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book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
Digital audio read by the author.
From the book jacket: “Family stories repeat themselves in patterns and waves, generation to generation, across bloods and time. Once the pattern is set we go on replicating it,” writes Louise Erdrich in The Antelope Wife, her sixth novel. Rooted in the landscape of city life, yet continually influenced by the power of Ojibwa family, the intricacies of Ojibwa language and religious belief, this book extends the branches of the families who populate Erdrich’s work and reflects the irrevocable patterns set in motion by certain fateful acts.
My reactions
I just have to say that Erdrich is one of my favorite writers. Her prose is luminous and poetic. Her use of magical realism seamless. It reminds me of listening to my grandparents, aunts and uncles tell stories of family lore, sitting on a dark porch of a summer evening. I would be entranced by their stories and the images they painted found their way into my dreams and into the very fiber of my being.
The novel weaves history, contemporary urban life, legend, and sacred myth into a marvelous tapestry of a story. There is violence, and lust, and tenderness to break your heart. There is birth and death, humor and tragedy, betrayal and forgiveness, broken people scattered on the battlefield of life, and others standing tall and moving forward.
I want to go back and read it again.
While Erdrich frequently uses characters over and over again in her novels, you can really read any of them as a stand-alone work. This novel was first published in 1998, and reissued in 2016 as Antelope Woman.
I was excited to get an audio read by Erdrich. The poetry of her language really comes out in her performance. HOWEVER … I realized too late that this was an abridged version. No wonder I felt that I would better enjoy the novel if I read the text … which I did.
From the book jacket: “Family stories repeat themselves in patterns and waves, generation to generation, across bloods and time. Once the pattern is set we go on replicating it,” writes Louise Erdrich in The Antelope Wife, her sixth novel. Rooted in the landscape of city life, yet continually influenced by the power of Ojibwa family, the intricacies of Ojibwa language and religious belief, this book extends the branches of the families who populate Erdrich’s work and reflects the irrevocable patterns set in motion by certain fateful acts.
My reactions
I just have to say that Erdrich is one of my favorite writers. Her prose is luminous and poetic. Her use of magical realism seamless. It reminds me of listening to my grandparents, aunts and uncles tell stories of family lore, sitting on a dark porch of a summer evening. I would be entranced by their stories and the images they painted found their way into my dreams and into the very fiber of my being.
The novel weaves history, contemporary urban life, legend, and sacred myth into a marvelous tapestry of a story. There is violence, and lust, and tenderness to break your heart. There is birth and death, humor and tragedy, betrayal and forgiveness, broken people scattered on the battlefield of life, and others standing tall and moving forward.
I want to go back and read it again.
While Erdrich frequently uses characters over and over again in her novels, you can really read any of them as a stand-alone work. This novel was first published in 1998, and reissued in 2016 as Antelope Woman.
I was excited to get an audio read by Erdrich. The poetry of her language really comes out in her performance. HOWEVER … I realized too late that this was an abridged version. No wonder I felt that I would better enjoy the novel if I read the text … which I did.
knod78's review against another edition
2.0
This book was magic realism to 11. Half the time, I had no idea what was going on and quite honestly, it was too weird. I think if things were explained better, than maybe I would have enjoyed the weirdness. But it wasn't explained. In fact, once things were happening, we get moved into another weird part of the story, like a tangent and then some weird stuff happens. When the story followed an actual story for a time period, I was in the story and wanting to know more. But it didn't always last. I couldn't invest in the characters, but I tried. I didn't really like any of them, especially Klaus and Richard. And I'm still trying to understand why Klaus kidnapped Calico Sweetheart in the first place.
I will say the author writes beautifully; I just wished there was a smoother transition between the stories. Although I loved the dog's point of view on survival, I just didn't get it nor did I understand his death and return to life and whatever that was.
At least it had a clear ending.
I will say the author writes beautifully; I just wished there was a smoother transition between the stories. Although I loved the dog's point of view on survival, I just didn't get it nor did I understand his death and return to life and whatever that was.
At least it had a clear ending.
lsparrow's review against another edition
5.0
I love this author's voice the story is so powerful . I love the characters and the writing felt so visceral.
revacholdawn's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
franha02's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
kamackei's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
murder_unicorn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Rape, Colonisation, and Sexual assault
katharina90's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Always appreciate Erdrich's beautiful prose and her sense of humor. A lot of interesting themes but, as I usually do with her multigenerational novels, I really struggled to keep track of the characters and how they were related or connected to one another.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation, Genocide, Addiction, Sexual violence, and Kidnapping