Book Review | Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden

Virgil Wounded Horse is an enforcer on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. He is known for delivering his kind of justice in cases where the American legal system or the tribal council failed to do so. But when his teenage nephew gets caught up with drugs, Virgil decides to take action. His investigation leads him to drug cartels, shady alliances, and the seductive lure of power and money. Virgil finds that he must face his demons and reclaim his Native identity before it’s too late.

I wondered what it was like to live without that weight on your shoulders, the weight of the murdered ancestors, the stolen land, the abused children, the burden every Native person carries.

Winter Counts follows an enforcer determined to uncover the root cause of a heroin epidemic on a Native American reservation. Rich in prose and emotional weight, it takes you on a rollercoaster ride of identity crisis, grief, violence, poverty, and racism. I devoured this suspenseful and sharply witty book in two days!

Virgil is the kind of protagonist that I love to read about – a vigilante who seems morally grey yet cares deeply for others and ultimately just wants to do the right thing. Despite his cynical outlook, he grapples with his actions in the past that have hurt his loved ones. After his sister’s death, he becomes the guardian of his nephew, Nathan. When Nathan’s life is under threat from his involvement with drugs, Virgil embarks on a mission to save him. I really liked their relationship and the way they showed their love through actions more than words.

The other characters are well-developed, including Virgil’s ex-girlfriend Marie, his best friend Tommy, and the tribal councilman Ben Short Bear. Each of them is dealing with the devastating effects of settler colonialism in America through the lack of criminal justice and loss of economic opportunities. The book offers valuable insight into the challenges faced by Indigenous people in America, particularly the Lakota tribe.

Winter counts are the traditional Lakota calendar system where a pictograph portrays a significant event from the previous four seasons. The book reflects this, where every scene is like a vivid snapshot of Virgil’s life. Years after abandoning his tribal traditions, this dangerous mission forces him to reconnect with his culture, and the rituals and ceremonies he left behind. Watching Virgil confront his past and embrace his heritage again brought tears to my eyes. Bittersweet and cathartic, I hope this isn’t the last we see of him.

Winter Counts is an absorbing character study and a thrilling crime fiction with depth. An unmissable debut!

About the author: David Heska Wanbli Weiden

Photo by Engin Yapici