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    LaRose: A Novel
    LaRose: A Novel
    LaRose: A Novel
    Audiobook14 hours

    LaRose: A Novel

    Written by Louise Erdrich

    Narrated by Louise Erdrich

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction

    Finalist for the PEN Faulkner Award

    In this literary masterwork, Louise Erdrich, 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.

    North Dakota, late summer, 1999. Landreaux Iron stalks a deer along the edge of the property bordering his own. He shoots with easy confidence—but when the buck springs away, Landreaux realizes he’s hit something else, a blur he saw as he squeezed the trigger. When he staggers closer, he realizes he has killed his neighbor’s five-year-old son, Dusty Ravich.

    The youngest child of his friend and neighbor, Peter Ravich, Dusty was best friends with Landreaux’s five-year-old son, LaRose. The two families have always been close, sharing food, clothing, and rides into town; their children played together despite going to different schools; and Landreaux’s wife, Emmaline, is half sister to Dusty’s mother, Nola. Horrified at what he’s done, the recovered alcoholic turns to an Ojibwe tribe tradition—the sweat lodge—for guidance, and finds a way forward. Following an ancient means of retribution, he and Emmaline will give LaRose to the grieving Peter and Nola. “Our son will be your son now,” they tell them.

    LaRose is quickly absorbed into his new family. Plagued by thoughts of suicide, Nola dotes on him, keeping her darkness at bay. His fierce, rebellious new “sister,” Maggie, welcomes him as a coconspirator who can ease her volatile mother’s terrifying moods. Gradually he’s allowed shared visits with his birth family, whose sorrow mirrors the Raviches’ own. As the years pass, LaRose becomes the linchpin linking the Irons and the Raviches, and eventually their mutual pain begins to heal.

    But when a vengeful man with a long-standing grudge against Landreaux begins raising trouble, hurling accusations of a cover-up the day Dusty died, he threatens the tenuous peace that has kept these two fragile families whole.

    Inspiring and affecting, LaRose is a powerful exploration of loss, justice, and the reparation of the human heart, and an unforgettable, dazzling tour de force from one of America’s most distinguished literary masters.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateMay 10, 2016
    ISBN9780062466624
    LaRose: A Novel
    Author

    Louise Erdrich

    Louise Erdrich, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, is the award-winning author of many novels as well as volumes of poetry, children’s books, and a memoir of early motherhood. Erdrich lives in Minnesota with her daughters and is the owner of Birchbark Books, a small independent bookstore. 

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    Reviews for LaRose

    4/5

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    • 3/5
      A man accidentally kills his neighbor’s son while hunting. He decides to send his own son to live with his neighbor, in the traditions of the Ojibwe tribes of the past. It is well-written, but I never warmed up to this story. I did not find it particularly compelling and there were several superfluous storylines that seemed to go nowhere. Suffice it to say this is not my favorite book by Louise Erdrich. I can highly recommend The Round House and The Master Butchers Singing Club.
    • 3/5
      3/5 stars... I've really enjoyed Louise Erdrich, so was excited to read this book. While it's an ok book, and well written, the plot wasn't quite as compelling or intricate as most of Erdrich's books. Characters were somewhat one-dimensional and the story lost momentum in the middle as the generations of LaRose's were introduced. Not my favorite.
    • 5/5
      The more I read Louise Erdrich, the more I find in her novels. Larose is a family saga but one which explores the way injustices done to American Indians echoes down the generations and affects people in the present day. I don't want to spoil this expansive novel so that's all folks.
    • 3/5
      This book is not one of my favorite books by the author and only because I found the ending a bit flat and scattered. What I did like was the way the author showed us how the death of child impacts all members of a family. I also enjoyed the history of all generations of LaRoses.As in her previous book I appreciate the way the author brings to light issues that normally go unheard by the general public and topics that are not mentioned in schools. Issues such as the trauma of forced boarding schools, the toll tuberculosis took on so many, why the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act came in to effect and the fact that L. Frank Baum was an Indian hater.I am glad the author has this history and connection with her ancestors and is able to share with the world. Erdrich is and always will be a favorite.(less)
    • 4/5
      Louise Erdrich has once again written a powerfully haunting novel that takes place in North Dakota on the eve of the new millenium. This one revolves around a horrible tragedy that resulted in the death of a child. Nola and Emmiline are half-sisters living as nearby neighbors when Landereaux takes aim to shoot a buck, only to find that he has killed Nola and Peter's beloved 5-year old son. The grief of these two families is profound. To compensate for accidentally killing their son, Emmiline and Landreaux reluctantly decide to give Nola and Peter their own 5-year old son, LaRose, after seeking guidance from their time in the sweat lodge.LaRose, Landeraux's favorite child, is understandably confused as he is absorbed into his new family. He is shuffled back and forth between the two families, with each using him as solace for their grief. He is a special boy with a sacred name, as told in the back story of Landereaux and Romeo, both of whom were sent to a “boarding school” for indigenous children. Romeo is a miscreant as an adult, described by someone as having "the soul of a rat," His son, Hollis, is being raised by Emmiline and Landereaux. Their histories are long and complicated.Louise Erdrich has an ability to absorb her readers into her stories, while educating us about the folklore and history of indigenous people. Her characters are finely tuned and compelling. The fate of these two damaged families, fractured by tragedy and healed by their shared love of a child, is memorable.
    • 4/5
      Interesting story. After a child is killed by accident the family whose father caused the accident agree to share raising their own child with the bereaved parents. This is based on a true story.
      The two families live near/in an Indian reserve, and goes back in time to remembered history of the LaRose, the great-great grandmother and namesake of the boy who is raised by the two families.

