A review by kamckim
The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich

5.0

This book is a masterpiece of storytelling. I don't recommend it for young readers at all. It's a history of a small town told by members of the town over time. The history is as layered and rich as the storytellers tales, and everyone is connected somehow. In that way, it is rich. I had to go back in several spots and make sure I caught the connections, who was related to whom and how they had affected that family. I didn't mind re-reading, though, because the writing is so very lovely. There are some very VERY funny parts, especially the parts where the two uncles bait the local priest. There are heart-breaking parts, and parts that are bizarre. But the thing about it is...they are just crazy enough to be true. When Erdrich writes, she makes you trust her. She makes her reader believe she is telling the truth, like she has lived what is written. What a great storyteller.