The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
“It’s funny what you remember when something goes wrong. Something that would never stick in your memory on an ordinary day gets stuck there permanent.”
If books that explore the complexity of grief and trauma intrigue you, this one should be your next read.
The Berry Pickers by Mi’kmaw author Amanda Peters is a heart wrenching novel that explores trauma, grief, memory, and healing.
Centered around the story of Ruthie, a young Indigenous girl from Nova Scotia who goes missing while berry picking with her family in Maine, the novel unravels a life of lies through the eyes of two main characters.
As Ruthie (or Norma) begins to unravel the truth of her own past, we learn bit by bit how this has shaped her identity. It’s a beautiful strategy to have the reader uncover the lies along with her because it pulls you into the confusion and pain. We feel the betrayals along with her, and with the development of that connection to her character, we feel the power of the healing work as well.
The Berry Pickers powerfully address the role of law enforcement within Indigenous communities, economic and social disparities faced by marginalized communities, and the personal journeys we take through grief.
As Ruthie’s story is the core event of the novel, the entire family is forced to find their way in a world without their baby, and baby sister. As is often the case, each character has their own coping strategies. They all respond to the trauma in their own way and Peters writes their complexities in a way that feels so real.
The plot is perfect. Secrets unravel, lies are exposed, and then what?
What comes after betrayal? How do you move forward to rebuild trust? How do you heal the wounds of a loss you can never recover?
Amanda Peters does a deep dive into these questions that we’ve all asked ourselves at one time or another. She writes complex and relatable characters with whose flaws you can’t help but empathize. When you are allowed into the mind, for the entire life of a character’s development, how much can we forgive?
This novel challenges you to reflect on why people behave the way they do, and what led them there? How do we grieve? What do we carry with us?
Storytelling is not only art but an educational skill. This is a novel full of lessons about trauma, injustice, and forgiveness.
Reading Journal Questions
How do the characters respond differently to Ruthies’s disappearance?
Is there any event from your own past that you still carry with you?
Which character do you relate to most?
How did the berry farm change over the years? What was the purpose of including this context?
