What do you think?
Rate this book
Trickster #2
Trickster Drift
Following the Scotiabank Giller Prize-shortlisted Son of a Trickster comes Trickster Drift, the second book in Eden Robinson's captivating Trickster trilogy.
In an effort to keep all forms of magic at bay, Jared, 17, has quit drugs and drinking. But his troubles are not over: now he's being stalked by David, his mom's ex--a preppy, khaki-wearing psycho with a proclivity for rib-breaking. And his mother, Maggie, a living, breathing badass as well as a witch, can't protect him like she used to because he's moved away from Kitimat to Vancouver for school.
Even though he's got a year of sobriety under his belt (no thanks to his enabling, ever-partying mom), Jared also struggles with the temptation of drinking. And he's got to get his grades up, find a job that doesn't involve weed cookies, and somehow live peacefully with his Aunt Mave, who has been estranged from the family ever since she tried to "rescue" him as a baby from his mother. An indigenous activist and writer, Mave smothers him with pet names and hugs, but she is blind to the real dangers that lurk around them--the spirits and supernatural activity that fill her apartment.
As the son of a Trickster, Jared is a magnet for magic, whether he hates it or not--he sees ghosts, he sees the monster moving underneath his Aunt Georgina's skin, he sees the creature that comes out of his bedroom wall and creepily wants to suck his toes. He also still hears the Trickster in his head, and other voices too. When the David situation becomes a crisis, Jared can't ignore his true nature any longer.
In an effort to keep all forms of magic at bay, Jared, 17, has quit drugs and drinking. But his troubles are not over: now he's being stalked by David, his mom's ex--a preppy, khaki-wearing psycho with a proclivity for rib-breaking. And his mother, Maggie, a living, breathing badass as well as a witch, can't protect him like she used to because he's moved away from Kitimat to Vancouver for school.
Even though he's got a year of sobriety under his belt (no thanks to his enabling, ever-partying mom), Jared also struggles with the temptation of drinking. And he's got to get his grades up, find a job that doesn't involve weed cookies, and somehow live peacefully with his Aunt Mave, who has been estranged from the family ever since she tried to "rescue" him as a baby from his mother. An indigenous activist and writer, Mave smothers him with pet names and hugs, but she is blind to the real dangers that lurk around them--the spirits and supernatural activity that fill her apartment.
As the son of a Trickster, Jared is a magnet for magic, whether he hates it or not--he sees ghosts, he sees the monster moving underneath his Aunt Georgina's skin, he sees the creature that comes out of his bedroom wall and creepily wants to suck his toes. He also still hears the Trickster in his head, and other voices too. When the David situation becomes a crisis, Jared can't ignore his true nature any longer.
371 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2018
About the author
Eden Robinson
18 books1,186 followersEden Victoria Lena Robinson (born 19 January 1968) is a Canadian novelist and short story writer.
Born in Kitamaat, British Columbia, she is a member of the Haisla and Heiltsuk First Nations. She was educated at the University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia.
Born in Kitamaat, British Columbia, she is a member of the Haisla and Heiltsuk First Nations. She was educated at the University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 522 reviews
April 25, 2021
This trilogy is probably going to be one of my all time favourites!
This is a middle book, which starts out where the last one ended and finishes totally unresolved with a total cliff hanger ending.
Oh the torture to have to wait until the third book comes out next year!
Actually I envy everyone who will start this series when the third and final book is out and will be able to read the trilogy straight through!
I love everything about this book, the writing, the characters, the way reality and mythology merge and melt!
Yes, I recommend this book, but not without reading Son of a Trickster first!
Edited to add this book withstood another rereading. I still love it!
This is a middle book, which starts out where the last one ended and finishes totally unresolved with a total cliff hanger ending.
Oh the torture to have to wait until the third book comes out next year!
Actually I envy everyone who will start this series when the third and final book is out and will be able to read the trilogy straight through!
I love everything about this book, the writing, the characters, the way reality and mythology merge and melt!
Yes, I recommend this book, but not without reading Son of a Trickster first!
Edited to add this book withstood another rereading. I still love it!
October 18, 2018
You are far from simple. You are a little universe. You are the wet and pulsing distillation of stars, a house of light made bipedal and carbon-based, temporary and infinite. You are also the void.
Cartographers used to write on maps, “Here be dragons,” when they reached places beyond their known world. When humans touch the void, they say, “Here is magic.”
I have to start by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed Son of a Trickster, and after its breathtaking ending, was really looking forward to its followup, Trickster Drift. Unfortunately, as the middle volume in a trilogy, this book suffers the fate of many mid-series novels: more placeholder than satisfying whole. Not much happens for the majority of Trickster Drift, but its thrilling and creative final climax made the whole worthwhile. Can't wait to see how Eden Robinson ties it all up!
His mom was a witch. For real. As he had found out definitively, just before he swore off the booze and the drugs. He'd always thought she was being melodramatic when she told him about witch stuff. Then he was kidnapped by some angry otters and his shape-shifting father/sperm donor stepped in to save him, along with his mother. He only lost a toe. Her particular talent was hexes, though she preferred giving her enemies a good old-fashioned shit-kicking. Curses tended to bite you in the ass, she'd told him, and weren't nearly as satisfying as physically throttling someone.
After a quick reminder of the events of the first book, we rejoin seventeen-year-old Jared nearly a year later as he approaches his first anniversary of sobriety. Knowing he needs to get away from his Mom's party house – and every temptation to dabble in magic again – Jared has decided to move to Vancouver and upgrade his high school grades before applying to college. Although they don't get along, Jared's Mom has given him the address of her sister Mave (an activist poet who desperately wants a relationship with her nephew and offers him a free place to stay in the city), and needing the support, Jared moves in.
