ORDINARY SOIL

In Woodard’s novel, a scientific investigation brings change to an Indigenous community in Oklahoma.

In present-day Oklahoma, Jake, a member of the Choctaw nation, is in a deep depression: His family farm has dried up, his young daughter, Hailey, has died of leukemia, and he is struggling with opioid abuse. After a botched suicide attempt, Jake begins his long progress of recovery, helped by his wife, Jessica; she copes with their daughter’s death by growing a vegetable garden. Jake strikes up a friendship with an oncologist, Mark, who grows interested in the relationship between the soil quality and the health of Jake and other members of the nation. As Mark continues his research, he reconnects with his family and his own Choctaw roots. Jake and Jessica slowly repair their relationship and reconnect with Jake’s estranged brother, Adam, who has also been struggling with opioid addiction. Eventually, Mark’s discoveries lead Jake to revive his farm land, and the lonely characters start to form a small community. The contemporary narrative alternates with chapters about Jake’s ancestors, with stories detailing the lives of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. These chapters provide illuminating context and texture and reveal much about the increasingly exploitative relationships that Choctaw people have had with the American government (“He stood unmoving, creek water pooling at his feet, earth ground into the fabric of his skin, yet separate from his loved ones, in the eclipse of the white man’s machines and laws”). Sympathetic characterizations and realistic dialogue give a human face to many of the challenges facing the Indigenous communities depicted here. Mark’s investigation is intriguing and page-turning, and the author manages to keep the technical scientific details clear and comprehensible for the average reader. Even if the conclusions of some plot lines feel a little too abrupt, it’s impossible not to root for these suffering people as they labor to improve their lives and relationships. Woodard’s evocation of the slow, bumpy manner in which human bonds reform feels authentic and endearing.

Botanical mysteries and emotional catharses help heal the deep scars of a vividly drawn Indigenous community.