Spirit Eater

Something dark has woken in the forest of Three Sisters First Nation, enthralled by the promise of power whispering from the heart of a young teen who longs for freedom

Samson Makoons, an artistic and kind-hearted Anishnaabe teen in foster care with a secret hiding in his blood, is desperate for a lifeline. Having lived with his overbearing Christian foster mother, Dawn Winford, for nearly two years now, Sam is praying for a miracle that gets him out of there. But the reunification window that Sam’s fiercely protective, newly sober mother, Marie, and his ATV-riding, bush-witch gôkom, Francine, have is rapidly closing. If they don’t act fast, Sam will be stuck with the Winfords until he ages out of care.

Feeling trapped and helpless by the impending deadline, Sam finds hope in a chance encounter with a shapeshifting shadow spirit while out with his friends at the Elms—a forest oasis steeped in history and more than a little ancestral magic. This unpredictable ancient spirit offers to free Samson from the Winfords, his mom’s absence and the powerlessness of a system that has torn apart generations of families like his, but his freedom will come at a cost. Unbeknownst to Sam, this clandestine deal will throw the lives of everyone he loves into jeopardy, forcing his friends and family to rescue him from a malevolence far greater than anything they can imagine.

Told through the polyphony of Sam, his three friends, Marie and Dawn, the story unfolds like a medicine bundle revealing the secrets, truths and ancient magic that tie their fates together. Spirit Eater is a rich, heartbreaking bear hug of a novel steeped in Anishnaabe legends that shines a light on modern Indigenous realities. It is a story about family, belonging, forgiveness and the Bear Medicine that could help fix what has been broken.