Blood Sisters

The latest (after Little Voices) from Lillie, an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, follows Syd Walker, an archaeologist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, who lives in Rhode Island with her wife. Years earlier, in her hometown of Picher, OK, she, her sister, and their best friend were attacked in their home. Though Syd and her sister survived, their friend died in the crossfire—or so they were told. Syd is forced to return home when her supervisor asks her to identify the remains of a body; at the same time, she learns that her sister has vanished. Syd’s investigation forces her to confront her unresolved trauma and consider her relationship to Cherokee history and culture while reckoning with the drug problems and land scams that plague the community. Narrators Carolina Hoyos (who is Two Spirit Afro-Indigenous Latine) and Erin Tripp (Łingít, Deisheetaan) provide thoughtful performances, highlighting generational differences among the members of Syd’s Cherokee community and capturing the novel’s sense of place. While both narrators are skilled, some listeners may find their presentation a bit too understated; additionally, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the two.