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A review by elerireads
The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Unfortunately (a) I didn't really get this book, and (b) I think it's just a type/genre that I don't get on with - not quite sure how to describe it. Is it magical realism? (Erdrich apparently says not https://jottedlines.com/the-leap-by-louise-erdrich-narrator-imagery-magical-realism/) The combination of grittiness and supernatural elements just doesn't work for me. I guess I'm too narrow-minded to suspend my disbelief and it intrudes on my ability to take the story and underlying messages as seriously as they deserve. I had the exact same problem with Beloved.
All that's to say I think this is probably actually a phenomenally good book and the writing was rich with love for the ordinary life. The main character had a whole lot of dramatic and traumatic incidents in her life but this book was mainly about her relatively normal life in the aftermath - her relationships with her husband and step-daughter, the joy of holding her (step-) grandson, dealing with the difficult customers in the bookshop she works at, her love of books. It's also very recent, so the first novel I've read that covers covid and the murder of George Floyd. It's centred on the Native American experience so there's a lot about discrimination, dealing with ignorant white people, and police brutality. Honestly I could have done without the ghost, but that was kind of the central plot... hence thinking I just didn't get it.
Anyway I can't really give more than 3 stars because I personally didn't enjoy it, but I think that's mostly on me.
All that's to say I think this is probably actually a phenomenally good book and the writing was rich with love for the ordinary life. The main character had a whole lot of dramatic and traumatic incidents in her life but this book was mainly about her relatively normal life in the aftermath - her relationships with her husband and step-daughter, the joy of holding her (step-) grandson, dealing with the difficult customers in the bookshop she works at, her love of books. It's also very recent, so the first novel I've read that covers covid and the murder of George Floyd. It's centred on the Native American experience so there's a lot about discrimination, dealing with ignorant white people, and police brutality. Honestly I could have done without the ghost, but that was kind of the central plot... hence thinking I just didn't get it.
Anyway I can't really give more than 3 stars because I personally didn't enjoy it, but I think that's mostly on me.