The Round House by Louise Erdrich

Pages: 317

Intended Audience: Mature teens, adults

Genre: Crime / Coming of age

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language, under-age drinking and smoking, some violence, and some very mature themes.

The Back Cover

One Sunday in the spring of 1988, a woman living on a reservation in North Dakota is attacked. The details of the crime slow to surface because Geraldine Coutts is traumatized and reluctant to relive or reveal what happened, either to the police or to her husband, Bazil, and thirteen-year-old son, Joe. In one day, Joe’s life is irrevocably transformed. He tries to heal his mother, but she will not leave her bed and slips into an abyss of solitude. Increasingly alone, Joe finds himself thrust prematurely into an adult world for which he is ill prepared.

While his father, a tribal judge, endeavors to wrest justice from a situation that defies his efforts, Joe becomes frustrated with the official investigation and sets out with his trusted friends, Cappy, Zack, and Angus, to get some answers of his own. Their quest takes them first to the Round House, a sacred space and place of worship for the Ojibwe. And this is only the beginning.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

Winner of The National Book Award in 2012.

What’s good?

The narrative provides an interesting perspective as 13-year-old Joe interprets the very adult world around him. Despite his age, he is intelligent and his observations are very astute. The mystery surrounding Joe’s mother’s attack is revealed slowly, painfully, as he pieces together the clues. This is a prolific story, layered with Ojibwe tradition and reservation culture, trauma, poverty, danger, and even humor. Strong supporting characters help weave a mystery that goes back years and exposes bigotry and injustice. At times, it feels like the reader is being given a glimpse into a secret society. The plot moves forward at a steady pace, intertwined with subplots and flashbacks that add a richness that only makes the ending more shocking.

Best Part: Mooshum’s story of Akii and the Star Trek: The Next Generation references.

What isn’t good?

Long paragraphs, long chapters, and no quotation marks around dialogue make this a daunting read. The vocabulary is challenging and the subject matter is mature, so the story may be inaccessible to some teens. The pace is steady, but relaxed, taking many turns away from the main story. Unfortunately, these side road stories are often much more interesting than the main mystery and I often found myself wanting to read more about the enigmatic Linda Wishkob, ex-marine Father Wozniak, or even raunchy Grandma Ignatia, rather than discover Geraldine’s secret.

Worst part: Joe’s obsession with Sonja’s breasts (although it culminates in a disturbing yet enlightening moment later on in the story).

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺☻ (4/5)

It took a few chapters before I was truly hooked on the story, but I eventually became immersed in the culture and tradition of the fascinating characters living on this North Dakota reservation. Bazil’s respect for the law despite the historic and grave injustices faced by the indigenous community is one example of the diversity and depth of the characters. The story feels solid, honest, and tangible. Recommended. 

Erdrich, Louise. The Round House. New York: Harper Perennial, 2012.