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 A multigenerational and memerizing Native American novel This book is my first by Louise Erdrich. While it is not written as a thrilling murder mystery, it does greatly hold one's interest in the telling about an unsolved murder of a farm family that haunts the small, white, off-reservation town of Pluto, North Dakota. The capture and punishment by hanging of three Indians, who were wrongly accused of the crimes, interweaves with the lives of everyone connected to these long ago murders and makes for a great Native American read. A stunning read I've devoured every one of the 13 books published by Louise Erdrich over the years. It's been almost three years since her last book, and The Plague of Doves is worth the wait. The Plague of Doves takes place in and around the white town of Pluto, North Dakota, and moves back and forward in time. The closeness of Pluto to the Ojibwe reservation has, over the years, led to intermarriage and a complicated history between the whites and the Ojibwe. Stories are a big part of Mooshum's life and one day he tells his grandchildren about an event that occurred in 1911. Four Indians were accused of brutally murdering a white family (only the infant daughter survived). A vigilante group rounded up the Indians, including Mooshum. Three of the Indians were hanged. Mooshum was the only person that survived. Despite the hangings, the murders have remained unsolved. Over the years, the families of the posse and the Indians who were hanged become intertwinedâ"and it is that history that we hear in The Plague of Doves. The primary narrator is Evelina, Mooshum's granddaughter. As the story proceeds, Erdrich gives us bits of information and a spectacular read where ultimately the identity of the killer is revealed. The Plague of Doves is rich and complex. The plot is multi-layered and thus difficult to explain without revealing important plots points. My suggestion is that this is one of those books that must be read to be appreciated. The Plague of Doves spans many years and in less capable hands would fall flat. But Erdrich is adept in managing all the information, tucking in the loose threads and weaving a story that is stunning in its exploration of history and how each person's individual history impacts and shapes the future. Armchair Interviews says: A must read.  Not my favorite Erdrich I am a big Erdrich fan, but this is not my favorite. I have enjoyed her plot-driven novels such as "The Painted Drum" and "The Master Butcher's Singing Club" very much. I also enjoyed "Love Medicine," which is a set of stories, like "A Plague of Doves," that work as a novel. I had a hard time getting involved in this book. I found it a bit slow. I had to push myself through it. Reading the other reviews had me wondering if I had read the same book. I kept reading because I do love her writing.  Delightfully unpredictable THE PLAGUE OF DOVES, Louise Erdrich's first novel in almost three years, opens in 1911, as an unknown man stands in a room filled with the scent of blood. He plays a violin solo on a gramophone while repairing his jammed gun. The music soothes a screaming baby in a crib. The scene fades out as the gunman raises his weapon. Many years later, a girl named Evelina relates a significant event in the life of Mooshum, her grandfather. In 1896, Indians and whites gathered in an attempt to defeat the flocks of doves devouring their crops. Although the people tried burning great fires and driving the birds into nets, the doves continued to demolish wheat, rye and corn plants. Mooshum was a young boy who joined with the others in a long line, walking through the fields to try to clear them. The birds were gathered solidly on the ground; one flew up and hit Mooshum on the head, knocking him down. When he opened his eyes, a young girl named Junesse was tending to him. The two fell in love instantly and ran away together. Evelina knows of love herself, for she has written the name of her one true love, Corwin Peace, repeatedly on her body. Although he shoves Evelina and teases her about her braces, she counts it as a temporary setback to their romance. And soon Corwin is gazing directly and meaningfully into her eyes at church. Corwin and Evelina's story and the tale of Mooshum and Junesse alternate, the past mixing with the present, until Junesse is just a memory and Mooshum has fallen in love with the town's self-appointed historian, Neve Harp. Meanwhile, Evelina is furious with Corwin and becomes obsessed with her teacher, Sister Mary Anita, who is young and athletic but has a jaw and teeth that remind Evelina of a dinosaur. Evelina's feelings for the nun overpower and confuse her. One day Mooshum explains just why he believes that Sister Mary Anita became a nun. Mooshum is a born storyteller who takes Evelina (and the book's readers) back to the terrible day in 1911 when he and his companions happened upon a farm, where he knew instinctively that something was horribly wrong. The men discovered a baby, alive and screaming but surrounded by dead bodies. This led to an unspeakable injustice, with reverberations echoing down the years --- and an ultimate impact complete with intriguing puzzles, which unexpectedly contort the plot of THE PLAGUE OF DOVES later in the tale. As always, Louise Erdrich ensnares readers by carrying us into the richly imagined lives of her characters. Their stories veer into delightful unpredictability as they weave together into a complex narrative lush with mystery, humor, sorrow and history. Fans of Erdrich's work and newcomers alike will be charmed with this latest offering. --- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon (terryms2001@yahoo.com) | |||||||||||||