      There are themes of Indian traditions, and the healing power of LaRose and her descendants. Whats was most fascinating for me though was the healing power of forgiveness. It is a truly inspiring read. Apart from the main story, there is also the story of Romeo, the friend with a lifelong grudge who finally comes to understand the power of redemption. It is truly about how good intentions do count in the end. One has to believe in magic sometimes.
    • 4/5
      Like many of her novels, Ms. Erdrich tells a story of Native American culture, traditions and spiritual world. This novel in particular deals with a tragic death and how a Native American father comes to reconcile the mishap. His young son, LaRose, is at the center of retribution and reconciliation. I found the novel well constructed however some may find it a bit confusing at first, read on, the names and time periods will soon by understandable. The characters are well drawn and developed well, as much is learned from past storylines. The conclusion, in my opinion is sort of lackluster but a well told story nonetheless.
    • 3/5
      An incredible premise got this book off to an amazing start, but after the first 20 pages I felt like I had come down from the first hill of a roller coaster and found my car diverted onto a street trolley route with various members of the family and community getting on and off at frequent stops murmuring to me about their domestic drama and lives of quiet desperation. Or at least I think they were murmuring; without quotation marks to signal my simple brain about dialogue, I could have just been reading their minds.I set the book aside after 70 pages, bogged down in the sadness. I returned after three months and found it to still be a slog as the story noodled around and delved into magical realism. But I found myself growing so fond of the characters despite the difficulty I had finding the energy to turn the next page that I was able to see their journey through end and am happy for it.Turns out this is the last book in a trilogy linked by locale but featuring different main characters in different times. I may check those first two books out sometime, but I doubt it will be anytime soon.
    • 4/5
      Landreaux Iron is out hunting when he shoots and finds that he has killed his neighbor's 5 year old son, Dusty. Devastated, he lets Peter and Nola Ravich know that he has killed their son and his own son's (LaRose) playmate. In thinking about his heritage, he talks with his wife, Emmaline, and they decide that LaRose should be given to the Ravich's in payment for the accident. It is hard for both families, but that is done.LaRose now has two families and seems to fit into both. He really misses his birth mother, but falls in love with the Ravich family also.There is an individual, Romeo, who has a grudge against Landreaux from many years ago and he is trying to bring him to a quick decline and is searching for any way to make that happen. Romeo is a lost soul; stealing drugs, stealing paperwork, etc. There is a lot of Indian tradition incorporated into this novel and it is a pleasure to be taken there. This is definitely well-written and I need to warn you to keep tissues handy.
    • 5/5
      Louise Erdrich is a rich, encompassing writer, so it's no surprise that her novels contain so much to digest. She gives a kernel of a plot and then unfolds it over a broad canvas. LaRose does not deviate from this formula. At first, the plot seems simple: a man accidentally shoots and kills his neighbor's son, and as an act of restitution, offers up his own son as a surrogate child. But the ripples this act creates will generate impact upon impact in the community, especially on the child, LaRose, himself.

      Erdrich invokes Ojibwe culture, character study, and elegant prose in this novel. While I still believe that The Round House might be my favorite, this one is also very good. 4.5 stars.

