⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5 /5 stars)

Contests of Strength completely swept me away from the very first page. Set in 1699 along the rugged, unforgiving Pacific coastline, this novel masterfully blends fiction with traditional Native stories in a way that feels both immersive and deeply respectful. It's a powerful story of identity, survival, and inner strength.

We follow two central characters whose lives couldn't be more different, yet whose stories intertwine with incredible emotional impact. Dushuuw, a warrior forced into a whaler's role, grapples with his place in the world, his brother's safety, and the spiritual guidance he struggles to access. Watching him grow into a true leader in the face of natural disaster and cultural tension was one of my favourite arcs. There's something so compelling about the "younger son" story, and this one absolutely delivers.

Then there's Amuun'ax̱sum, a noble girl cruelly torn from her former life and forced into slavery just before her coming-of-age ceremony. Her quiet strength, resilience, and journey of rediscovery slowly unfold as the story progresses, and her perspective brought so much heart and depth.
But what truly stood out to me were the interwoven Indigenous stories and the rising sense of tension. Knowing a massive natural disaster was looming in the background added a level of suspense that kept me hooked. When the earth finally shakes and the sea rises, the stakes feel real, and the outcome truly earned.

I picked this up because the premise sounded good—and it delivered so much more than I expected. If you enjoy richly layered historical fiction rooted in Native storytelling, survival, and character-driven journeys, this is absolutely one to add to your list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Truth & Story | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Melissa Slager does an amazing job in writing this book, it had that feel that I was looking for from the description. I was invested in Dushuuw and Amuun'ax̱sum and the rest of the characters in this universe, they were written well in this universe and how the overall storyline worked in the historical element to this. It was everything that I was wanting and enjoyed getting to know the characters in this and how the concept was told.