Book Review: Weeping Goes Unheard by Lucia Mann
“Weeping Goes Unheard” no longer, as more and more voices speak through a variety of channels. Lucia Mann contributes to this revelation of Canada’s hidden (or as she says, covered up) past by giving a voice to those who have died, disappeared or are still with us.
The author relies heavily on his investigative journalistic skills to document centuries of injustice against First Nations in present-day Canada. However, he takes the data discovered and weaves it into a compelling narrative. In my opinion, the book is a written materialization of a documentary film with a series of reconstructions of events.
Lucia Mann has proven time and time again with her previously published novels that she is a highly visual writer. Therefore, reading “Weeping Goes Unheard” is not that different from watching a documentary. Furthermore, she is equally a soulful writer, passionately driven to help and give a voice to underprivileged communities of all races. This passion is clearly revealed throughout the text.
The task posed by the author was not easy, since in front of her lay a long history of injustice that permeates to this day. Different aspects of this monstrous manifestation are covered in the book, such as forced deportations, internees, institutionalized abuses (mostly by authority figures who should be providing protection), and serial killers, to name just a few.
What makes this book stand out from others dealing with the same topic is a mix of elements and techniques that are skillfully handled by the author. The fragmented timeline, changing narrative techniques, and perspectives are just some of the strategies that keep the book dynamic and unpredictable (although some readers will be familiar with at least some of the information conveyed). Readers are swept up in a whirlwind of experience with often sudden jolts between the present and the past (and frequent somber reflections on a future yet to come).
All in all, “Weeping Goes Unheard” is a gritty book that puts into perspective stories from which the gaze of society has been veiled for too long. Due to the subject matter, it is not a read for all ages. While the book is very informative and revealing, Lucia Mann’s ultimate goal goes beyond simply passing on knowledge. As a humanist and activist, she finds creative ways to engage the public in hopes of turning passive citizens of Canada, and the world, into active participants in enacting change for the common good.
