It took me a while to get into this one but if you make it to the half way point the pace accelerates and becomes a pretty good read. Many people call this a coming of age story but it seems to me that Joe's character growth occured right at the time of the inciting incident. Also, it seems to me at least, that Erdrich may have had trouble getting into the mind of a teenage boy. There are just little things that are off in the way Joe and his friends conduct themselves. I don't really feel that closeness between Cappy and Joe that I think she intended the reader to feel. It does eventually evolve and this bothered me enough that I looked back through the book and Cappy and Joe's relationship is a focus but I just didn't feel the strength of that bond. Another thing I have an issue with, and this is just my opinion, is the fact that there is really only one suspect for the crime. That being the case, I think this novel could have been strengthened by introducing Lark earlier. Let the reader get a good feel for the sickness within him, make his shadow loom large. I felt like it was "here he is, he's crazy, let's kill him." That's all I can find fault with the story. There's plenty the Erdrich does really well in her narrative. I love Grandma Thunder and the way she makes all the teen boys feel really uncomfortable with her direct speech. The stories Mooshum tells while he sleeps of Nanapush are equally welcome and relevant. I also appreciate a number of the characters: Linda Wishkob, Sonja, and Father Travis. They all make important contributions. Erdrich adeptly intertwines themes regarding what constitutes justice throughout: legal justice, spiritual justice, and worldly justice. How does one cope with trauma? The fact that Joe struggles with his morality illustrates exactly how different he is from Lark. He is crushed when he figures out that someone actually knows where Mayla Wolfskin's body is hidden. He still feels somewhat better for having a world without Lark.All taken, I think it's a strong story and recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading suspense novels. I found myself thinking about 1/4 of the way into this book, "Why the hell haven't I ever read Louise Erdrich's novels before?" The story and the writing were excellent. I have a little bit of exposure to tribal organizations through my work, and so the references to BIA and laws applying to reservations were somewhat familiar. There are several mysteries wrapped into this book, but it probably worked best as a coming-of-age tale that explored the notion of morality in the face of evil. Erdrich's characters felt true-to-life to me, and I always appreciate an author who can capture the way teenagers think/express themselves. The stories about the history of the tribal people as told through the dreams of the grandfather (Mooshum) brought the ongoing trials of Native men and women to life without being preachy. Lots going on in this book - makes me want to re-read parts of it, but first I am going to find another Erdrich novel and read that.
Do You like book A Casa Redonda (2013)?
lasted book club read. enjoyed it. some heated discussions about native rights.
—Haha
Would have been decent had they just stayed with the story.
—carry123