Just as in Son of a Trickster, Jared as a character seems too good to be true: All he wants to do is study, go to AA meetings, help cook and clean around the house, and live a normal, human, life. Unfortunately, as a “chaos magnet” who has unknowingly moved into a bedroom that serves as an “interdimensional gate”, Jared's life is soon filled with ghosts, demons, and shapeshifters; and he has a hard time determining which he can trust. Jared meets plenty of new family members (who don't contribute much to the plot, but I assume they'll be important in the finale), and he keeps in touch with both his best friend back home and his Mom by text message (again, they don't add much here but we need to be reminded of them), and most of the narrative drive is provided by frequent run-ins between Jared and his Mom's psychotic ex-boyfriend who seems to be stalking him. Events do lead to an exciting finale, but it's left unclear what the final volume will resolve.
I remember marking more intriguing passages of writing in Son of a Trickster than I could squeeze into my review, but that's not the case with Trickster Drift; this simply doesn't feel as imaginative or weighty as the first book – so often the case with mid-series books. I did have some laughs, and I enjoyed being in Robinson's world again; happy to join her again to see how it all works out.
January 31, 2022
A fantastic follow up to Son of a Trickster. Jared is a year into being clean and sober, but still stolidly resistant to anything magical in his life -- or so he keeps telling himself. He goes to Vancouver to live with his aunt and attend school, and despite his best efforts, he runs into serious trouble he isn't looking for of both the mundane and the supernatural kind.
Again Robinson has stolen my heart with her true to life characters, and her insight about what it means to be a friend, part of a family, and just plain human. Her writing is sharp and concise, filled with energy and life.
The end was rather sudden and involved some peril, so I'm on to the final book, Return of the Trickster, to read the conclusion of the story woven through this amazing trilogy.
Again Robinson has stolen my heart with her true to life characters, and her insight about what it means to be a friend, part of a family, and just plain human. Her writing is sharp and concise, filled with energy and life.
The end was rather sudden and involved some peril, so I'm on to the final book, Return of the Trickster, to read the conclusion of the story woven through this amazing trilogy.
April 15, 2021
!!!!! Love Jared, love this world <3
March 20, 2019
Eden Robinson has done it again. Trickster Drift picks up about a year after
Son of a Trickster
, and it’s everything I wanted in a sequel and then some. In particular, the book shifts more concretely into urban fantasy territory. Whereas Son of a Trickster was a slow burn towards pulling the veil back on the magical elements of the story, Trickster Drift is fairly upfront about it all. I love it. This kind of urban fantasy (as opposed to the more hardboiled, investigative/mystery urban fantasy that seems to predominate) is exactly what I need right now.
Spoilers for the first book but not this one. Trigger warnings in this book for discussions of alcoholism, suicide, and self-harm, as well as forced drinking of alcohol.
Jared has been sober for nearly a year when he moves to Vancouver. Having graduated high school early thanks to correspondence courses, Jared is almost eighteen and ready to attend technical school. He ends up living with his estranged aunt, Mave, and quickly finds himself in the midst of an extended family, all of whom have their own issues to deal with. Meanwhile, Jared is forced to explore his magical heritage even as his mother’s ex-boyfriend David re-enters Jared’s life as a stalker. The central question: will Jared embrace his magic, even if that means becoming something other than human, or can he turn away from it enough to forge his own path through life?
Eden Robinson taps into a trope I’ve occasionally seen in other fantasy novels: the more powerful a magical being you are, the less free will you have. “Powerless” humans are paradoxically the most free, for our limited perception of space-time collapses our options down to a manageable amount. Whereas supernatural and magical beings like ghosts and tricksters view the multiverse so differently, and much more mutably, and this surfeit of options actually ends up constraining their natures even more. In portraying beings of various types and levels of power, from witches like Sarah and Maggie to the “demimortals” like Wee’git and Jwa’sins, Robinson illustrates how the ability to use magic shapes the ways in which beings navigate their worldlines.
If deciding how/when to use or interact with magic were Jared’s only problem, then perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad. But Jared has more things on his mind. He’s in a new city, among an entirely new social group. And it’s really this story—the main story, actually—where Trickster Drift excels. Jared finds himself thrown into the midst of an extended family—some people related by blood, others by adoption, marriage, or simply the ties of time. Always ever a “nice guy,” buoyed by the calm and centred feeling that sobriety often lends him, Jared throws himself into being useful. He puts up shelves, cooks, babysits, etc., as a matter of course. He is deeply concerned with being a responsible young adult. It’s laudable and touching, even as we have to watch Jared contend with the awkwardness of interacting with her aunt’s friends, with fellow college students, with the resident ghost, and of course, with his stalker.
Jared’s sobriety was a turning point, part of the denouement in Son of a Trickster. Now it’s a major plot point in Trickster Drift. Although I don’t drink, I’ve also never drunk, never been drunk, so I don’t have much experience with what Jared has been through. So while I can’t really attest to how Robinson handles Jared’s struggles with sobriety and alcoholism, I’ll say that I really enjoyed the layers she presents to these challenges. From the day-drinkers in Jared’s hostel that he initially stays in when he arrives in Vancouver to the foil of his cousin Kota, also an alcoholic, Robinson reminds us that sobriety is a complicated process in our society, perhaps particularly for someone as young as Jared. His struggles are complex and nuanced rather than the type of generic or stereotypical problems we often see alcoholics face in fiction.
This is keenly highlighted when Jared faces off with David in a confrontation that ultimately forces him to use more magic than he had ever expected. Without going into too many spoilers, let me just say that this confrontation was incredibly tense and chilling. I enjoyed the entirety of how Robinson plays out the David subplot. As with the sobriety plot, it must be so tempting to lean towards bigger, more bombastic confrontations. Instead, Robinson reminds us that when it comes to stalking, it is about power. David wants Jared to feel powerless before he inflicts any more permanent damage. Jared fights hard not to feel powerless, even as he balances the risks of getting others involved.
