A review by kinesixtape
The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

“The world was filling with ghosts. We were a haunted country in a haunted world.”

Tookie, who sells books after years of incarceration she only survived by reading, must solve the mystery of why the bookstore’s most annoying (now dead) customer is haunting her while trying to survive Minneapolis during a year of grief, astonishment, and furious reckoning.* 

But Tookie isn't the only one haunted. The primarily-NDN cast is fleshed out, realistic. Each one has flaws and must address them. Each one is haunted by something. The characters drive the plot at just the right pace to reflect on several social problems without becoming props. 

Erdrich's spare prose belies a complex narrative that works on a myriad of levels. Even if you miss references to mythology or other books, it will not affect the captivating story. 

Perfect for readers who want a story: 
  • that is a book about books.
  • about chosen family.
  • facing racism.
  • confronting mortality.

*Okay, yes, the year is 2020.
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