Probably Ruby : A Novel

Finalist for the Governor General’s Literary AwardAn Indigenous woman adopted by white parents goes in search of her identity in this unforgettable debut novel about family, race, & history.This is the story of a woman in search of herself, in every sense. When we first meet Ruby, a Métis woman in her thirties, her life is spinning out of control. She’s angling to sleep with her counselor while also rekindling an old relationship she knows will only bring more heartache. But as we soon learn, Ruby’s story is far more complex than even she can imagine.Given up for adoption as an infant, Ruby is raised by a white couple who understand little of her Indigenous heritage. This is the great mystery that hovers over Ruby’s life—who her people are and how to reconcile what is missing. As the novel spans time & multiple points of view, we meet the people connected to Ruby: her birth parents & grandparents; her adoptive parents; the men & women Ruby has been romantically involved with; a beloved uncle; & Ruby’s children. Taken together, these characters form a kaleidoscope of stories, giving Ruby’s life dignity & meaning.Probably Ruby is a dazzling novel about a bold, unapologetic woman taking control of her life & story, & marks the debut of a major new voice in Indigenous fiction.°°° “Writing from the depths of her heart, Lisa Bird-Wilson has gifted us a passionate exploration of identity & belonging & a celebration of our universal desire to love & be loved.”— Imbolo Mbue, bestselling & award-winning author of How Beautiful We Were & Behold the Dreamers°°° Lisa Bird-Wilson is a Cree-Métis writer & poet & the CEO of the Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies, an organization committed to the renewal & development of Métis culture & education. Probably Ruby is her debut novel & her American debut. She lives in Saskatoon, Canada. An Indigenous woman adopted by white parents goes in search of her identity in this unforgettable debut novel about family, race, and history. Finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award • “Engaging . . . Ruby never disappoints with her big heart and outrageous sense of humor—and her resilient search for her own history.”— The New York Times Book Review “A passionate exploration of identity and belonging and a celebration of our universal desire to love and be loved.”—Imbolo Mbue, author of Behold the Dreamers This is the story of a woman in search of herself, in every sense. When we first meet Ruby, a Métis woman in her thirties, her life is spinning out of control. She’s angling to sleep with her counselor while also rekindling an old relationship she knows will only bring more heartache. But as we soon learn, Ruby’s story is far more complex than even she can imagine. Given up for adoption as an infant, Ruby is raised by a white couple who understand little of her Indigenous heritage. This is the great mystery that hovers over Ruby’s life—who her people are and how to reconcile what is missing. As the novel spans time and multiple points of view, we meet the people connected to Ruby: her birth parents and grandparents; her adoptive parents; the men and women Ruby has been romantically involved with; a beloved uncle; and Ruby’s children. Taken together, these characters form a kaleidoscope of stories, giving Ruby’s life dignity and meaning. Probably Ruby is a dazzling novel about a bold, unapologetic woman taking control of her life and story, and marks the debut of a major new voice in Indigenous fiction. An Indigenous woman adopted by white parents goes in search of her identity in this unforgettable debut novel about family, race, and history--"a celebration of our universal desire to love and be loved" (Imbolo Mbue, author of Behold the Dreamers) This is the story of a woman in search of herself, in every sense. When we first meet Ruby, a Mtis woman in her thirties, her life is spinning out of control. She's angling to sleep with her counselor while also rekindling an old relationship she knows will only bring more heartache. But as we soon learn, Ruby's story is far more complex than even she can imagine. Given up for adoption as an infant, Ruby is raised by a white couple who understand little of her Indigenous heritage. This is the great mystery that hovers over Ruby's life--who her people are and how to reconcile what is missing. As the novel spans time and multiple points of view, we meet the people connected to Ruby: her birth parents and grandparents; her adoptive parents; the men and women Ruby has been romantically involved with; a beloved uncle; and Ruby's children. Taken together, these characters form a kaleidoscope of stories, giving Rubys life dignity and meaning. Probably Ruby is a dazzling novel about a bold, unapologetic woman taking control of her life and story, and marks the debut of a major new voice in Indigenous fiction. "When we first meet Ruby, a Métis woman in her 30s, she's a mess. She's angling to sleep with her therapist while also rekindling an old relationship with a man who was - let's just say - a mistake. As we will soon learn, however, Ruby's story is far broader and deeper than its rollicking, somewhat lighthearted first chapter. This is the story of a woman in search of herself, in every sense. Given up for adoption as an infant, Ruby was raised by a white couple who understand little of her Indigenous heritage. Growing up Ruby longs to know where she comes from and who her people are. This is the great mystery that hovers over her life and the book. Through a non-chronological structure, we meet the people who have shaped her life: her adoptive parents; her birth parents and grandparents; the men and women Ruby has been romantically involved with. All these characters form a kaleidoscope of stories, giving Ruby's life dignity and meaning"-- $c Provided by publisher "Ruby, a Métis woman in her thirties, is spinning out of control. She's angling to sleep with her counselor while also rekindling an old relationship she knows will only bring more heartache. But Ruby's story is far more complex than even she can imagine. Given up for adoption as an infant, Ruby was raised by a white couple who understood little of her Indigenous heritage. This is the great mystery that hovers over Ruby's life--who her people are and what is missing. As we meet the people connected to Ruby--her adoptive parents, birth family, old (and new ) flames, a beloved uncle, and her children--they form a kaleidoscope of stories, giving Ruby's life dignity and meaning."--From back cover