LaRose: A Novel

An Amazon Best Book of May 2016: The premise of Louise Erdrich s stunning La Rose is provocative. A man goes deer hunting and accidentally shoots and kills his neighbor s son; so consumed by guilt and sorrow, the man and his wife agree to give their son LaRose to the distraught neighbor to raise. It was their penance, as both Catholics and Ojibwe. From this shocking and painful beginning, Louise Erdrich spins an amazing, complex tale of love, family, obligation; the book moves among generations and eras (La Rose is a family name that has been used by both males and females), arriving at a present day conclusion that is both thoroughly modern and rooted in indigenous culture. This is Erdrich at her best, weaving together Native American and white culture, the strands of America. But what makes this book particularly strong and what even those of us who love Erdrich s books can sometimes forget is what a beautiful writer she is. One character is a branchy woman, lovely in her angularity. She also can be wryly observant suddenly it seemed everyone was saying it is what it is as though this was a wise saying. And her depiction of a kind of practical joke two kids play with a school bus is equal parts joyful and terrifying. If you haven t read Erdrich before, LaRose is a good a place to start; if you have, you won t want to skip this lovely, smart addition to the canon. --Sara Nelson