The Round House
by Louise Erdrich
Award: National Book Winner 2012
Nomination: Carnegie Finalist 2013
Dates Read: December 23, 2012 & September 16, 2019
I don't know where to begin with this novel but to say that Erdrich takes my breath away. So much ground is covered here - loss of innocence, injustice, the depths of friendship, the roots of tradition - all come mixing together to form a beautiful symphony. Erdrich is truly a master and I am thrilled I have so much of her work ahead of me.
The prejudice experienced by Native Americans in this book is staggered yet these characters let it wash over them sometimes with a shrug, often with a joke and yet forever with the understanding that the laws foisted upon them over the centuries are altogether unjust.
The violence visited upon Joe's mom, Geraldine, is horrific and only slowly do we learn how violent and inhuman her experience was. With this assault, Joe is immediately thrust into the world of adults, trying to parse what happened with what will happen next, all while being a very young teenager. His mom is suddenly torn from him as meals cease to be prepared, gardening is undone and the safety of home is redefined. The mother he once knew is gone and he is left with a fearful woman whose PTSD is evident in every reaction and interaction.
As the plot plays out, readers unfamiliar with tribal laws are slowly introduced to the meager legal underpinnings of a reservation, which offer arbitrary and inadequate means of justice. It becomes clear that where this crime occurred matters just as much, if not more, than what occurred.
Surrounding him is the extended family who live nearby on the reservation and friends that are as close as brothers. Cappy, in particular, is supportive in ways few friends would ever be and this friendship is tested and ultimately lost to youthful stupidity. Joe has free rein of his summer days and gets into every manner of trouble with his friends, both age appropriate and not.
Joe realizes that little will be done to allow his mother a true sense of safety and he takes matters into his inexperienced hands and takes on what few adults could ever do. While I struggle with the morality of murder, I cannot deny that I was indifferent to Linden's fate, a truly evil and mentally disturbed man. In the end, Joe rescues his family in a way and returns his mother to a feeling of security, yet Joe will need to live with the consequences forever. Joe's father offers him one mental out - that Linden was most likely a ghost spirit (forget the exact term) that is required by tribal custom to be killed.
Besides Joe, my favorite character here is Linda Wishkob who is forever trying to do the right thing. Her character is so beautifully drawn that I cannot help but feel pity, sympathy and empathy for her all at the same time. She lives with a quiet dignity although she has been through so much. In an act of hopeful optimism and moral courage, she undergoes a liver transplant to extend her twin brother, Linden's life, which she ultimately regrets. Although she knows Joe killed her brother, she protects him and his friends and gives him peace, reassuring him in an offhanded way.
Looking Forward: The Beet Queen, Future Home Of The Living God, LaRose, The Last Report On The Miracles At Little No Horse, Love Medicine, The Night Watchman, The Plague Of Doves
Comments
Post a Comment