      August 11, 2017: Because I've read the book and know what happens, I could focus this read on some major themes and ideas. And this read was all about finding the theological ties to this book. While its spirituality is more focused in ancestry and mythology, there are so many Christ-oriented and sacrificial symbols hidden all over the book, and I don't think it's an accident. It's interesting to see Erdrich playing out the John 8:36 statement "And if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" through the story of LaRose becoming integrated into two separate families.

      And while I will not spoil anything for you here, this time around, the denouement brought a rush of tears to my eyes. This is a beautifully written book. Erdrich immerses you so deeply into her fictional world that it's disorienting to have to leave it behind. I change my rating: 5 stars, and I think this is my actual favorite Erdrich novel. It has the beauty and the craft of her others, but there's a bit more redemption in this one, and that's something we could all use much more of.
    • 1/5
      Louise Erdrich is one of the authors who has inspired my own writing for years. Sadly, LaRose has been a disappointing read.The first 70% of the book meandered meaninglessly through misery, while the last 30% deteriorated into a young adult book without much purpose. I struggled to read the text with its stream of consciousness style, that is, no speech marks to differentiate dialogue from prose.There were flashes of the old Louise Erdrich magic - for example, the earlier magical realism scenes when we met the first La Rose on her journey to freedom, battling the fiery rolling head.As always, Erdrich's representation of the plight of the Native American Indian was compassionate and scathing of the ruthless impact of colonialism on the worlds they conquered in the name of progress. Her rendition of the land issue was intense, and the scenes depicting the stealing of LaRose's bones to be displayed by white medical scientists as a prime example of an Indian's response to tuberculosis, with no respect or even acknowledgement of her humanity and her culture, were gripping. Perhaps because of the burning land issue here in South Africa, as well as the tragic story of Sara Baartman, these were the moments in the book when the old Louise Erdrich magic almost sparked into life. Unfortunately, they weren't sustained in either plot or character. I plodded my way to the end of the book, heaving a sigh of relief when I finally finished reading it.
    • 4/5
      Erdrich's writing style is unique and strong. Having taught school on an Indian school reservation, I always appreciate books about Native Americans. LaRose is a wonderfully woven tale full of Native American culture, but specifically tells the story of LaRose who is given to a grieving family to help with the loss of their son. The novel has many side stories, which is confusing at times, but loops back around to complete the book.
    • 4/5
      3.75 stars. My first Erdrich novel. Her prose is often great, and I liked some of the big thematic things the book was going for. But man, did I feel miserable through most of this.
    • 5/5
      Poetry. <3
    • 5/5
      Such a good book this that for its generosity I can forgive where it creaks at times.
    • 4/5
      Landreaux Iron, an Ojibwe man accidentally shoots and kills his friend's son. Peter Ravich is not Aboriginal, though his wife is 50% Ojibwe, and a half-sister to Landreaux's own wife, Emmaline. Following ancient tradition, Landreaux gives his own son, LaRose, to Peter and his wife as retribution. This is a fascinating premise for a story, but I found the actual execution of it a bit weak. LaRose, at only five years of age, rises valiantly to the occasion and his brothers and sisters seem to be okay with it as well. I felt the real human emotions of living with such a decision weren't examined.In spite of that, I enjoyed the book. It's a story of a family coping with life, and it also tells the history of the family going back several generations. It looks at Indian life, with the prejudices, the horrors of residential schools, and the healing powers of ancient traditions. It's well written, as are all of Ms. Erdrich's books and I'll continue to be a fan.
    • 5/5
      LaRose easily jumps to the top of the list of my favorite books of 2016. It is a beautiful novel of love and atonement. The story takes place in the same geographic region as Plague of Doves and Round House: the small, fictional town of Pluto, North Dakota, and the Ojibwe reservation next to it.

      LaRose begins with heartbreak. While hunting a deer that Landreaux Iron has been tracking all season, he accidentally shoots his neighbor’s five-year-old son, Dusty Ravich. This is not a spoiler, it happens on page two. To make amends, Landreaux and his wife Emmaline follow a tradition of their ancestors, and give their own young son LaRose to the Ravich family in atonement, as an “old form of justice”. Young LaRose steps up to the role, helping to heal the hearts of both families.

      The roots of the story go back to the Ojibwe culture that Erdrich herself hails from, and is the story of families and tragedies that span generations.

      As we come to find out, the accidental shooting was not the first tragedy, and LaRose is descended from a long line of healers, back to the original LaRose. Tragedies follow the LaRose lineage, from the selling of the first LaRose in the 1800s to a trader, through boarding schools, sexual abuse, tuberculosis, and the desecration of remains. LaRose is a name that has been passed through five generations, and in each generation, the name is given to one who has a connection to the spirit world.

