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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is a book about people's lives and how they function during tough economic times as well as dealing with behaviors and actions that determine their life's path. From the young adult, such as Kismet to the older adults, the reader can't help but mull over their actions and choices, possibly see a bit of themselves. Erdrich deftly pokes at big topics that are wound throughout the main character's lives and her presentation of nature and farming is spot on.
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Louise Erdrich seems to add more light-heartedness to her books these days. The Mighty Red has the depth of character one would expect. Kismet Poe, the protagonist, is also very funny at times as she refuses to play the role expected of her.
There is also a mysterious tragedy that is explained later in the book and a relationship bw the characters and their land—esp in the way they’re polluting it w fertilizers. Then there’s a side plot abt a runaway husband and some church funds.
Everything is set right at the end in the way of any romance, which—surprisingly—is what this book turns out to be.
There is also a mysterious tragedy that is explained later in the book and a relationship bw the characters and their land—esp in the way they’re polluting it w fertilizers. Then there’s a side plot abt a runaway husband and some church funds.
Everything is set right at the end in the way of any romance, which—surprisingly—is what this book turns out to be.
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Entertaining story that is gentle even dealing with difficult things
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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:
No
reflective
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
Pulitzer Prize winner Louise Erdrich’s The Mighty Red took me back to the fields and skies of rural North Dakota, where my mother grew up. This novel, set during the 2008 recession, captures the soul of a prairie town—the people, the land, and the struggles that tie them together.
The characters are vividly real, especially Crystal, a sugar beet hauler trying to give her daughter Kismet a better life. Kismet’s love triangle with Gary, the high school quarterback, and Hugo, a dreamy outsider, adds emotional depth, though their angst occasionally veers into YA territory. The humor—like a chaotic town book club—balances the heavy themes of fracking, climate change, and economic collapse.
Erdrich’s prose is breathtaking. She paints the prairie with poetic strokes while grounding the story in the harsh realities of farming life. The Red River becomes a character itself, mirroring the unpredictability of love and nature. I was shocked to learn that they process sugar beets with animal bones—one of many unsettling details Erdrich weaves in.
It took me a while to settle into the story—the timelines and shifting perspectives can be tricky. But once I found the rhythm, I couldn’t put it down. The mix of humor, heartbreak, and small-town quirks kept me hooked.
If you’re patient and appreciate excellent writing, The Mighty Red is worth every page. It’s a tender, haunting story about love, resilience, and our fragile ties to the land. 4 stars.
** Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a complimentary review copy. The opinions are my own.
The characters are vividly real, especially Crystal, a sugar beet hauler trying to give her daughter Kismet a better life. Kismet’s love triangle with Gary, the high school quarterback, and Hugo, a dreamy outsider, adds emotional depth, though their angst occasionally veers into YA territory. The humor—like a chaotic town book club—balances the heavy themes of fracking, climate change, and economic collapse.
Erdrich’s prose is breathtaking. She paints the prairie with poetic strokes while grounding the story in the harsh realities of farming life. The Red River becomes a character itself, mirroring the unpredictability of love and nature. I was shocked to learn that they process sugar beets with animal bones—one of many unsettling details Erdrich weaves in.
It took me a while to settle into the story—the timelines and shifting perspectives can be tricky. But once I found the rhythm, I couldn’t put it down. The mix of humor, heartbreak, and small-town quirks kept me hooked.
If you’re patient and appreciate excellent writing, The Mighty Red is worth every page. It’s a tender, haunting story about love, resilience, and our fragile ties to the land. 4 stars.
** Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a complimentary review copy. The opinions are my own.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes