the round house

If you want to fall in love with the Native American method of storytelling, first read Ceremony, and then pick up this incredible novel. Erdrich has the gentlest voice of any author I’ve ever encountered, and in that gentleness is a depth and power that only comes from an expertly crafted story. The plot and setting are beautifully set up, but it’s the first-person narrative perspective of the main character, Joe, that steals the show. Erdrich’s skill at endowing him with such sensitivity and authenticity definitely makes her deserving of more literary recognition and popularity. Plus, the foundation of the story is the harsh reality and social injustices that American Indians, and especially women on reservations (with 1 in 3 becoming victims of rape), face every day, and that’s something of which everyone can be better informed.