By Carly Smith
Content warning: rape, child abuse, racism, suicide, pregnancy loss
Our Voice of Fire documents the life of Brandi Morin, Indigenous journalist and Indigenous rights advocate. This memoir takes readers through a roller coaster of a journey that is Morin’s childhood and adulthood. Morin recalls experiences both heroic and horrific, stories that move you deep in your soul, which make you feel like you’re right there next to her as these events happen. She shares stories of an unstable home life as a child and precarious living situations as an adolescent. She recalls experiences of physical and emotional agony from rape, substance use, psychosis, and attachment issues. She also recalls bouts of triumph with the birth of her children, her constant progress with her mental health, and her successful career in journalism. Beautifully braided into each of her memories is a necessary reminder that the trauma endured by Indigenous peoples as a result of Canada’s actions and inactions is not extinct but is still very much alive and patiently awaiting healing.
Throughout the hardships and traumatic circumstances that Morin chronicles, readers gain insight into her resilience and her profound strength that is endless, albeit at times difficult to locate. Continuously rebounding and reinventing herself after each and every heart-wrenching injustice or poor call of judgment is beautiful, hopeful, and a testament to her determination.
Morin’s writing is very satisfying. It’s as if she is answering questions in an interview and has prepared the ideas for her responses but not the responses themselves. She writes eloquently yet conversationally, creating a comfortable atmosphere between the pages. She juxtaposes heavy topics with easy reading and the combination is addicting. Chapters are not too long, so the book can easily be paused if the content becomes too loaded. It’s the type of read that is timeless; rereading it in ten years will still tug at heartstrings as much as the first time.
Cathartic and evocative, Our Voice of Fire is a beautiful memoir that needs to be accessible to all Canadian adults. This book is not just for the oppressed, it is for all adults, including, and maybe especially, those who think they’ve had their fill of or don’t need any more Indigenous content on their coffee tables. This book is not just a memoir, it’s a wake-up call to Canada’s settlers and the politically indifferent.
Thank you to House of Anansi for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.