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A review by book_concierge
The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich
4.0
A family is brutally murdered in 1911 and a lynch mob hastily hangs several Ojibwe Indians living nearby. Decades later the descendants of those involved have intermarried and the stories of what happened have become distorted over time.
Erdrich published sections of this novel previously as magazine short stories. Different sections of the book are narrated by different characters. Unfortunately this does result in a somewhat disjointed story line, jumping back and forth in time between 1911 and 1970s. There is a huge cast of characters and some are known by more than one name. But please, do not let these elements deter you. Erdrich’s prose is lyrical and flowing. I was intrigued and interested in the lives of the inhabitants of this small town just outside the reservation in a corner of North Dakota. The novel deals with issues of identity and self-worth, of knowing and appreciating one’s background and family history, of love and passion, of forgiveness and revenge.
The audio book is well performed by the duo of Kathleen McInernery and Peter Francis James. They are able to differentiate the many characters, whether a young girl or an aging grandfather.
Erdrich published sections of this novel previously as magazine short stories. Different sections of the book are narrated by different characters. Unfortunately this does result in a somewhat disjointed story line, jumping back and forth in time between 1911 and 1970s. There is a huge cast of characters and some are known by more than one name. But please, do not let these elements deter you. Erdrich’s prose is lyrical and flowing. I was intrigued and interested in the lives of the inhabitants of this small town just outside the reservation in a corner of North Dakota. The novel deals with issues of identity and self-worth, of knowing and appreciating one’s background and family history, of love and passion, of forgiveness and revenge.
The audio book is well performed by the duo of Kathleen McInernery and Peter Francis James. They are able to differentiate the many characters, whether a young girl or an aging grandfather.