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A review by checkplease
The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich
4.0
4.5 Stars
This is my third book by Louise Erdrich, and the first in her justice trilogy, which I look forward to continuing to read. “The Plague of Doves” captures how a community is composed of individuals who share common experiences and whose lives intersect, but who nevertheless each have their own particular story. I kept being reminded of how, if you throw pebbles into a lake you will see their ripples emanate out, colliding and intersecting while remaining distinct.
Erdrich’s writing, as always, is exquisite. Each character’s story has its own tone and style. The continuum runs from whimsical childhood machinations that reminded me of the wonder of To Kill a Mockingbird, to stories of love and desire, to those that capture the weight of longing and grief, to ones that explore a particular kind of darkness bordering on sadomasochism. This shifting structure is both the delight and the challenge of the book.
In an interview at the end of the paperback, Erdrich said she was intentionally trying to connect events from the past to their impact on characters in the present. I’m not sure I was able to track that so clearly. However, a second read with knowledge of the whole landscape of the town and its inhabitants would probably unlock my understanding.
There were many sharply observed moments and dazzling sentences that I paused to reread. There are also two stunning scenes of nonhuman collectives enacting a kind of violence upon the characters: the titular “plague of doves” and another arresting moment at a pivotal point. And the ending was so good that it made me question my impatience while reading earlier parts of the book. Readers who can savor the writing and surrender to not always knowing how all the pieces connect are best positioned to take in this complex and rewarding book.
This is my third book by Louise Erdrich, and the first in her justice trilogy, which I look forward to continuing to read. “The Plague of Doves” captures how a community is composed of individuals who share common experiences and whose lives intersect, but who nevertheless each have their own particular story. I kept being reminded of how, if you throw pebbles into a lake you will see their ripples emanate out, colliding and intersecting while remaining distinct.
Erdrich’s writing, as always, is exquisite. Each character’s story has its own tone and style. The continuum runs from whimsical childhood machinations that reminded me of the wonder of To Kill a Mockingbird, to stories of love and desire, to those that capture the weight of longing and grief, to ones that explore a particular kind of darkness bordering on sadomasochism. This shifting structure is both the delight and the challenge of the book.
In an interview at the end of the paperback, Erdrich said she was intentionally trying to connect events from the past to their impact on characters in the present. I’m not sure I was able to track that so clearly. However, a second read with knowledge of the whole landscape of the town and its inhabitants would probably unlock my understanding.
There were many sharply observed moments and dazzling sentences that I paused to reread. There are also two stunning scenes of nonhuman collectives enacting a kind of violence upon the characters: the titular “plague of doves” and another arresting moment at a pivotal point. And the ending was so good that it made me question my impatience while reading earlier parts of the book. Readers who can savor the writing and surrender to not always knowing how all the pieces connect are best positioned to take in this complex and rewarding book.