Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
Elatsoe
Young adult novel published in 2020 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
Elatsoe is a 2020 young adult novel by Darcie Little Badger marketed to young readers aged 12–18. It is Little Badger's debut novel. It was included on Time's list of the 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time.[1] Some publications have classed the novel as part of the Indigenous Futurism movement.[2]
Remove ads
Plot
Elatsoe is set in contemporary Texas, but supernatural creatures like ghosts, vampires, and fairies exist. The titular character Elatsoe, nicknamed Ellie, is a 17-year old asexual Lipan Apache girl. She has the ability to recall the ghosts of deceased animals, due to knowledge passed down through her family; Ellie chooses to bring back the ghost of her childhood dog, Kirby, as her companion. Ellie's best friend, Jay, is a descendant of Oberon.
One night, Kirby is spooked by an unknown cause, and shortly afterward Ellie learns that her cousin, Trevor, has died in an apparent car accident. After her mother flies to fictional Willowbee, Texas to support his widowed wife, Lenore, and infant child, Trevor's ghost appears to Ellie. He tells her he was murdered by Abe Allerton, a wealthy local doctor, and asks her to protect his wife and child. She and her father join her mother in Texas. Ellie sets out on a mission to bring her cousin's killer to justice, during which she learns about some misdeeds committed by her own ancestors.[3]
Remove ads
Development
Little Badger came up with the idea for Elatsoe when she was a teenager. Although initially intended to be written for an adult audience, Little Badger decided to shift to a young adult demographic given the teenage protagonist.[4]
Critical reception and reviews
Cole Rush of Tor.com gave 9/10 review to Elatsoe and wrote "I highly recommend picking up the book and relishing Darcie Little Badger’s exquisite tale".[5] It was also reviewed favorably by NPR,[3] School Library Journal,[6] The Horn Book Magazine,[7] and Kirkus Reviews.[8]
Awards and honors
Awards
Honors
- Time's Best 100 Fantasy Books of All Time[1]
- BuzzFeed's Best YA SFF Book of 2020[14]
- Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Books of 2020[15]
- Kirkus Reviews Best YA Book of 2020[16]
- NPR's Best Book of 2020[17]
- Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2020[18]
- Shelf Awareness's Best Children's & Teen Books of 2020[19]
Remove ads
References
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads