In this novel Erdrich picks up Fleur Pillager's story just about exactly where Tracks left her...packing up and moving away from the reservation to find and avenge herself on the man she holds responsible for destroying her family's land. We know that Fleur has strange powers, and a store of elemental knowledge, which have combined in the past to keep her alive, to punish those who would take advantage of her, and to join her to the man she desires. Now, leaving her home, her man, and her child behind, she intends to harness those powers to cure, and then kill the sickly wealthy lumber baron who has cheated her people. Story-telling doesn't get much better than this. It's brilliant, and unpredictable, and totally right. And as soon as I finished it I went back to page 1 of Tracks, and read that straight through again. I simply hate to leave these fascinating characters behind. Not the place to start with Erdrich's family saga, but not to be missed when the time is right. ( )

If we're living in a moment about power and privilege, here's one way to move the discussion forward. It's a tale about am Ojibwe woman's plan for revenge on the lumber baron who took her land. Once embedded in his home, he becomes not her victim but her possession, and possessions prove to be tricky things. The main narrators are a spinster in the household who turns from greed to generosity, and a tribal elder who makes himself the butt of a comic subplot about rage in relationships. It's complicated, in other words, and beautifully told.

“She threw out one soul and it came back hungry.”

This is the story of Fleur, also known as Four Souls. “She had come to kill and humiliate and take back her land…” . A tale of revenge. Revenge directed at a man named Mauser, who she heals “… in order to wreck him in good condition…” so she could “… take satisfaction in vengeance.”

I very much enjoyed Fleur's story, full of vengeance, sadness, and loss. The other story thread, about Nanapush, his wife, and her dress, was not as strong. Though when it entwined with Fleur's, it improved greatly! I just wish the book had been a bit longer! ( )

Holy cow--I just counted up and found this is the 13th book of Louise Erdrich's I've read. Lucky 13, eh? I will say that the pacing was kind of clunky and it wasn't as seamlessly nuanced as some of her other books, but I also kind of didn't care. This still got me smiling and laughing and holding my breath in parts. This is Fleur's story--or more of it--but it's easy to lose sight of it. Nanapush and Margaret still reign supreme, and in a way, their moments felt like a little extension from The Last Report..., which I absolutely welcomed. That end, though. *low whistle* ( )

This is another novel about Fleur Pillager, but this time told in her time living amongst white folx and how her son came to be. Nanapush makes an appearance, as well, as does another woman whose story arc takes a surprising and moving turn. Worth the read if you've invested in this sequence of books. ( )