A great deal of Trickster Drift revolves around issues of trust and consent. Who should Jared trust with his secrets and his problems? Whom can Jared count on to help him—with David, with magic, with school? How much can he trust the magical relatives and beings who keep interjecting themselves into his life? Perhaps the most helpful advice he receives comes from his (former) Nana Sophia, who warns Jared not to trust supernatural beings if he doesn’t know their motives. This proves terribly prescient as Trickster Drift barrels towards its climax, with Jared suddenly desperate for allies and unsure where he can turn. His choices are … not the best, albeit entirely understandable given the situation.
The result is one of the most intense and satisfying climaxes to a bildungsroman-style fantasy story that I’ve read in a while. Jared pays the price for his mistakes and good faith by enduring excruciating torture. The novel ends with a very satisfying resolution while still promising so much more to come in the third book of this trilogy, and I am Here For It.
A few other random thoughts to close. First, as with the first book, Robinson’s pop culture and SF references are on point: mentions of Continuum (agh, how I miss thee!) and Supernatural filming in Vancouver, lots of mentions of Doctor Who and other classic SF properties. Second, CanLit so often re-colonizes Indigenous stories and authors by only championing books that are directly about “Indigenous issues,” as if these are something that can be separated from Canada as a whole. Jared himself is not particularly political; as with the first book, the political issues of the day are largely passing him by even as other characters throw themselves into activism—but it would be a gross mistake to think that Trickster Drift is apolitical. Let’s champion books like this as well.
Finally, Eliza is the best character in this book and now between this and the Frozen II trailer I saw on Monday I feel a strange urge to watch Frozen again….
Spoilers for the first book but not this one. Trigger warnings in this book for discussions of alcoholism, suicide, and self-harm, as well as forced drinking of alcohol.
Jared has been sober for nearly a year when he moves to Vancouver. Having graduated high school early thanks to correspondence courses, Jared is almost eighteen and ready to attend technical school. He ends up living with his estranged aunt, Mave, and quickly finds himself in the midst of an extended family, all of whom have their own issues to deal with. Meanwhile, Jared is forced to explore his magical heritage even as his mother’s ex-boyfriend David re-enters Jared’s life as a stalker. The central question: will Jared embrace his magic, even if that means becoming something other than human, or can he turn away from it enough to forge his own path through life?
Eden Robinson taps into a trope I’ve occasionally seen in other fantasy novels: the more powerful a magical being you are, the less free will you have. “Powerless” humans are paradoxically the most free, for our limited perception of space-time collapses our options down to a manageable amount. Whereas supernatural and magical beings like ghosts and tricksters view the multiverse so differently, and much more mutably, and this surfeit of options actually ends up constraining their natures even more. In portraying beings of various types and levels of power, from witches like Sarah and Maggie to the “demimortals” like Wee’git and Jwa’sins, Robinson illustrates how the ability to use magic shapes the ways in which beings navigate their worldlines.
If deciding how/when to use or interact with magic were Jared’s only problem, then perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad. But Jared has more things on his mind. He’s in a new city, among an entirely new social group. And it’s really this story—the main story, actually—where Trickster Drift excels. Jared finds himself thrown into the midst of an extended family—some people related by blood, others by adoption, marriage, or simply the ties of time. Always ever a “nice guy,” buoyed by the calm and centred feeling that sobriety often lends him, Jared throws himself into being useful. He puts up shelves, cooks, babysits, etc., as a matter of course. He is deeply concerned with being a responsible young adult. It’s laudable and touching, even as we have to watch Jared contend with the awkwardness of interacting with her aunt’s friends, with fellow college students, with the resident ghost, and of course, with his stalker.
Jared’s sobriety was a turning point, part of the denouement in Son of a Trickster. Now it’s a major plot point in Trickster Drift. Although I don’t drink, I’ve also never drunk, never been drunk, so I don’t have much experience with what Jared has been through. So while I can’t really attest to how Robinson handles Jared’s struggles with sobriety and alcoholism, I’ll say that I really enjoyed the layers she presents to these challenges. From the day-drinkers in Jared’s hostel that he initially stays in when he arrives in Vancouver to the foil of his cousin Kota, also an alcoholic, Robinson reminds us that sobriety is a complicated process in our society, perhaps particularly for someone as young as Jared. His struggles are complex and nuanced rather than the type of generic or stereotypical problems we often see alcoholics face in fiction.
This is keenly highlighted when Jared faces off with David in a confrontation that ultimately forces him to use more magic than he had ever expected. Without going into too many spoilers, let me just say that this confrontation was incredibly tense and chilling. I enjoyed the entirety of how Robinson plays out the David subplot. As with the sobriety plot, it must be so tempting to lean towards bigger, more bombastic confrontations. Instead, Robinson reminds us that when it comes to stalking, it is about power. David wants Jared to feel powerless before he inflicts any more permanent damage. Jared fights hard not to feel powerless, even as he balances the risks of getting others involved.
A great deal of Trickster Drift revolves around issues of trust and consent. Who should Jared trust with his secrets and his problems? Whom can Jared count on to help him—with David, with magic, with school? How much can he trust the magical relatives and beings who keep interjecting themselves into his life? Perhaps the most helpful advice he receives comes from his (former) Nana Sophia, who warns Jared not to trust supernatural beings if he doesn’t know their motives. This proves terribly prescient as Trickster Drift barrels towards its climax, with Jared suddenly desperate for allies and unsure where he can turn. His choices are … not the best, albeit entirely understandable given the situation.
