real ones

One of:
Indigo’s Top Ten Best Books of 2024
Winnipeg Free Press’ Best Books of 2024
One of CBC’s “Best Canadian fiction of 2024”

“With the same artistry and open heart that vermette’s character lyn practices in throwing and displaying her pottery, vermette has crafted real ones to explore—in real time—the traumatic outward rippling effect of a mother’s ethnic fraud on all her relations.”
—Michelle Good, author of Five Little Indians and Truth Telling

“A brilliant novel, infused with anger and rich with empathy. In real ones, katherena vermette holds a mirror up to an issue that Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities are all grappling with—the rise of false claims to Indigenous identity. Vermette tells this story like no one else can. By focusing on the relationship between sisters June and lyn (who are Métis on their father’s side) following the public discovery of their own mother’s false claims, vermette offers up an understanding of the way the phenomenon reverberates at the personal and political levels. A healing and eye-opening story, real ones is a must-read.”
—Michelle Porter, author of A Grandmother Begins the Story

“With conviction and compassion, vermette shines a light on pretendianism—motivations, tangled emotions, far-reaching consequences—and re-centres collective Métis identity and sovereignty.”
—Chantal Fiola, author of Returning to Ceremony: Spirituality in Manitoba Métis Communities

“Through lithe prose that occasionally slips into poetry, vermette’s refreshing novel shines in its biting satire of white hubris and its conclusions about the slipperiness of identity.”
—The Walrus

“[A] warm, incredibly timely and at times rather funny novel.”
—Chatelaine

“Timely. . . . vermette’s talent for exploring tough topics with passion, humour and hope helps the story unfold. Through the family’s experience, tributes are paid to the hard-fought battles of Michif (Métis) people who have regained and maintained ownership of their identity. A deep understanding of art and a love of language abounds in vermette’s careful prose. Throughout the sad story, moments of simple beauty shine. vermette is passionate about her ancestry and inserts lived experience and cultural awareness through family discussions. . . . Though real ones explores a lot of anger caused by the pretendian theme, there’s heartfelt experience from the daughters’ perspectives [and] conflicted feelings about Renee. . . . That core struggle makes real ones so very real.”
—Winnipeg Free Press