The Round House

I have blogged twice about Louise Erdrich's novels (The Plague of Doves and Love Medicine). I think she is an under-appreciated writer because her talent is huge but she remains as virtually unknown to most people. Hopefully she will be more widely read after winning last year's National Book Award for her latest novel The Round House. I read three of the five novels that were finalists (including A Hologram for a King and This Is How You Lose Her) and agree that Erdrich certainly deserved the award. The Round House blew me away.

The novel is told from the perspective of thirteen-year-old Joe, who lives with his parents on a reservation in North Dakota. His mother is brutally attacked and raped, leaving Joe and his father to seek justice... unsure if justice is even within reach. Joe narrates the story as an adult, which brings the story to life in a unique way. It's a powerful novel with a political message. I adored this book. If you haven't read anything by Erdrich, The Round House is worth checking out. I definitely recommend this amazing novel.