The Round House

A Novel

By: Louise Erdrich

Narrated by: Gary Farmer

Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

National Book Award, Fiction, 2012

One Sunday in the spring of 1988, a woman living on a reservation in North Dakota is attacked. The details of the crime are slow to surface as Geraldine Coutts is traumatized and reluctant to relive or reveal what happened, either to the police or to her husband, Bazil, and 13-year-old son, Joe. In one day, Joe's life is irrevocably transformed. He tries to heal his mother, but she will not leave her bed and slips into an abyss of solitude. Increasingly alone, Joe finds himself thrust prematurely into an adult world for which he is ill prepared.

While his father, who is a tribal judge, endeavors to wrest justice from a situation that defies his efforts, Joe becomes frustrated with the official investigation and sets out with his trusted friends, Cappy, Zack, and Angus, to get some answers of his own. Their quest takes them first to the Round House, a sacred space and place of worship for the Ojibwe. And this is only the beginning.

Written with undeniable urgency, and illuminating the harsh realities of contemporary life in a community where Ojibwe and white live uneasily together, The Round House is a brilliant and entertaining novel, a masterpiece of literary fiction. Louise Erdrich embraces tragedy, the comic, a spirit world very much present in the lives of her all-too-human characters, and a tale of injustice that is, unfortunately, an authentic reflection of what happens in our own world today.

©2012 Louise Erdrich (P)2012 HarperCollinsPublishers

Powerful story with a seriously flawed reading.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

The reader, Gary Farmer, is very distracting. For the first 15 minutes I think he was on Valium or nervous or something that made his rhythms rather bizarre. I really think there was some slurred speech in the beginning. But, all of a sudden, the voice changed. There was some enthusiasm and the story came alive. The story is tragic and powerful and raw and Louise Erdrich does not make it easy on you. She is nothing less than amazing. But I honestly think that it ought to be re-recorded to be experienced without the distraction of this reading.

Highly Recommended

I'm ashamed to admit that this was my first Louise Erdrich novel. I had always meant to read her before, but never had. I was not disappointed. As someone who lived around many Native American tribes, I appreciated her appreciation and unique look in to a modern Native American tribe's life and practices. (Yes, I'm aware she is descended from Native Americans.)

The subject matter might be hard for some as it deals with a woman being attacked, but I feel it was handled eloquently and honestly. This was a wonderful book.

I am so thankful that the narrator was a Native (First Nations) man, it really, in my opinion, added an authenticity to the story.

Great book

I am normally a mystery thriller kind of punk... And this kind of book as not of my Norm period. Nevertheless, this is a great boss fantastic story... It's almost like a Native American version of the story Stand By Me... I don't think you'll be disappointed if you listen to it

Cannot recommend audio version

What did you love best about The Round House?

The story was compelling

Who was your favorite character and why?

The main character was appealing to me

What didn’t you like about Gary Farmer’s performance?

I am familiar with the fact that Native American cadence can be different than non Native American. The problem with Gary Farmer's narration for me was that his performance rendered the story unintelligible. The long, poorly placed pauses and curious rushes of his speech serve to make each sentence very difficult to follow. I do not know what went on in that recording studio, but it would seem that Farmer was reading the story cold, for the first time, with no preparation whatsoever. The editing and sound is extremely poor as well. There are break points in the middle of a chapter - in the middle of a paragraph - where Farmer's voice changes so much I replayed it over and over to discern if a new person was reading. I love audio books, but a good reader, sound studio and editor are essential to the end product and this book is going down 0 for 3. I would love to see this book re-recorded.

Excellent story and telling

I enjoyed this mystery. The story is deep, there are some great characters and twists I did not expect. I love Gary Farmer's narration--he's the reason I decided to buy the audio book. Other reviewers mention asides that threw them off, but I like them and feel they add to the richness of the material. Except for a couple of scenes where my attention faltered, I was riveted. The pace of the story--or at least the poem-like prose and rhythm--is very effective and lovely. It reminds me of other books or stories I've read, particularly by other Native writers. I recommend this audio book.

good

love it. loved that they had q native American read it, really brought it all together

My favorite author takes a new turn!

What did you love best about The Round House?

I loved its honesty, a hallmark of all of her novels.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The narrator and main character, of course, is my favorite, mostly because of his courage, but also because of his growth throughout the story.

Which character – as performed by Gary Farmer – was your favorite?

Gary Farmer is so perfect for this. His attention to phrasing and timing is stellar. Other than the narrator himself, I liked his portrayal of the women. He achieves the subtle character changes without any distraction.

If you could rename The Round House, what would you call it?

"Roundhouse Attack" maybe, but it is not better.

Any additional comments?

Louise Erdrich has created a book for young adults in this novel. I teach 9th grade English, and will be adding this title to my suggested reading list. Its themes are relevant to all young people in many way. These themes include parental issues, peer issues, and dealing with strong feelings of loyalty, passion, sexuality, and violence, to name a few. I thoroughly enjoyed the first person narrative aspect as well as the glimpse into native american experience and culture, which is the the trademark of this author.

A thrilling read, with heartbreak and humor.

This is a totally captivating story. I couldn’t put it down and I don’t say that much. Gary Farmer was always in my mind a beloved actor and he was an excellent reader. The writing is penetrating and suspenseful with enough humor and love to keep you going. As someone who lives on a reservation I really enjoyed the characters, the relationships, and tensions, and the triumphs. Look forward to reading more of this author.

Excellent

Loved the plot and Indigenous myths, performance was excellent but could be monotone at times

A beautifully evocative novel, and beautifully delivered.

The language is perfectly simple, the images are beautifully painted, the many different themes of family, friends, community and Native American persecution are woven together seamlessly, and always with a light touch. The humorous episodes in chapter 9 are lethal and unadorned. Just a terrific read (listen in my case).