The Birthing Tree

A tender story of self-discovery and the power of generations of women * Publishers Weekly *
Grounded, glimmering, earthy yet mystical … The Birthing Tree will enchant readers with its resplendent portrait of heritage, tradition, and home * Literary Hub *
A full-circle narrative that weaves together an individual, her family, Indigenous culture, the Americas, and nature. With its translucent sentences and strong structures, this richly dimensional story will deeply affect readers * Booklist *
Peters punctuates the chapters of Aliet’s narrative with brief italicized comments on her journey; by the end, their source is clear, and roots the novel even more firmly in traditional culture. Without being directly addressed, the matriarchal feminism of that culture comes through loud and clear. A quietly compelling portrait of a young woman finding her truth * Kirkus Reviews *
Sometimes the most urgent mysteries come from our ancestors, as Amanda Peters expertly demonstrates in this triumphant follow-up to her powerhouse first novel, The Berry Pickers. The Birthing Tree is a wonder of elegant prose and deep insight, honoring the lives of generations of Mi’kmaq women born beneath the tree’s arms. The death of a beloved grandmother sweeps us into a multi-generational mystery that is absorbing, fascinating, and ultimately redemptive. Peters excels at understanding the complexities of human connections — our guarded secrets and shames, our loyalties and prejudices * Mona Susan Power, author of A Council of Dolls *
The many fans of Amanda Peters’s breakout debut, The Berry Pickers, will want to put her sophomore novel at the top of their TBRs * BookPage *
Seeking a highly regarded, award-winning writer? Then try The Birthing Tree by Amanda Peters * Library Journal *
The Birthing Tree is a love letter to the strength of Indigenous traditions, stories, and love in all their forms. Aliet decides to return, not only to the home to the home and land on which her grandmother raised her, but to the tree under which she and generations of babies from her community were born. A beautiful book. You’ll be thinking of that tree for a long time to come * Michelle Porter, author of A Glacier’s Guide to Dying *
The Birthing Tree is a gorgeous, historical work of literary fiction that explores family, legacy, and the secrets that bind us * She Does the City *
Peters explores the importance of maintaining a connection to one’s heritage, the effects of secrets and trauma that ripple down through future generations, and the impacts of grief. This one is a great fit for fans of literary fiction and stories with a strong sense of place * The Buzz Magazines *

Amanda Peters is a writer of Mi’kmaq and settler ancestry. She is a graduate of the Master of Fine Arts Program at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and holds a Certificate in Creative Writing from the University of Toronto.

Peters is the winner of the 2021 Indigenous Voices Award for Unpublished Prose and was a participant in the 2021 Writers’ Trust Rising Stars program. She resides in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia.

The Berry Pickers is her first novel.

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