      But this is not a story about grief and tragedy. It is a story of love and redemption, about the way people live, and how they rebuild their lives back together. Louise Erdrich’s story acknowledges that, to many American Indians, the pain and pleasures of the past are not forgotten, but become the foundation on which the present is built. In the novel, this is portrayed through the very home of the Iron family.

      Erdrich provides a rich backstory spanning generations, in which the reader gets a better idea of how the parallel stories form and influence the present.

      One theme present in the story of the earlier generations of LaRose, is the difference between the Ojibwe values and the American culture under which the Ojibwe had to live. This is specifically highlighted in the boarding school experiences. One of the boarding schools mentioned in the novel, Carlisle Indian Industrial School, existed only a few miles away from where I grew up. As an adult, I was shocked to first become aware of its existence when visiting the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. At the time, I was astonished that the Carlisle School never made an appearance in the history books of my high school. A slightly older, wiser me now knows better. I now actively work to bring the stories and histories that are often unheard by white Americans to the forefront, at least with my own daughter.

      LaRose is a powerful exploration of justice and reparation. A novel incredibly difficult to review but easy to love. I highly, highly recommend it, especially if you are a fan of Erdrich’s earlier work.
    • 4/5
      Every time I read a novel by Louise Erdrich I feel like I am catching up with old friends. Each book I have read is a new story but some people from previous books make an appearance. It's just like sitting down with an old friend that you haven't seen in a long time and finding out what has been happening in their lives since you last saw each other. I listened to this book which was read by the author which gave the experience another layer of enjoyment. Landreaux Iron is out hunting one day and finds a magnificent buck close to home. Just as he shoots it his neighbour's son, Dusty, drops out of a tree above the buck and into the line of fire. Dusty is killed instantly and Landreaux feels horrible. Dusty was the same age as his own son, LaRose, and the two often played together. Dusty's father, Peter, is a good friend of Landreaux and Dusty's mother, Nola, is his own wife's half-sister. Landreaux remembers that in the Ojibway history, children were often given to families who had lost their own child so he takes LaRose to Peter and Nola for them to raise. LaRose is a special boy. He misses his own mother and father but he learns to love Peter and Nola and especially Maggie, Dusty's older sister. He also has an ability to see and talk with the spirits of people who have died, including Dusty. With time the two families learn how to share custody of LaRose and accept each other. The fly in the ointment is provided by Romeo, a broken man, addicted to pain killers, who used to be a good friend to Landreaux. He blames Landreaux for his present circumstances and learns information that he thinks will turn Peter against Landreaux. Another enjoyable book from Erdrich.
    • 3/5
      LAROSE by Louise ErdrichI really wanted to like this book but I just couldn’t sustain an interest in these characters or their story. Perhaps it was the jumps from past to present or present to indigenous tale or family to family, I just didn’t care. The whole premise of giving away a child (and then taking him back - sort of) just didn’t seem believable. Emmaline never really seemed to be a “real” person, just a non-entity. LaRose was too good to be true. Nola was too submerged in grief to be interesting. Maggie was my favorite character and the most believable. I couldn’t understand why anyone would believe anything Romeo said.I have read other books by Erdrich and liked them. This one was just a disappointment.3 of 5 stars for good writing, poor story
    • 3/5
      Could have been a much better story without what I think is unnecessary drama. In 1999, Landreaux Iron accidentally kills his neighbor and friend's son. In keeping with the Ojibwe tradition, Landreaux gives Pete and his family, the Iron's son, LaRose. The family dynamics are strained; sisters and brothers are supportive at times and at times rebellious. Nola, the dead son's mother, considers suicide while Emmaline Iron resents her husband's decision.At the same time, a local "friend" of Landreux's, Romeo, is planning revenge against Landreux who accidentally injured him years ago and married Emmaline, whom Romeo was in love with. Romeo is addicted to prescription drugs and steals from the hospital where he is an orderly. Things are complicated, no one is happy including the local ex-Marine priest, Father Travis who is in love with Emmaline.Sometimes the writing is just to flowery and dramatic for me. There is just enough of what I guess is magical realism to make it just weird in places.
    • 5/5
      simply amazing writing.
    • 4/5
      Erdrich always writes books which I admire, and this is no exception. The writing here is painfully beautiful, simultaneously conveying langor and acute chronic pain and dissonance That is a neat trick. Overall this was a wonderful read, but somehow the words got in the way of the story in certain parts. Its like listening to a beautiful piece of music you know is complex and interesting, but you lose the individual notes and variations and thereby some of the thrill. Still excellent and recommended.
