Song of Batoche, Maia Caron
Song of Batoche, Maia Caron
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
Club: $9.99

Song of Batoche

Author: Maia Caron

Narrator: PJ Prudat

Unabridged: 12 hr 34 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/25/2023


Synopsis

ONE OF CBC'S MUST-READ BOOKS OF THE YEAR

Louis Riel arrives at Batoche in 1884 to help the Métis fight for their lands and discovers that the rebellious outsider Josette Lavoie is a granddaughter of the famous chief Big Bear, whom he needs as an ally. But Josette learns of Riel’s hidden agenda — to establish a separate state with his new church at its head — and refuses to help him. Only when the great Gabriel Dumont promises her that he will not let Riel fail does she agree to join the cause.

In this raw wilderness on the brink of change, the lives of seven unforgettable characters converge, each one with secrets: Louis Riel and his tortured wife Marguerite; a duplicitous Catholic priest; Gabriel Dumont and his dying wife Madeleine; a Hudson’s Bay Company spy; and the enigmatic Josette Lavoie. As the Dominion Army marches on Batoche, Josette and Gabriel must manage Riel’s escalating religious fanaticism and a growing attraction to each other. Song of Batoche is a timeless story that traces the borderlines of faith and reason, obsession and madness, betrayal and love.

About The Author

MAIA CARON is a Vancouver Island-based Indigenous writer and author of Song of Batoche, a historical novel that was a CBC must-read book for 2018. The Toronto Star described the novel as a "tale of love, betrayal, and obsession," while Shelagh Rogers of The Last Chapter praised it as an "ambitious, broad, sweeping historical mystery." The Last Secret is her second novel, which became an instant national bestseller.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Krista on July 21, 2018

Old Joseph Ouellette – who had ridden with the legendary buffalo hunter Cuthbert Grant at the Battle of Seven Oaks – began a song about the hunts, acting out the parts with tossing horns and pawing hoofs. He finished the last verse with arms raised and the crowd clapping him on. “Now old men and w......more

Goodreads review by Elinor on December 03, 2018

Since I grew up near Battleford, Saskatchewan, and I have indigenous forefathers from the Red River area, I wanted to learn more about the Northwest Rebellion. This novel portrays Louis Riel as a tragically flawed character, yet he was a passionate advocate for Metis rights and stepped into the role......more

Goodreads review by Danielle on May 10, 2022

This work of historical fiction was a very special experience for me. 12 of the characters mentioned in the novel are in my family tree, including Maxime and Ambroise Lépine (4th great grand uncles), Donald Ross (3rd Great grand uncle) and so many more. Have you ever looked back at your family tree......more

Goodreads review by Gayle on January 20, 2020

Great historical fiction. Very well written with a wonderful heroine. I live near Batoche, Gabriel’s Crossing and Duck Lake so I find it very relevant and captivating. Gabriel Dumont is my new hero!......more