A review by siparker
The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich

challenging emotional lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Erdrich tells a story through the livelihood of three families.  You have Martin, Crystal, and their daughter Kismet, Hugo and his family, and then the Geist family of Diz, Winnie and their son Gary.  The children create a convoluted love triangle where privilege is on display.  I enjoyed the entangled lives of the characters, but I couldn’t understand how Kismet didn’t have enough agency to say no to Gary’s proposal and to stand up for herself. No one in her life wanted her to marry him, yet she does of her own volition.  She wasn’t estranged and trying to get away from her family.  She simply didn’t care enough about herself.  She create Gary to be a despicable character, and yet it takes the entire book for her to extricate herself from that situation.