herself is one of the first YA protagonists I've seen that truly felt her age (17 y.o.) and relatable. Maybe the absence of unnecessary romances (Ellie is aro ace) was also beneficial for the story. Definitely a book I want to reread this autumn.

This book is amazing! It's unlike anything else I've ever read in the very best way. It's pleasantly well written, the characters are really loveable and the story is spooky, humorous, and thrilling all the same. Elatsoe "Ellie" Bride is a Native American girl with the gift to see and tame ghosts, just like all the women in her family. I've never read a story about Native American mythology before and it was so amazing to learn more about Ellie's culture, her ancestors, and the Native American beliefs. Since the author is Lipan Apache herself, the authenticity is guaranteed, which made it just the more enjoyable. The book is all about family. Ellie's cousin Trevor gets killed and with her power to talk to the dead, Elatsoe tries to solve the crime. Her family supports her every step of the way, just like her friend Jay, who gives his best to give Ellie a helping hand. It was so nice to read about her family ties, the strong relationship between Elli, her mum, her cousin, and her father. One thing positively stuck out to me, too: the relationship between Jay and Ellie stays platonic since Ellie identifies as asexual. Asexual doesn't mean aromantic, but there is a strong hint that Ellie doesn't feel romantic attraction to anyone either. It was really nice that the author stayed true to that and didn't force Ellie into a relationship, how many authors tend to do, just for the sake of adding some romance to their story. None of that here. All in all "Elatsoe" is a wonderful, weird and extraordinary book I highly recommend to anyone with an open mind to experience something new.