    • 4/5
      5457. LaRose, by Louise Erdrich (read 3 Apr 2017) (National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction for 2016) This is the 5th book I have read by this author. Most of the time as I was reading I thought it was boring and I had little interest in what was being related. Especially off-putting were some of the mystical flights told of LaRose, a boy who was given to the family of the boy who was accidentally shot by LaRose's father. But, as has happened before as I read this author, towards the end there was high drama and I became most interested in the happenings in the story. That interest did not continue at the same intensity as the book was ending, but that part of the book nearing the end led me to give the book a higher rating than I was intending to give it as I slogged through the earlier part of the book .I did appreciate that many of the characters are admirable and that the ending of the novel was not doleful.
    • 5/5
      My favorite Erdrich story made me feel good to read it. I loved watching a strong Native American family share their son, Larose, with a neighbor family, after the accidental death of a son. I loved the strong (and the weak) characters. I loved Snow and Josette, what a remarkable pair of high school students. Erdich can blend modern reservation life with a respect for the past and make you cheer for the success of her characters, and empathize with emotions of loss and the importance of family and community.
    • 5/5
      I enjoy Louise Erdrich books and I have read many (but not all) of her works over the last years. The last book I read was "the Round House" and I looked forward to this book as some of the same families are in the community. LaRose did not disappoint and had some of the same features as her other books. She focuses on the Native American community, in particular the Ojibwe in North Dakota. Despite the prominence of this theme, the book jacket says nothing about this feature of the story, although it mentions a sweat lodge as an important scene in the book.The story is a sad one of loss of sons from 2 families that are related by two half sisters. One of the themes is the family that caused the cruel accident needs to try to make amends. That would have been the way in traditional Ojibwe culture. The families no longer live in a traditional native american culture, and the book relates the many things that have happened to the families and their ancestors that have washed away many of their memories of traditional life. But some remain, and they try to live with their decision of restoring the son to the family that lost theirs.I found this a very sad story but I enjoyed the mix of contemporary and traditional culture themes. I will recommend this to my book club, as I did the Round House.
    • 4/5
      She writes great books and for someone who knows little about Indian culture very meaningful.
    • 5/5
      LaRose is 5 years old when his father accidently shoots his playmate. To apologize and compensate the family of Dusty, his mother and father decide that the Objiwa way is to give them their son. LaRose moves back and forth between the two families for the next few years while the two families heal. There is a LaRose in each generation of his family, and each LaRose is a interesting and healing individual. There is also a lot of characters who have been to boarding school to encourage them to give up their traditional culture. Just a very interesting book with fabulous characters.
    • 4/5
      This is the 3rd novel I have read by Erdrich and the 2nd that covers Native Americans. The Round House won the National Book Award. LaRose continues the native American themes but is not as compelling as The Round House. She does a great job of educating readers about Native American issues by weaving in the past, present, integration into current society, and the spiritualism of the the culture. The story concerns a man that accidentally kills the 5 year old son of his best friend in a hunting accident. From there the story deals with the aftermath of this event as it impacts the 2 families along with other members of the community. The writing is excellent, but there was just something lacking in some of the characters that did not allow the book to go to a higher level for me. I strongly recommend The Round House and if you enjoy that then LaRose is a worthwhile read. I suggest that you may want to read some other readers opinions on this because both 5 star and 1 star reviews raised valid points of positive and negative criticism. I will add that "Shadow Tag" by Erdrich did not deal with the Native American culture and I enjoyed it very much. It illustrated the versatility of Erdrich as an author.
    • 3/5
      Overall, a rather sad, serious book. I really struggled to get into this book, although I did make it to the end (and encountered Father Dick Boner- what the heck!?!). I appreciated the struggles of the characters and the difficult choices they made, which made for a compelling story, but the multiple character points of view and quasi-nonlinear structure made this tale a little difficult to follow at times.
    • 3/5
      3/5 stars... I've really enjoyed Louise Erdrich, so was excited to read this book. While it's an ok book, and well written, the plot wasn't quite as compelling or intricate as most of Erdrich's books. Characters were somewhat one-dimensional and the story lost momentum in the middle as the generations of LaRose's were introduced. Not my favorite.