Rachel G. (roach808) - reviewed on 8/16/2019 + 155 more book reviews

Wow, I have both so many thoughts and no (easily accessible) thoughts.

This story is both beautiful and tragic. It has redemption and unachieved goals/dreams. It has an amazing artistry of the Ojibwe culture - and yet also addresses that cultural loss associated with modernization, historical trauma and oppression.

There are aspects of this book that read as "young adult" and capture family planning and reproductive health (in a great way), and there is substance use, and there is mental health. There are elders and the young ones. There is death, and death, and more death. There is also the spiritual realm, afterlife and rebirth.

There are grudges and forgiveness, and dishonesty and honesty. Some things come full circle in this book and some don't.

Through all the rivers Erdrich creates with this story there is . . . LaRose.

(I dunno what keeps me from 5 stars, maybe lack of finality to all/or some major story lines for me?
But it's definitely a 4.5/5 stars for me)

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