The result is one of the most intense and satisfying climaxes to a bildungsroman-style fantasy story that I’ve read in a while. Jared pays the price for his mistakes and good faith by enduring excruciating torture. The novel ends with a very satisfying resolution while still promising so much more to come in the third book of this trilogy, and I am Here For It.
A few other random thoughts to close. First, as with the first book, Robinson’s pop culture and SF references are on point: mentions of Continuum (agh, how I miss thee!) and Supernatural filming in Vancouver, lots of mentions of Doctor Who and other classic SF properties. Second, CanLit so often re-colonizes Indigenous stories and authors by only championing books that are directly about “Indigenous issues,” as if these are something that can be separated from Canada as a whole. Jared himself is not particularly political; as with the first book, the political issues of the day are largely passing him by even as other characters throw themselves into activism—but it would be a gross mistake to think that Trickster Drift is apolitical. Let’s champion books like this as well.
Finally, Eliza is the best character in this book and now between this and the Frozen II trailer I saw on Monday I feel a strange urge to watch Frozen again….
December 19, 2020
4.5 stars
Why you may not like this book: You didn't like the first one. Sure, there is "more magic" in this second installment, but it is still a very character-focused, slice of life type of fantasy. It's mythology more than magic. And it has a bunch of people making questionable choices and falling into trouble.
Content warnings for substance use, alcohol use, violence, murder, domestic abuse and mentions of self-harm.
Why I love this book: I love Jared so much. This book might be all about how he keeps finding trouble in the life he doesn't want, but it is more quietly about how he keeps finding family and people to care for. I love how caring he is, even in the worst of times. I can't be mad at a plot light book when we have scenes of Jared being tutored by a ghost and babysitting while watching Frozen on repeat.
This very much felt like a transitional book, both for the series and for our character, but I didn't mind it. I loved watching everything come into focus about who Jared is and what exactly is at stake.
September 26, 2021
I honestly didn’t think it was possible for this book to be better than the first in the series but it was everything the first book was and MORE. So, SO much more. This story is just so weird and wonderful and dark and it has completely stolen my heart. Everything about it is just absolute perfection, from the characters to the magic to the Indigenous folklore woven throughout. I thought going into this second book that Jared’s life would become less chaotic since his sobriety but if anything it’s twice as chaotic and I just loved being along for the ride. He’s quickly become one of my all time favourite characters EVER, he’s just so deeply flawed and yet so genuinely kind and caring and funny that you can’t help but completely fall for him and root for him to make it out of his crazy messes safely. Just passed the midpoint of the book everything just becomes a HUGE clusterfuck beyond imagining and so many hits come one after the other that my heart is still beating from the adrenaline I felt while reading it. The ending was wild and unexpected yet strangely perfect and I’m already reaching for the third book so I can find out how it all ends.
October 27, 2019
Eden Robinson knows how to write. She knows how to write a teenage main character with angst that is not whiny. He is a moody teenager with an I can do it all myself no matter what it is thanks attitude.
He is also hyper aware of the people around him like an abused teenager would be. His character is so well developed I can feel his anxiety and determination.
Not only is the MC a full character but the other characters are fully realized as well. I want to know them even more. The MC, because of his past, leaves these characters to slowly reveal themselves without asking the questions I the reader so want him too.
It is exciting that CBC is making the first book in a tv series of 6 episodes. It will be interesting to see these characters realized on the screen. CBC has done a great job with other tv shows like "Kim's Convenience" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5912064/, and "Little Mosque on the Prairie" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0923293/... .
For those, like me, who have cut cable it will be available on the CBC gem app, or online on CBC the day after it airs on tv.
He is also hyper aware of the people around him like an abused teenager would be. His character is so well developed I can feel his anxiety and determination.
Not only is the MC a full character but the other characters are fully realized as well. I want to know them even more. The MC, because of his past, leaves these characters to slowly reveal themselves without asking the questions I the reader so want him too.
It is exciting that CBC is making the first book in a tv series of 6 episodes. It will be interesting to see these characters realized on the screen. CBC has done a great job with other tv shows like "Kim's Convenience" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5912064/, and "Little Mosque on the Prairie" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0923293/... .
For those, like me, who have cut cable it will be available on the CBC gem app, or online on CBC the day after it airs on tv.
July 5, 2018
This is a great read and will leave you excited for the next book! Eden Robinson has a super power of writing teens and young adults that actually are human beings rather than just an amalgamation of stereotypes which is surprisingly rare even in the boom times of the YA novel. Such a new and unique story it was such a breath of fresh air to read. Expect lots of action, supernatural and otherwise in this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for my unbiased review. You have a customer for the trilogy for sure.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for my unbiased review. You have a customer for the trilogy for sure.
October 16, 2018
This book is perfect. The dialogue is perfect. The characters are vivid and real.
This book has one of my favorite ghosts that has ever been created.
I feel like I should repeat my review of book one and just tell you all to go read it already. Seriously go read it.
This book has one of my favorite ghosts that has ever been created.
I feel like I should repeat my review of book one and just tell you all to go read it already. Seriously go read it.
April 14, 2019
This series is incredible. It does something to me. It brings me to a place in which I feel calm, and grounded, and happy. I'm not sure this is the intention of the author but I am sure this is what good, good literature does.
This is the second installment of the Trickster trilogy (I hope it becomes longer than a trilogy) and it is, in my opinion, quite different from the first, Son of a Trickster. Son of a Trickster takes place in a reservation in northeast British Columbia and Jared Martin, the protagonist, is a younger teenager. His life in Son of a Trickster is all about, 1. negotiating and surviving the complications and hardship of his family life (with a healthy heaping of abuse), 2. drugs and booze, 3. being clueless about all things Native, and 4. being consistently harassed by his peers, who consider him a loser.
In Trickster Drift Jared has sobered up and moved to Vancouver to attend university. This is quite a titanic shift in his life; the protagonist of Son of a Trickster seemed to be a long way from anything resembling functioning adulthood.
