Although The Round House novel is a National Book Award Winner, I wasn’t entirely keen on reading it. Just another coming of age story, I suspected. However, it is one of those reads that quickly endears you to its main character in a way that you can’t easily put the book down and pause that connection. It takes place on the Ojibwe reservation in North Dakota in a small town atmosphere of bike riding until dark, sharing vegetables with your neighbors, and shopping for Prell shampoo on the dusty shelves of the only grocery store.
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The Round House is described as “at once a powerful coming-of-age story, a mystery, and a tender, moving novel of family, history, and culture.” It tells the story of Joe, “a boy on the cusp of manhood who seeks justice and understanding in the wake of a terrible crime that upends and forever transforms his family.” The book raises questions about racism towards Native Americans, and justice in our court system. It tells a richly woven story through unique characters and beautiful language. Not a book you will shed easily.
