Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga is lauded for its powerful, evocative narrative and meticulous research. Reviewers appreciate Talaga's compelling storytelling and the spotlight she places on systemic issues affecting Indigenous communities. However, some find the subject matter heavy and emotionally challenging. Overall, it is a commendable, impactful work that provokes important conversations.

Readers who appreciate Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga are often drawn to investigative journalism, social justice, and Indigenous issues. Comparable to readers of The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King and The Break by Katherena Vermette, they seek in-depth, narrative-driven examinations of systemic inequalities and cultural resilience.

Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga investigates the deaths of seven Indigenous students—Jethro Anderson, Reggie Bushie, Robyn Harper, Kyle Morrisseau, Paul Panacheese, Jordan Wabasse, and Curran Strang—in Thunder Bay, Ontario, between 2000 and 2011, highlighting the systemic racism, cultural displacement, and inadequate investigative efforts by police that marked their deaths. The book includes descriptions of child abuse, sexual and gender-based violence, drug and alcohol use, and death by suicide.

Informative / Unnerving / Dark / Contemplative / Melancholic

- Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga sheds light on the broader social issues by investigating the mysterious deaths of seven Indigenous high school students in Thunder Bay, Ontario, between 2000 and 2011.
- The book received the 2018 RBC Taylor Prize for its impact in Canadian nonfiction, acknowledging its powerful narrative and in-depth research.
- Tanya Talaga is not only an award-winning author but also a journalist of Ojibwe and Polish descent, bringing her unique perspective and personal connection to the subject matter in Seven Fallen Feathers.

**Tanya Talaga**  
An Anishinaabe Canadian author and journalist with Polish and Ojibwe ancestry, she is deeply influenced by her family's experiences and writes about the impact of residential schools and the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

**Jethro Anderson**  
The first of the seven fallen feathers who disappeared under suspicious circumstances in Thunder Bay while attending high school and whose death was ruled as accidental drowning.

**Jordan River Anderson**  
A child who spent his entire life in a hospital due to a rare muscle disorder, unable to return home due to government disputes over his care, inspiring the adoption of Jordan's Principle.

**Cindy Blackstock**  
A child social worker and Indigenous rights advocate who filed a human rights complaint against the Canadian government for racial discrimination against Indigenous children in welfare funding.

**Stan Beardy**  
The grand chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation who moved his family to Thunder Bay and encouraged Tanya Talaga to investigate the deaths of the seven fallen feathers.

**Nanabijou**  
A rock formation in Lake Superior known as The Sleeping Giant, tied to an Ojibwe legend, and symbolically tied to the Indigenous context of the seven fallen feathers.

**Alvin Fiddler**  
Successor to Stan Beardy as grand chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, noted for his work on preventing Indigenous youth suicides and involvement in the Truth and Reconciliation Committee.

**Robyn Harper**  
The fourth of the seven fallen feathers who died from acute alcohol poisoning in Thunder Bay, provoking inquiries into the care and safety of Indigenous students.

**Kyle Morrisseau**  
The sixth fallen feather, an artist from a renowned Indigenous family who moved to Thunder Bay for education, his death remains a mystery amid signs of physical abuse.

**Paul Panacheese**  
The third fallen feather whose life ended suddenly in Thunder Bay, with unresolved questions surrounding his death despite his attempts to fit in and succeed at school.

**Jordan Wabasse**  
The seventh fallen feather, a 15-year-old student from a northern community, who was found deceased under mysterious circumstances after moving to Thunder Bay for better opportunities.

**Curran Strang**  
The second fallen feather, a student from Pikangikum First Nation, who faced educational and personal challenges in Thunder Bay before his untimely death by drowning.

**Reggie Bushie**  
The fifth fallen feather who disappeared and was later found in a river, with his case prompting community calls for inquiry into the deaths of Indigenous youth in Thunder Bay.

**Chanie Wenjack**  
A young boy from Marten Falls First Nation whose death after escaping a residential school highlighted the harsh realities faced by Indigenous children and spurred national awareness.

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Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City

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