Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss. ( )

beautiful, wonderful story!! ( )

Based upon a traditional tale passed down by the reindeer-herding Ewenki people of Inner Mongolia, this poignant and powerful story from Gerelchimeg Blackcrane, a Chinese author of Mongolian ethnicity, concerns the relationship between a hunter and the baby moose who adopts him. Although the Ewenki customarily avoid killing moose when the mothers are raising their calves, hunter Gree Shek - out hunting in a season not known for calves, and not perceiving the baby hiding near his mother - mistakenly does just that. When the baby moose, now named Xiao Han ("Little Moose), latches onto him as a result, he finds that he has a new lifelong companion, and that the animal follows him to camp - sleeping in his tent, eating his food, and soon becoming part of the reindeer herd. But as the years pass, and Gree Shek grows older and more infirm, it becomes obvious that, although devoted to his own human, Xiao Han needs the wild, and isn't meant for more developed human environments. Knowing that he will soon die, and that his moose will be orphaned amongst those who will not care for him as he does, Gree Shek drives Xiao Han away, deep into the woods. Some time later, other Ewenki hunters find Gree Shek dead, and bury him in an area of the forest that is said today to be guarded by a massive moose - the very one adopted by the old hunter...

Although familiar with Gerelchimeg Blackcrane's name - his children's novel about a Tibetan Mastiff, Black Flame, was translated into English in 2013, and has been on my to-read list ever since - The Moose of Ewenki is my first exposure to his work. To say that I was impressed would be an understatement! I found the story here deeply moving, and appreciated both its compassion and what felt to me like a clear-eyed realistic approach to its subject. Blackcrane does not shy away from depicting hard realities, such as the fact that Gree Shek knows that he is dying, that other humans cannot necessarily be relied upon to care for Xiao Han as they should, and that he must therefore be firm in driving the moose away. The scene in which he shoots at Xiao Han's feet, because the moose simply won't leave him, was heartbreaking. Gree Shek's own death is handled without sentimentality, described in an understated way that makes it all the more poignant. The description of the old man's dog, who refuses to leave the burial site, guarding his human even in death, left me with a lump in my throat. Of course, although text-heavy, this is a picture-book rather than a novel, and the other component of my great enjoyment of it was the absolutely gorgeous artwork of Chinese illustrator Jiu Er. Beautiful, expressive, with a deft use of color and light, the artwork here was a rich tapestry, and worth seeking out for its own sake. Together with the text, it makes The Moose of Ewenki truly shine!

I'm on a book-buying moratorium right now, alas, but I think I might make an exception for this one, and give myself a copy as an early Christmas gift. It truly is a beautiful, beautiful book! I will be tracking down Blackcrane's other book in English very soon, and can only hope that more of his work is translated soon. ( )