The consistent trait of Jared’s personality across both novels, which is about 90% of what makes him such a compelling character, is his generosity and kindness towards others. I think Eden Robinson is quite masterful at portraying a teenage boy who is both snarky and crotchety, and also incredibly giving. This is a book that all boys should read because it basically gives boys permission to be tender, caretaking, and non-violent.
So there is this amazing resilience in Jared, born of his capacity to endure and stay decent throughout the crap life throws at him.
This second installment is about, 1. good family life, 2. the struggle of sobriety, 3. coffee, 4. how to be a first-year university student when life is ganging up against you, and 5. your Indianness catching up with you.
Let me talk about coffee (and cell phone usage) first. Every time Jared has, makes or buys coffee we are told. This is a heck of a lot of times. This book is awash in coffee. Likewise, every time Jared uses, checks and charges his phone we are told. I have no words to say how delightful I found this. My limited knowledge of alcoholism and AA leads me to see this massive coffee-drinking descriptiveness as Robinson’s contribution to the literature of recovery. I read a long time ago a memoir of recovery and it was equally awash in coffee. But, also, I find all writing that gets deep into the weeds of little gestures very soothing. It becomes for me a little self-help book in the shape of great literary fiction -- the only way I can consume self-help at all. When Robinson details all these tiny steps in Jared’s life (we also know exactly what he eats, when he sleeps, and how many showers he takes) she gives me a map via which to navigate my days when my days are rough. This is not a traditional YA book, but if I read it as a teenager I would feel strength. Reading it as somebody whose teenage years are very much in the past, I still feel strength.
I realize this is a tremendously long review, and also that I am just getting to the titular part, i.e. the magic. The magic is rooted, I am sure, in Native theology and mythology (I say "I am sure because I know nothing of Native supernatural beliefs). I’m also not "going to say anything about this bit because it’s the most spoilerish. I will just say that it’s done in a way that felt terrifically compelling to me, in that this whole part of the novel is presented as Jared’s coming of age, as his thinking for himself in spite of everybody’s warning him that this is treacherous ground to walk alone, and finally, as his imbuing this, too, with his generosity and kindness.
This is the second installment of the Trickster trilogy (I hope it becomes longer than a trilogy) and it is, in my opinion, quite different from the first, Son of a Trickster. Son of a Trickster takes place in a reservation in northeast British Columbia and Jared Martin, the protagonist, is a younger teenager. His life in Son of a Trickster is all about, 1. negotiating and surviving the complications and hardship of his family life (with a healthy heaping of abuse), 2. drugs and booze, 3. being clueless about all things Native, and 4. being consistently harassed by his peers, who consider him a loser.
In Trickster Drift Jared has sobered up and moved to Vancouver to attend university. This is quite a titanic shift in his life; the protagonist of Son of a Trickster seemed to be a long way from anything resembling functioning adulthood.
The consistent trait of Jared’s personality across both novels, which is about 90% of what makes him such a compelling character, is his generosity and kindness towards others. I think Eden Robinson is quite masterful at portraying a teenage boy who is both snarky and crotchety, and also incredibly giving. This is a book that all boys should read because it basically gives boys permission to be tender, caretaking, and non-violent.
So there is this amazing resilience in Jared, born of his capacity to endure and stay decent throughout the crap life throws at him.
This second installment is about, 1. good family life, 2. the struggle of sobriety, 3. coffee, 4. how to be a first-year university student when life is ganging up against you, and 5. your Indianness catching up with you.
Let me talk about coffee (and cell phone usage) first. Every time Jared has, makes or buys coffee we are told. This is a heck of a lot of times. This book is awash in coffee. Likewise, every time Jared uses, checks and charges his phone we are told. I have no words to say how delightful I found this. My limited knowledge of alcoholism and AA leads me to see this massive coffee-drinking descriptiveness as Robinson’s contribution to the literature of recovery. I read a long time ago a memoir of recovery and it was equally awash in coffee. But, also, I find all writing that gets deep into the weeds of little gestures very soothing. It becomes for me a little self-help book in the shape of great literary fiction -- the only way I can consume self-help at all. When Robinson details all these tiny steps in Jared’s life (we also know exactly what he eats, when he sleeps, and how many showers he takes) she gives me a map via which to navigate my days when my days are rough. This is not a traditional YA book, but if I read it as a teenager I would feel strength. Reading it as somebody whose teenage years are very much in the past, I still feel strength.
I realize this is a tremendously long review, and also that I am just getting to the titular part, i.e. the magic. The magic is rooted, I am sure, in Native theology and mythology (I say "I am sure because I know nothing of Native supernatural beliefs). I’m also not "going to say anything about this bit because it’s the most spoilerish. I will just say that it’s done in a way that felt terrifically compelling to me, in that this whole part of the novel is presented as Jared’s coming of age, as his thinking for himself in spite of everybody’s warning him that this is treacherous ground to walk alone, and finally, as his imbuing this, too, with his generosity and kindness.
September 18, 2022
What a fantastic followup to Son of the Trickster! I loved every character and the story of Jared finding himself in BC was a perfect progression of his story. I immediately borrowed the third book and I can't wait to read the conclusion of the trilogy!
Also, big thanks to Robyn for the great recommendation!
Also, big thanks to Robyn for the great recommendation!
