LaRose by Louise Erdrich

LaRose is now my best book for 2016.

I'm not sure what I else I have to say after that!

Except, do yourself a favour and read this book now.

The only reason LaRose doesn't get a 5 star rating on my goodreads page is that I will probably never reread this book.

In this case the blurb really does say it all...

In this literary masterwork, Louise Erdrich, the bestselling author of the National Book Award-winning The Round House and the Pulitzer Prize nominee The Plague of Doves wields her breathtaking narrative magic in an emotionally haunting contemporary tale of a tragic accident, a demand for justice, and a profound act of atonement with ancient roots in Native American culture.

It's literary; it's a masterpiece and I suspect LaRose will be an award winning book for Erdrich. It's emotionally haunting (and very very compelling). It's tragic yet hopeful. It's about justice and also about retribution and redemption. It's profound and thought-provoking. There is atonement as well as forgiveness and understanding. And there is a lot of fascinating stuff about Native American culture and mysticism, and about contemporary life and how ancient traditions continue to influence modern behaviours.

I loved it. I feel like a richer, more soulful person because this book is now a small part of my story as well.
LaRose would make a great bookclub book - is has interesting moral provocations and ethical dilemma's to discuss.

LaRose and his family will stay with me for a long time. I hope I am correct in sensing that another story, a continuation, could be born from the ending of LaRose (for some of the characters at least).

I don't want to say much more. I want you to discover this tremendous book for yourself just as I did.

But if you do want to know a little more detail, Teresa @Shelf Love's review is worth checking out.

If you have read any of Erdrich's previous books and have a favourite that you'd like to recommend, please do. I'd love to read more of her work.

P.S. I love the cover too. I think it taps into the heart of the story beautifully.