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The Round House
The Round House
Author: Louise Erdrich
One Sunday in the spring of 1988, a woman living on a reservation in North Dakota is attacked. The details of the crime are slow to surface as 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 tr...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780062065247
ISBN-10: 0062065246
Publication Date: 10/2/2012
Pages: 321
Rating:
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 79

3.6 stars, based on 79 ratings
Publisher: Harper
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

BigGreenChair avatar reviewed The Round House on + 461 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Good read, I couldn't put it down. It deserved the distinction of Finalist for the National Book Award. The other book of hers I really loved was the Master Butcher's Singing Club. Others of hers I have tried and they weren't my cup of tea. This one stood out.
NancyAZ avatar reviewed The Round House on + 95 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This is my second Louise Erdrich book. I love how her writing flows and her stories are so interesting. They are not your everyday stories that get stuck in boredom. This book is told through the eyes of a 13 year old boy and the love he has for his family and friends as he tries to make things right for his mom. It is an interesting and intriguing book.
reviewed The Round House on + 39 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This is an author I especially enjoy. Her books are unique most are set in the Midwest and some, like The Round House, on Native American reservations. Antone Basil Joe Coutts Jr. is 13 in North Dakota in 1988. His father is a judge in the tribal court, and his mother Geraldine is a tribal enrollment specialist. Joe (he chose the name when he was 6) spends his time with his best friend, Cappy, and friends Zach and Angus riding their bikes and beginning to think about girls. Joe likes to read his fathers books on Indian law and listen to stories by his grandfather, Mooshum. When Joes mother Geraldine is violently raped, the aftermath takes them on a search for answers and revenge. Its a vivid look at life on a reservation at that time, and the laws and history they have to contend with.
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mom2nine avatar reviewed The Round House on + 343 more book reviews
I guess I need to write this to say that I disagree with the review that did not like the story told through the eyes of a 13 yr. old boy. An assault would affect the whole family. A 13 yr. old would understand, but only to an extent. He would want to take care of his mother, he held her as they went to the hospital, so would feel as though he needed to do something, but for the most part her pain is out of his control.
The story goes beyond the assault, though and is a bit of a mystery. It also has a historical background and present day problems with crime on reservations and even beyond that to show the poverty and alcohol problems. There was sexual content that may be an issue for some.
reviewed The Round House on + 134 more book reviews
I had read Last Report of Miracles At Little No Horse and enjoyed it, and this one did not disappoint. Always engaging, the story constantly evolving and moving, this is a powerful tale that will leave you thinking about it long after.


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