January 31, 2019
An Indigenous supernatural YA magical thriller set in present day British Columbia, this story follows Jared, a young Heiltsuk teen (is he also Haisla - I can’t remember) as he struggles with his sobriety, his dysfunctional family, and the extra challenges of being born to a witch and the trickster Wee’git himself. The thing I like about the northwest coastal mythology is that it is fucking TERRIFYING. There are so many creatures and spirits and monsters that are tricky, and sinister, and duplicitous, and motivated by things not understood by humans. And that shit isn’t easily resolved or understood on the page. This coast is full of mysteries and the things we are doing to our environment are stirring things up in unimaginable ways. There is so much of that in this book. And also the love of family. The mess of family. The joy of stability. The horrors of addiction. The powerless of kids in so much of their lives. Their resilience and their trauma. All of it. Robinson wrote this book for all of the Indigenous kids she’s met travelling with her writing that are trying so hard in trying situations. You can feel that love in this book. This is a good book. I can’t wait for the final instalment.
January 8, 2019
I love the character of Jared and I loved this world and the Vancouver details. That said, I felt that this book was a bit of a slow burn. It was definitely the least violent of Eden's books. She's created a character and a world that I feel very invested in. I also love her humour.
December 17, 2020
WOWWWW this is without a doubt the best book I read in 2020!
I cannot adequately describe how much I adore this series. It is so good. I mentioned in my review of Son of a Trickster that it had a bit of an unpolished feel to it; this second installment felt more polished but still had all the heart of the first book. And maybe that is the best way to describe Eden Robinson's books - SO MUCH HEART.
Characters who are deeply, deeply flawed but still lovable. A window into Heiltsuk culture. A ghost who loves classic sci-fi. Families who love and support each other unconditionally. A protagonist so truly kind and good that it breaks your heart. Insidious evil always lurking in the background. A cliffhanger ending that can only be described using the scientifically accurate term "completely batshit" but at the same time, absolutely perfect.
What genre even is this book? I have difficulty trying to pin it down. Magical realism mixed with horror mixed with indigenous mythology mixed with modern family drama... It's sort of like Heiltsuk Harry Potter for grownups? Someone in another review compared Son of a Trickster to classic Stephen King. I can see it. But at the same time, Robinson is in a class all her own here.
This was a book that I hesitated to start because I knew it would be so good that I wouldn't want it to end. This is a "butterflies in your stomach" it's so good type of book. I typically only encounter a couple of books like this in a year. This has happened with all three of Eden Robinson's books that I read in the past few months. She is truly a special storyteller who writes like no one else I've ever read. I expect to be a superfan of hers for years to come.
Even though Maggie is such a complicated and controversial character, I missed her quite a bit in this one. I have a feeling though that she'll be front and centre in the final installment. Which I have to wait until MARCH?? to read? How will I make it that long?
For me, Eden Robinson's books are a definite 100% compatible book-reader match. Her books do have mixed reviews and not everyone loves them as much as I do. I still don't think anyone would really regret the read - they definitely are not challenging or boring to read, even if you find you aren't a huge fan of the story or the characters.
One of my book clubs is reading Son of a Trickster in February - it will be interesting to see what everyone thinks!
I cannot adequately describe how much I adore this series. It is so good. I mentioned in my review of Son of a Trickster that it had a bit of an unpolished feel to it; this second installment felt more polished but still had all the heart of the first book. And maybe that is the best way to describe Eden Robinson's books - SO MUCH HEART.
Characters who are deeply, deeply flawed but still lovable. A window into Heiltsuk culture. A ghost who loves classic sci-fi. Families who love and support each other unconditionally. A protagonist so truly kind and good that it breaks your heart. Insidious evil always lurking in the background. A cliffhanger ending that can only be described using the scientifically accurate term "completely batshit" but at the same time, absolutely perfect.
What genre even is this book? I have difficulty trying to pin it down. Magical realism mixed with horror mixed with indigenous mythology mixed with modern family drama... It's sort of like Heiltsuk Harry Potter for grownups? Someone in another review compared Son of a Trickster to classic Stephen King. I can see it. But at the same time, Robinson is in a class all her own here.
This was a book that I hesitated to start because I knew it would be so good that I wouldn't want it to end. This is a "butterflies in your stomach" it's so good type of book. I typically only encounter a couple of books like this in a year. This has happened with all three of Eden Robinson's books that I read in the past few months. She is truly a special storyteller who writes like no one else I've ever read. I expect to be a superfan of hers for years to come.
Even though Maggie is such a complicated and controversial character, I missed her quite a bit in this one. I have a feeling though that she'll be front and centre in the final installment. Which I have to wait until MARCH?? to read? How will I make it that long?
For me, Eden Robinson's books are a definite 100% compatible book-reader match. Her books do have mixed reviews and not everyone loves them as much as I do. I still don't think anyone would really regret the read - they definitely are not challenging or boring to read, even if you find you aren't a huge fan of the story or the characters.
One of my book clubs is reading Son of a Trickster in February - it will be interesting to see what everyone thinks!
July 20, 2020
*quick disclaimer*
DO NOT brand Indigenous lit that incorporates spiritual elements and Indigenous religious beliefs as fantasy or magic realism. This book specifically uses the word magic for Jared's powers and uses words like 'witch', but understand this is not in the same sense as Gandalf's magic or Hermione's. This is not "Indigenous HP". Be respectful and conscious of different worldviews and beliefs.
A great sequel that expands on many of the elements of Son of a Trickster. Jared's connection to his various family members, his reluctance to accept his identity as a demi-god, his relationship with his addiction, and his blind eye towards his own magic. The way this book blended the world of Vancouver and the world of spirits, ghosts, and wards is beautiful. My only criticism of the first book was how long it took to get to the spiritual portions, where he learns of his mother being a witch and his own magic ability. This book doesn't delay, it jumps right in but still withholds some big surprises for the final quarter.
My favourite part was really his relationship with his mother's sister, his aunt Mave. She is a phenomenal character and so loving, nurturing, and funny. I enjoyed getting to meet Justice who is coded trans, Kota who is openly gay and struggling alongside Jared with addiction, and Eliza who is an adorable child watching her parents struggle and separate.
