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

Reservation Culture

This is a quiet 5 star read. No zips or action packed scenes. We just follow simple day-to-day lives of adolescent boys on the reservation: friendships, loyalties, crushes. It's an up-close portrait of what it's like to be a normal teenager in the summer. Then tragedy comes to one of their families, one that binds two of the teens even tighter as they make a most difficult choice from the adult world, and the reservation community quietly stands beside them. This book well deserves the National Book Award is has been given. As the reader, I became wrapped up in the characters on this reservation, felt the discrimination, the broken promises made to tribes throughout history. Yet, I enjoyed the Indian stories and descriptions of the traditions that have been salvaged through time.

Classic Erdich

This is a Native American story that should be read and heard by every American. It truly tells the story of the plight of their journey, now and then.

A great look into North Dakota reservation life.

If you could sum up The Round House in three words, what would they be?

Informative sadness compassion

What did you like best about this story?

The honesty of the story and characters. The positive and negative.

What about Gary Farmer’s performance did you like?

Excellent. I truly felt that he was the author and main character as he read.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I grew up in N.Dak., and tho white, I am well aware of the problems on the reservations and the prejudice suffered by the Natives. Even tho I smiled at the antics of some of the characters, I was also terribly sad for them.

Any additional comments?

I will be anxious to read more by this author and listen to Gary Farmer.

certain flawed premises but a good "read"

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

Yes. The story is well-written and compelling. I thought the narrator was great. To describe it is diffcult. It is a coming of age story, sure. It is a thriller, sure. But it is more than that, and the description of reservation life sounds authentic.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Round House?

Lots of memorable moments. The priest's chasing the kid all around was particularly good. And ths strip tease, although that was not at all convincing as realistic and I thought it hit a very off note. Golf course scene was amazing.

Have you listened to any of Gary Farmer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. I like the narrator a lot, though.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Somewhat. The story was fairly compelling. I would say there were sections that were hard to put down. But then there were breaks in the action.

Any additional comments?

I thought the final section was superfluous and seemed like it was just dopped in for emotional impact. There were some arguably jarring not believeable aspects of the book. No way those kids were 13 years old. Maybe 16. There are jurisdiction issues with enforcing criminal law in and around Native American reservations, but clearly this would not have been one, unless one considers kidnapping and assault to be a mnor crime.

Coming of Age on the Reservation

What made the experience of listening to The Round House the most enjoyable?

Learning so much about the reservation culture.

What did you like best about this story?

The way several stories were woven together.

Any additional comments?

The narrator was meant to sound like an indian and he did but his voice got a little boring and it would have been nice if a female actor could be used to speak the women's parts.

'stand by me' on the reservation

I couldn't help but think of the coming of age film Stand By Me while listening to this book. Despite the brutal assault and its aftermath interweaving through the story, I didn't feel this book was too noir or dark - if you're worried you can't handle the subject matter, I'd say try taking it on. The Round House documents the growth of a young man on a reservation, at a pivotal time in his adolescence, as he begins to understand racisms and 'Indian'isms and all sorts of things about the world. I loved Erdrich's writing - it was easy to get lost in - clear and true to its source but not overly verbose. This is a big story, and it contains tales within, so if you are looking for a quick read this may not be the best book for you. I can also see how the narrator might be off-putting, I would listen to a sample before purchasing. I loved his voice and style of narration, found it very refreshing, and thought it went perfectly with the story.

Great read. surprising content. worth the time & $

What made the experience of listening to The Round House the most enjoyable?

Consistent story, peaks & dips as appropriate & unexpected subtopic. Kept my interest. Couldn't wait to get back to the gym so I could listen to more.

Love and deep sorrow wrapped in tradition & truth

Others have commented negatively about the narration, however for me it added so much to the authenticity of the story.
Well worth a listen.

Good story, terrible narration

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I'd recommend the novel, but not the audiobook.

What did you like best about this story?

Very interesting take on Native American culture intertwined with an intriguing mystery story.

How could the performance have been better?

The worst narration I've encountered on Audible. Virtually no differentiation between characters, frequent emphasis on the wrong words within sentences.

Was The Round House worth the listening time?

Barely.

Loved it

Loved it was an interesting look into tribal law and inherent Justice. Great cadence by the reader and realistic