The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse: A Novel (P.S.)

We just finished this for book club. Some members had read other Erdrich books, but i wasn't even aware of her writing. I loved it. Spiritual, sometimes funny wedded to historical facts. Dual nature of good versus evil. Spiritual nature of Indian culture versus faithful Catholicism. What it is to be male or a female. A wonderful story teller. Criticism from two book club members was that they didn't like the 'magical realism', but for me that was what made it so special. A wonderful writer, great story teller. I was inspired to buy her collection of short stories, My only problem was remembering all the names, especially since most characters had two names, Ojibwe and English, but don't be put off because of that. You will be swept along by the creative story telling.

It took days to read this book and so many times I was ready to stop. I kept on because, really, It's Louise Erdich. And someone on another book site said this is her favorite of Design's novels. Im so glad I finished. I will not repeat a synopsis of the novel. This is about sinners and saints, true humility and false pride. The chronology jumps all around the20th century, back and forth and back again. Stick with it because it's all to illuminate Father Damien's journey to the divine presence in the world of humanity. She/he would be vilified for the sin while the people of Little No Horse embraced his/her nature and goodness.

This is a great book. I don't mean "great" as in "Have a great day" or "isn't it great that it's Friday." No, I mean great as in you should read this before you die. It's rich, and full, and intricate. I didn't discover the Kashpaw and Nanapush Family Tree until I had finished the book, and gone back many times to refresh my memory on how people were related or what the book had said previously in relation to them. I am not sorry that was necessary for me, however, as it was such an enriching experience. Louise Erdrich is one of the very best writers in the United States today, and it is a privilege and a pleasure to have the opportunity to read the books she writes. I am grateful to her for writing them. Very early in the book, I read for the pure pleasure of enjoying the writing, but soon lost myself in the story. Other reviewers can, will, and have told you what this book is about. I just want to tell you that you really should read it.

This is t;he best book EVER! A mesmerizing story that makes you wonder how the heck Louise Erdrich came up with and conveyed it in such exquisite language. I cried at the end of the book not because it was sad,; I didn't want to say goodbye to the characters. Because it's Louise Erdrich, at least you stay connected to those characters as their progeny appear as characters in her other works. Be prepared for the story to get off to a bit of a slow start, like a river. Fasten you life jackets because this river gets rockin' and rollin'. Her style is evocative of Latin American realismo magico where the spirit world and the here and now are not so neatly separated. Wonderful.

The main character is so deep that you get drawn into the deception. Everything is not what it seems but the thread is kept thru the story via the reports to the Vatican. I found a lot of black comedy in some of they situations especially the moose hunt. The picture of a terrified moose dragging a fishing boat attached by a rope to its antlers ;with the Indian attached to the boat by fish hooks caught on his posterior careering thru the neighborhood is certainly worth a chortle.The answer from the Vatican brings another unexpected twist. Very entertaining story.

Louise Erdrich's novel is about a most unlikely priest who serves on an Indian reservation in North Dakota in 1912. The story centers on Agnes DeWitt, a former nun and farm woman who assumes the identity of Father Damien Modeste when she comes across his body after he drowns in a flood. As Father Damien, Agnes manages to hide his/her true identity as a woman, serving as a beloved priest among the Ojibwe people for eighty years.

The novel opens in 1996, when Sister Leopolda is being considered for sainthood because of some alleged miracles associated with her. The Vatican sends a priest to investigate the merits of Sister Leopolda. But Father Damien knows many sinister truths about the nun, learned in the confessional. The aged priest writes to the Pope, one of many letters he has written to the Pontiff, to reveal the truth about Sister Leopolda. Damien has remained silent about the woman for decades, not only because of the sanctity of the confessional, but also because she knew his secret. As he writes, he reflects back on his unusual life. The novel moves back and forth in time over the period of almost a century.

I have struggled with how to rate this book. I began this book with great anticipation. Reading a novel about Native Americans really appealed to me. In addition, the book received high marks in most reviews. Nearly two-thirds of readers gave the book five stars. Some lauded its almost dreamlike quality and magical imagination. Many praised her prose. Others applauded her originality in storytelling.

In the end, I'm probably being generous in giving the book three stars. In my opinion, Erdrich's book is not nearly as wondrous as some claim. Originality alone is not sufficient to make a good novel. The story was outlandish--too much so for me. One of the greatest problems is that we never quite get to know the characters, perhaps because Erdich is so focused on studying what drives the heart. She creates many complex characters, but doesn't fully explore them and let her readers get to know them. As a result, I didn't find the characters to be very likeable. Some find the character of Agnes/Father Damien to be "pleasantly" flawed. I did not. Some have admired how Father Damien adapts his Catholic beliefs based on the Ojibwe traditions. Such a practice has a name; it's called syncretism, and it's a practice that should be condemned, not esteemed.

Ultimately, I just couldn't get into this book. The book was a chore for me to read. The story dragged and did not hold my interest. I also thought the writing was choppy. I seriously considered not finishing the book. I only finished because I felt compelled to finish it.