Those Who Dwell Below

by Aviaq Johnston, Toma Feizo Gas (Illustrator)

Overview

Haunted by the vicious creatures of his recent past, Pitu tries to go back to a normal life at home after the other-worldly travels and near-death encounters of his recent disappearance into the world of the spirits. But Pitu knows that there is more work to be done, and more that he must learn in his new role as a shaman.

When word of a starving village nearby reaches Pitu, he must go help its people appease the angry spirits. It soon becomes clear that Pitu must travel to the bottom of the ocean to meet Nuliajuk, the vengeful woman below, one of the most powerful beings in Inuit mythology.

There he learns about his role in saving the starving community and that all in his home camp may not be as it seems . . .

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781772272352
Publisher:	Inhabit Media
Publication date:	06/18/2019
Edition description:	English Edition
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 1.40(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Aviaq Johnston is the author of the bestselling picture book, What’s My Superpower? For older children, teenagers, and grown-ups, she has written the award-winning novel Those Who Run in the Sky and the sequel, Those Who Dwell Below. She has also written the short stories “Tarnikuluk,” winner of the 2014 Aboriginal Arts and Stories Award, and “The Haunted Blizzard,” featured in Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories. She grew up in Igloolik and now lives in Iqaluit, Nunavut, with her dog, Sunny.

Toma Feizo Gas's work can be found gracing the pages and covers of titles for the Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Star Wars, and Mutant Chronicles role-playing games, as well as several upcoming fantasy novel series.

Read an Excerpt

The water was glacial, crushing the breath out of Pitu’s lungs and squeezing his stomach tight. His thoughts and worries left his mind, and all that remained was panic rushing through his entire body. As he sank beneath the ice, Pitu felt as though he was being stabbed from all directions. For a moment, he thought it might be the qallupilluit, their long, sharp nails piercing him. Eventually, Pitu opened his eyes, and for a moment they burned. But he could see that he was alone in the darkness. Soon the burning dissipated. He looked around, and above him he could see a jagged cast of light. As he descended, as he watched that light drifting farther and blurring with the salt and ice, a calmness engulfed him.

Pitu held his breath, but he also felt the absence of needing to breathe. The current kept pulling him deeper into the ocean. The stabbing pain of the cold had stopped, and now Pitu only felt numb. The light had disappeared completely now. Though he was surrounded by darkness, Pitu was comfortable in it.

His eyes began to adjust to the darkness and suddenly there was no darkness at all. The water surrounding him had turned a beautiful shade of blue, and inexplicable floes of ice floated around him. The floes cast bright lights that were unlike sunlight or moonlight. Their soft glow created an exquisite colourful aura.

This isn’t how nature works, Pitu thought.

Editorial Reviews

The novel is deeply layered and rewarding...Through a lithe series of philosophical dialogues about tradition and change, arrogance and respect, Pitu must think deeply about himself and his community. Readers are sure to come away with a broader sense of these themes. The book’s stark yet striking illustrations add a further layer for contemplation.

From the Publisher

2019-08-13
A young Inuk shaman faces challenges, both human and spiritual, in order to save a nearby village from starvation.

With "dark winter" at its end and spring approaching, Johnston's (Inuit) follow-up to Those Who Run in the Sky (2017) finds Pitu out of the spirit world, living back among his people as the village's "soon-to-be new leader and shaman." But much has changed in his time away. His mentor's son openly loathes him, and the girl he was once betrothed to is now married. One day, while teaching his little brother to hunt, Pitu receives a vision from Nuliajuk, a "well-known sea spirit," indicating a nearby village is in trouble. Aided by his "ever-present spirit guide," a fox named Tiri, Pitu sets off with a hunting party to help. But it will take more than a successful hunt to appease the spirits and bring life back to the community. Not only must Pitu be careful not to lose himself in the process, he must also beware of those in his own group who harbor ill intentions. This contemporary coming-of-age epic easily runs alongside the tales of Kiviuq, the "greatest adventurer known to man" from the Inuit oral tradition. Rich in detail and culturally nuanced, any reader will find the story approachable and connect to its themes of friendship, compassion, and trust. Atmospheric, evocative black-and-white illustrations enhance the text.

An elegant sequel that can dwell on its own. (glossary, author's note) (Fiction. 12-adult)

Kirkus Reviews

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