Content warnings for: alcoholism and drug abuse + sobriety struggles, stalking, unsolicited filming + photographing, attempted hit and run, physical assault, parental separation + divorce due to drug abuse.
**minor spoilers for book 2 below**
Lots of loose ends which I presume will be neatly tied up by Robinson in the final book. What happened with David? Is Kota okay? Neeka is on the hunt, will she be successful? Can't wait to hear a release date for the third book!
DO NOT brand Indigenous lit that incorporates spiritual elements and Indigenous religious beliefs as fantasy or magic realism. This book specifically uses the word magic for Jared's powers and uses words like 'witch', but understand this is not in the same sense as Gandalf's magic or Hermione's. This is not "Indigenous HP". Be respectful and conscious of different worldviews and beliefs.
A great sequel that expands on many of the elements of Son of a Trickster. Jared's connection to his various family members, his reluctance to accept his identity as a demi-god, his relationship with his addiction, and his blind eye towards his own magic. The way this book blended the world of Vancouver and the world of spirits, ghosts, and wards is beautiful. My only criticism of the first book was how long it took to get to the spiritual portions, where he learns of his mother being a witch and his own magic ability. This book doesn't delay, it jumps right in but still withholds some big surprises for the final quarter.
My favourite part was really his relationship with his mother's sister, his aunt Mave. She is a phenomenal character and so loving, nurturing, and funny. I enjoyed getting to meet Justice who is coded trans, Kota who is openly gay and struggling alongside Jared with addiction, and Eliza who is an adorable child watching her parents struggle and separate.
Content warnings for: alcoholism and drug abuse + sobriety struggles, stalking, unsolicited filming + photographing, attempted hit and run, physical assault, parental separation + divorce due to drug abuse.
**minor spoilers for book 2 below**
Lots of loose ends which I presume will be neatly tied up by Robinson in the final book. What happened with David? Is Kota okay? Neeka is on the hunt, will she be successful? Can't wait to hear a release date for the third book!
April 18, 2019
I loved Son of a Trickster, the first book of the Trickster series, but I felt that Trickster Drift stumbled where its predecessor soared. (This review is purely technical, so what's unsaid is my gratitude and awe of Robinson, especially her generosity of work, talent in world-building, and ability to write characters with humour, compassion, and complexity.)
I felt that there was something about Trickster Drift - a missing turn or a blunted edge - that needed sharpening. In the book Robinson introduces several new characters, but we don't quite understand how they fit into the larger narrative. I found the plot to be overly concerned with David, Jared's mom's ex-boyfriend, a minor (albeit violent) conflict that isn't the heart of the series. Said another way: the book felt like a long digression from the main story arc.
I also didn't love how much texting the book contained, mostly because the texting overshadowed live-action dialogue. With texting, you just don't get to experience the dialogue tags, action-based sequences, and awesome emotional beats that Robinson is so talented at writing.
All in all, Robinson had her foot on the gas, and you can feel her push the tension, but things have yet to crack open. Is that the function of the middle book in a trilogy - to simmer but not boil? I'm not sure, but I do know I was left slightly deflated, though still wanting. I look forward to seeing how everything will culminate in the final book.
3/5.
I felt that there was something about Trickster Drift - a missing turn or a blunted edge - that needed sharpening. In the book Robinson introduces several new characters, but we don't quite understand how they fit into the larger narrative. I found the plot to be overly concerned with David, Jared's mom's ex-boyfriend, a minor (albeit violent) conflict that isn't the heart of the series. Said another way: the book felt like a long digression from the main story arc.
I also didn't love how much texting the book contained, mostly because the texting overshadowed live-action dialogue. With texting, you just don't get to experience the dialogue tags, action-based sequences, and awesome emotional beats that Robinson is so talented at writing.
All in all, Robinson had her foot on the gas, and you can feel her push the tension, but things have yet to crack open. Is that the function of the middle book in a trilogy - to simmer but not boil? I'm not sure, but I do know I was left slightly deflated, though still wanting. I look forward to seeing how everything will culminate in the final book.
3/5.
September 2, 2023
There's lots to like about this book - all the new characters Robinson introduces (including the spooky ones) are well rounded and interesting. I found the writing to be pretty funny and the absurdity of Jared going about his day trying to be normal when chaos reigned around him worked for me. I do think Jared reads more like a 45 year old man than a 17 year old, and the ending is waaaaay too quick, but overall I enjoyed this book.
February 11, 2019
Fantastic! I enjoyed this one even more than the first and will now be impatiently waiting the next instalment!
May 3, 2020
Eden Robinson, how are you so good at this?
This our second outing with Jared Martin, who just wants to upgrade some of his high school credits and then go to college to become a medical sonographer. That's a modest goal, right? Unfortunately, as the son of Wee'git the trickster and a special needs magic person, he attracts ghosts, some interdimensional weirdness, and cousins just trying to make AA stick.
I really liked the second volume of this trilogy. Not a huge amount happens, (although the ending is wild) but I liked seeing Jared building a new community with his Aunt and scattered cousins in Vancouver. Robinson's dialogue and texts sparkle, and I just want to hang out with Jared, and his friend the ghost in the bathrobe. Plus, the ending of this book sets up some pretty interesting things to come. It looks like Jared is finally going to have to confront some parts of himself and his family that he's been avoiding, and I think it's going to be great.
I'm really looking forward to the third volume in this. Hopefully it comes out soon. While you're waiting, go and read the first two volumes, because they're great!
This our second outing with Jared Martin, who just wants to upgrade some of his high school credits and then go to college to become a medical sonographer. That's a modest goal, right? Unfortunately, as the son of Wee'git the trickster and a special needs magic person, he attracts ghosts, some interdimensional weirdness, and cousins just trying to make AA stick.
