This Town Sleeps

A Novel

By: Dennis E. Staples

Narrated by: Kaipo Schwab

Set on a reservation in far northern Minnesota, This Town Sleeps explores the many ways history, culture, landscape, and lineage shape our lives, our understanding of the world we inhabit, and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of it all.

On an Ojibwe reservation called Languille Lake, within the small town of Geshig at the hub of the rez, two men enter into a secret romance. Marion Lafournier, a mid-20s gay Ojibwe man, begins a relationship with his former classmate Shannon, a heavily closeted white man. While Marion is far more open about his sexuality, neither is immune to the realities of the lives of gay men in small towns and closed societies.

Then one night, while roaming the dark streets of Geshig, Marion unknowingly brings to life the spirit of a dog from beneath the elementary school playground. The mysterious revenant leads him to the grave of Kayden Kelliher, an Ojibwe basketball star who was murdered at the young age of 17 and whose presence still lingers in the memories of the townsfolk. While investigating the fallen hero's death, Marion discovers family connections and an old Ojibwe legend that may be the secret to unraveling the mystery he has found himself in.

©2020 Dennis E. Staples (P)2020 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Interesting story!

I like this book and the overall story. My only complaint is that it was difficult to follow at times making me wish I had the book to reference back to as well as the audio. I will look for more books by this author in the future, and I really enjoy the narrator.

Engaging story well preformed

I really enjoyed the story. Much more than a gay Indian saga!! Great characters and magical realism. Funny and tender.

A good effort

This began to come together in the last quarter of the novel. There's a lot to said in favor of the narrator: I like how he modifies his voice for different characters and is at ease with Ojibwe language. But the story didn't grab me.

Wow

This book made me want to write about it - which doesn’t happen often. I know it will stick with me for awhile.