In 1974, Justine is a fifteen-year-old Native girl living in a reservation in Oklahoma. Her mother is a member of a highly restrictive church and also in charge of their commune. Justine and her mother disagree on a number of things, which creates room for rebellion.
Unfortunately, Justine mixes with the wrong crowd and gets pregnant at fifteen. She is forced to come to terms with her new reality. Life at the commune prove to be unbearable, so Justine relocates with her daughter, Reney, to Texas for better opportunities.
Life in Texas isn't any easier, as Reney finds it hard to acclimate in this harsher environment. Crooked Hallelujah is a novel that explores four generations of women who struggle with their circumstance, identity, and purpose.
The men in these women's lives are unreliable, and they are left to pick the pieces. The story is heartbreaking as it showcases American poverty and how religion is really the only way to endure these hardships.
