The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich

Even though Louise Erdrich is not a Canadian writer, she is Native American so I was saving her latest book The Mighty Red as part of my month of Truth and Reconciliation focused reading. I really enjoyed her last book The Sentence which I reviewed here, so it’s not surprising how much I enjoyed The Mighty Red; she’s a fantastic writer, and deserves all the accolades she consistently receives. Her writing is thoughtful AND engaging, a difficult balance to strike when dealing with challenging subjects.

Plot Summary

Taking place around the economic downturn of 2008 in North Dakota, The Mighty Red centers on a small farming community and the lives of a few families within it. Gary Geist is the football star of his graduating high school class, and desperate to distance himself from a tragic accident that happened a year before with some of his friends. He finds solace in an unlikely romance; Kismet Poe, who he pursues doggedly until she agrees to marry him. Both too young to understand the commitment they’ve made to one another, so the repercussions of their decision are further explored through their immediate family members, including Kismet’s mother Crystal who drives a sugar beet truck for the Geist farm. Gary’s mother Winnie is also a focus, as she struggles to climb out of the denial she’s wallowed in since Gary’s accident, rejoicing in the solution that Kismet’s presence seems to present. Kismet’s friends circulate around the periphery of her marriage, while her best friend Hugo (who is also desperately in love with her) is a constant reminder of what she has decided to give up. In response to Kismet’s new marriage, Hugo moves north to make money in the oil fields so he can come back to eventually rescue Kismet. Their connection via the local bookstore seems like one of the few tethers that reminds Kismet of her life pre-Gary, and the store itself is a plot point that unexpectedly pushes the narrative into different directions. If this wasn’t enough drama to keep us turning the pages, Kismet’s father disappears days before her wedding, along with the church fund he was supposedly monitoring.

My Thoughts

The “Mighty Red” is in reference to the Red River that the characters live alongside, but both land and water get equal attention in this story. Despite the exciting world of human activity humming around this book, nature plays just as major a role in the plot development. Weather is an unavoidable topic when writing a story about a farming community and climate change, yet the land itself is an important character, and it regularly rears its head to remind people who is really in charge. The environment asserts itself in some violent and tragic ways, but it also presents opportunity to those characters who choose to listen and respect it. Erdrich also weaves the land’s transitions into the story, subtly educating readers in a way that flows easily with the plot, rather than halting it. Indigenous ways of living and knowing have always emphasized the importance of respecting nature, and when certain characters forget about or push back against this way of living, they are quickly reminded of how little power they have over their surroundings – this makes for valuable lessons learned, and a great story.

Another aspect of Erdrich’s writing that I really appreciate is the sense of humour she can weave into a conversation among friends; the casual banter among those in a friendship or family are something many readers will recognize:

” ‘I’m having a crisis.’
‘You sure are. I know everything about sex. You hit forty and it’s a going-out-of-business sale.’
‘Me?’
‘Yeah, it’s hormonal. You’re slashing prices. Lowering your standards. Everything must go.’ ” (p. 323 of The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich).

What I loved about the above quote was that despite the pain, betrayal and unceasing work in these women’s lives, they are still able joke with one another, finding an easy comfort in each other’s presence. And even though this book centers on the difficulties between people in this town, Erdrich takes the time to celebrate these quieter moments in her characters’ lives, humanizing them, ultimately making them most relatable even when in the midst of a life crisis.

Even though I’ve only read two Erdrich books so far, I haven’t found one I didn’t like, and even better news is she’s a prolific writer (and bookstore owner!) so there’s lots more to dive into. If you haven’t given her a try yet, The Mighty Red is a great place to start.