I really liked the second volume of this trilogy. Not a huge amount happens, (although the ending is wild) but I liked seeing Jared building a new community with his Aunt and scattered cousins in Vancouver. Robinson's dialogue and texts sparkle, and I just want to hang out with Jared, and his friend the ghost in the bathrobe. Plus, the ending of this book sets up some pretty interesting things to come. It looks like Jared is finally going to have to confront some parts of himself and his family that he's been avoiding, and I think it's going to be great.
I'm really looking forward to the third volume in this. Hopefully it comes out soon. While you're waiting, go and read the first two volumes, because they're great!
August 11, 2022
So weird. So good. Eden Robinson is a genius.
August 3, 2020
4.4!! Whoa did this one ever get intense!
December 3, 2022
I liked this book better than book 1. Maybe becuase I heard Eden Robinson talk about the books or maybe becuase I just went with the story and didnt try to have it make sense.
November 2, 2018
Trickster Drift is easy to devour in a couple of days and I'm willfully along for the ride of this entire Trilogy series. The novel on its own may be challenging if you wish to fully experience the magic in this story that unravels Jared's fate, I strongly recommend that readers begin with the first book before diving into this one.
Robinson expands this world into the urban environment of Vancouver, a very common experience for young Indigenous youth attending school or finding work or new experiences which often is far away from their home community. Robinson nails the youth experience through emotional expression (and suppression), concerns masked in avoidance and social interactions, communication by texting, and emotive social media use -- it authentically depicts a young person honestly reacting to the stresses they experience in life. Additionally, the home community he finds with his neighbours is so real feeling, as people depend on one another and get to know each other within their social housing -- much different than the yuppie condo experience with gated floors preventing social interaction.
In some ways, Jared has managed to escape what plagued him in "Song of a Trickster", he is free from the ties of his home community and family. But these threads are strong and it causes him to create a tangled web with new starts and endings within his new city environment.
This novel was a page turner with delightful interruptions of story-telling, providing bigger picture understandings of Turtle Island and how the world has come to be. Whispers of Thomas King's "Green Grass, Running Water" emerge in the snarky and sarcastic voices of animals and creatures, but only whispers. Robinson boldly defines her own brand of humour sharply carved out of her Haisla roots.
Robinson is pushing Indigenous mythology into the future, which I excitedly embrace -- Collapsing the present, the past and the notion of what's to come.
Robinson expands this world into the urban environment of Vancouver, a very common experience for young Indigenous youth attending school or finding work or new experiences which often is far away from their home community. Robinson nails the youth experience through emotional expression (and suppression), concerns masked in avoidance and social interactions, communication by texting, and emotive social media use -- it authentically depicts a young person honestly reacting to the stresses they experience in life. Additionally, the home community he finds with his neighbours is so real feeling, as people depend on one another and get to know each other within their social housing -- much different than the yuppie condo experience with gated floors preventing social interaction.
In some ways, Jared has managed to escape what plagued him in "Song of a Trickster", he is free from the ties of his home community and family. But these threads are strong and it causes him to create a tangled web with new starts and endings within his new city environment.
This novel was a page turner with delightful interruptions of story-telling, providing bigger picture understandings of Turtle Island and how the world has come to be. Whispers of Thomas King's "Green Grass, Running Water" emerge in the snarky and sarcastic voices of animals and creatures, but only whispers. Robinson boldly defines her own brand of humour sharply carved out of her Haisla roots.
Robinson is pushing Indigenous mythology into the future, which I excitedly embrace -- Collapsing the present, the past and the notion of what's to come.
March 27, 2019
Be choosy with your magical dance partners. Don't invite creatures into your life if you don't understand their motives and certainly don't participate in magic with them. p324
This could also apply to books.
It was somewhat devastating to have to wait so long for the sequel to Son of a Trickster, and when I finally had it in my hands and began at last to pick up the story, I knew I had to start again at the beginning. I raced to the library and altho I really meant only to skim and refer, I ending up enthralled to read again the whole thing.
Some less than stellar dialogue and a certain aimlessness in the middle of this one made it slightly less compelling than the first. By the end, the magic reasserted itself, and now I'm eagerly anticipating the final volume in this trilogy.
Words themselves are doors. p255
This could also apply to books.
It was somewhat devastating to have to wait so long for the sequel to Son of a Trickster, and when I finally had it in my hands and began at last to pick up the story, I knew I had to start again at the beginning. I raced to the library and altho I really meant only to skim and refer, I ending up enthralled to read again the whole thing.
Some less than stellar dialogue and a certain aimlessness in the middle of this one made it slightly less compelling than the first. By the end, the magic reasserted itself, and now I'm eagerly anticipating the final volume in this trilogy.
Words themselves are doors. p255
July 13, 2019
I think I love Jared. His attempts to get out from under the life he’s been leading, and his acknowledgment (or lack thereof) of his heritage, has him off to Vancouver to attend school. He meets new relatives, finds a home where he had none - but his past, and his future are all catching up with him. I look forward to part 3.
May 16, 2022
Not quite as good as the first in the trilogy. Not very much happens until close to the end which some may find a little dull. However, something about Jared's voice just felt so real. His every thought and feeling are shared without restraint. Such a flawed and authentic character. I know I'll be back for more soon
July 21, 2020
Read this in one sitting on a long flight! I enjoyed the continuation of the story but I didn’t feel it could stand alone as a novel. I know it’s the second of a trilogy but it felt like a place holder until the resolution in book 3. Not as good at the first book.
October 28, 2018
It’s been fun reading fantasy again, particularly with such a great protagonist! I’m looking forward to the next book (and the witty chapter titles!) in the series.
September 19, 2019
Better than the first. An eminently readable and relatable magical realist adventure.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 522 reviews