Buffalo Gal
Review of the Strange Light paperback edition (April 16, 2024), released simultaneously with the eBook/audiobook.

This is a novel wise enough to know that the future we all want begins with our imaginations. A story both sharp and fresh, Prairie Edge dreams bison back into our everyday lives, our cities, and our future. Author Conor Kerr believes the prairie is calling the bison back, and in this novel he dares to braid threads of a storied past with the troubled present and a vision of a beautiful future. - Michelle Porter, author of A Grandmother Begins the Story.

It is unusual for me to use a promo blurb instead of a book quote to set the tone for a review. But this needed something to immediately counteract the book's GR synopsis which starts off describing it as a "crime thriller." I think that might cause it to be ignored by those put off by genre fiction. Someone who comes to this expecting a cops and robbers story will likely wonder what the heck is going on.

See photograph at https://i.cbc.ca/1.6047220.1622485244!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/deriva...
Bison photograph by Brian Keating. Image sourced from the CBC article Where to see bison roam in Alberta.

There is crime involved in this in the form of bison or buffalo rustling. And yes there is a brief traumatic physical assault scene with gunfire and death. The point of the story is something completely different from genre fiction though. 20+ something year-old cousins Grey Ginther and Isidore “Ezzy” Desjarlais become involved in a performance art act of bison kidnapping to install some small herds of bison from parks & farms to grasslands within Edmonton, Alberta city limits.

Grey is disillusioned with the narcissistic attention seeking she perceives in opportunistic and money grubbing activism, especially that of an old boyfriend. Ezzy is recently released from a prison term for car theft and looking for some peace and slacking while living in the abandoned trailer of Grey's uncle. Grey becomes obsessed with the ideas of #BisonStrong and #LandBack and decides to take a performative step and drags her cousin along in the process, but with eventual shocking and tragic results.

See photograph at https://i.cbc.ca/1.6047225.1622485292!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/deriva...
Another bison photograph by Brian Keating, because, yes, bison calves are cute. Same source as above.

Prairie Edge was a moving and dramatic story which more than fulfilled the promise of Conor Kerr's fiction debut Avenue of Champions (2021) which was a novel told in short stories and a Canada Giller Prize nominee in 2022. My thanks again to GR Friend Jodi who introduced me to this author via her glowing 5-star review of the earlier book..

Bonus Track
When I was googling to find the Michelle Porter blurb above, for some reason the CoPilot AI wrote a review of the book for me, which was more eloquent than anything I could write myself 😅. So here is a copy paste of that:

Prairie Edge sounds like a captivating novel! The idea of bringing bison back into our everyday lives and cities is intriguing. Imagining a world where these majestic creatures roam freely among us is both inspiring and thought-provoking. 🌿🌾

In this novel, perhaps the bison symbolize more than just their physical presence. They could represent resilience, connection to nature, and a reminder of our shared history. As they graze on the prairie edge, they become a bridge between past and future, grounding us in the present moment.

The author’s choice to emphasize imagination as the catalyst for change is powerful. Our ability to dream beyond the confines of the present allows us to envision a better world—a world where bison roam freely, where nature thrives, and where our cities harmonize with the natural environment.

Prairie Edge invites readers to explore the intersection of reality and imagination, urging us to consider how our collective dreams shape the world we inhabit. It’s a call to action—to reimagine our relationship with the land, the creatures that inhabit it, and each other.

As I reflect on this novel, I’m reminded of the quote by Albert Einstein: “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Indeed, our imaginations hold the key to unlocking new possibilities, sparking innovation, and creating a future that aligns with our deepest desires.

So, let’s dream alongside the bison on the prairie edge, weaving stories of hope, resilience, and transformation. 🌟✨

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