Elatsoe

By: Darcie Little Badger

Narrated by: Kinsale Hueston

Length: 9 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

Imagine an America very similar to our own. It's got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream.

There are some differences. This America has been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day.

Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills, and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family.

Darcie Little Badger is an extraordinary debut talent in the world of speculative fiction.

©2020 Darcie Little Badger (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Critic reviews

"[A] refreshing voice. Indigenous myths, modern-day technology, and the supernatural successfully blend to build a fast-paced murder mystery." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

Such a great story

The author did a fantastic job of weaving in indigenous American story, with early US history and current day in a weird bit of magical realism. I really loved it. The learning curve, for the indigenous magic wasn’t too steep, and the characters were endearing, especially the a little dog. The narrator did a great job too.

Wonderful story with rich and compelling character

Beautifully written with Lipan Apache wisdom intertwined with a young woman's discovery of her power and native traditions as she solves the murder of her cousin.

Interesting, enjoyable story w mystery & magic

The characters in this story were well-drawn, and the mystery was interesting. You know what the outcome was, but you have to follow along with the main characters to figure out what exactly is going on. Just enough hints dropped that I figured it out about the same time the main character did. I loved the culture (#weneeddiversebooks); as a middle-aged mom, I can tell you that we didn't get these kinds of stories when I was a teen. The narrator did a good job, but I wish her director had let her or asked her to act it out more. I had trouble in a few places telling characters apart in dialogue, and I'm a listener who prefers when narrators act it out and give each character a really distinct voice.

Superb story

The performer was great and provided a ton of depth to the characters. The author had created a gem of a novel and I highly recommend it to all.

Absolutely riveting

One of the best stories I have listened to this year. Darcie Little Badger creates a fascinating world similar to our own but with touches of mythology from many cultures. The protagonist Elatsoe is fully believable and the kind of person I’d want to know in real life. Her struggles after the death of her cousin were so realistic. I felt like I learned things about the culture she comes from. Her Best friend was wonderful a true helper and equal. I sincerely hope that this is the first in a series and that we get to see much more of this incredible world. The narrator Kinsale Hueston did an excellent job of breathing life into the characters and world. I strongly recommend this book.

Absolutely Loved It

In an alternative America, where the history we know exists alongside the legends and myths passed through generations, lives Elatsoe “Ellie”, an asexual Apache. She has inherited her six-great grandmother’s magical technique of summoning ghosts from the underworld. Like her grandmother, she keeps a ghost companion with her, her dog, Kirby. When Kirby has a sudden panic, Ellie knows that something bad has happened to someone in her family. That night, her cousin comes to her in a dream and tells her he’s been murdered, who his murderer is, and begs her to keep his wife and baby safe. Ellie tells her parents of the dream, and they agree that this was a serious omen, and they set about proving the circumstances of her cousin’s death.

One thing I love about magic being real and accepted in this world is that Ellie doesn’t have to hide her dreams and powers from her parents and friends, and not only do they believe her that her cousin was murdered, but they rally around her to help prove it. I also adore how the different legends have mixed and developed in this world. Ellie’s best friend is a descended of Oberon, his sister is dating a vampire, their aunt is a psychic, and people can travel by fairy rings. They also encounter a lich, which is fun, lol.
It was an excellent read, and I would love to spend more time in that world!

A new favorite!

This was one of the best books I've ever read. Amazing urban fantasy/ paranormal elements. I am captivated by the world and characters the author has created. I would love to read more stories from this world if not this cast of characters. Would also make a great TV series or movie. Really enjoyed this book from start to finish!

Not Bad

Nice mystical story, although like most reviews, the story seems to be confused on where to be. The narration follows teenagers in a scooby-doo style investigation, to which the vocabulary used is more middle schoolers then young adults. Nonetheless, not a bad experience.

Amazing

Dont sleep on this one!! Having listened to it and seen the illustrations I know I need the hard copy too. Its a beautiful story, has great narration, and just enough ghost dogs. I look forward to more from this author!

engaging & accessible narrative

if this book became a series i would absolutely continue listening! i really loved the way this story was so accessible to the audience — just the right amount of action and “pg13” gore (as they say in the book) along with narrative and character development. the family / ancestral history was well wrapped into their family dynamics and ellie’s abilities. white colonial and capitalist lack of care for the environment and disenfranchisement of other people is a prevalent theme but not overtly heavy-handed or moralistic — the author has faith that the readers already understand those concepts and their impact and will connect the dots. also YES! to platonic love and ace representation — it is such a subtle plot point, but I think that's the right way to do it because her sexuality had nothing to do with her powers or the conflict in the story.