Louise Erdrich weaves a complicated beautiful tale about a few families in North Dakota and a doomed wedding. Love, loss, ghosts and the sacredness of the land permeate this story.

This book is family drama to the max. At 18, Kismet marries Gary, the town’s rich kid, even though she’s truly in love with Hugo, the bookish guy who loves her back. Gary is haunted by a tragic accident, the full story of which isn’t revealed until the very end. The book is well-written, with complex and intriguing characters. But for some reason, I found it hard to feel invested in any of them.

I have a lot of respect for Erdrich, and I know this book received great reviews—but it just didn’t resonate with me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gary and Kismet get married in a small North Dakota town. Gary is trying to hide from a tragedy and Kismet enjoys being needed. They are fresh out of high school. Gary’s family owns the local sugar beet farm whose farming practices are killing the soil. Kismet’s mother works there. Her dad has stolen church money. And then there is Hugo , who loves Kismet passionately….and she loves him.
I could not put this book down. Family drama to the max. Brilliant writing. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

Well written, but I just could not get into it. I persevered but it was more work than reading a book should be.

An honest and insightful look at the ups and downs of marriage and how all love stories, no matter how romantic and storybook they may seem at first, tend to flatten out under the weight of real life.

How I love her writing! her books are always good and give me something to ponder. Well written and plotted with well developed characters. Great read.

Louise Erdrich is an incredibly gifted writer. As usual, this book shows her talent to the world! The Red River is only one of the characters in this story, along a variety of quirky, fascinating people in North Dakota...There is "humor, disturbance, and hallucinatory mourning." Huh?? The people are complex, sometimes maddening, both flawed and decent, and overall the story is riveting. Riveting!!! Recommended for both Erdrich fans and those new to her masterful storytelling. Five stars.

I finished this book a couple of days ago and can’t stop thinking about it. These characters are flawed, gorgeous, and authentic—living their messy, complicated, everyday lives. I found myself both cheering them on and groaning at their choices. The Red River itself is a character within the book, meandering and moving in ebbs and flows, just like the people in the story. Erdrich’s language is poetic—she makes sugar beet farming sound beautiful, while simultaneously sharing its ugliness. This book is meant for savoring.

Let me state for the record that I love Louise Erdrich's books. The Mighty Red was just meh for me. She writes interesting characters and that is true of this title too, but I just didn't feel very affected by the story. It wasn't a bad book, just landed pretty neutral for me.

Centered on a teen love triangle but featuring an entire community filled with eccentric characters, this book explores the impacts of the 2008 recession on rural and indigenous lives. Kismet Poe is a high school misfit who’s stollen the heart of both the wealthy and popular Gary and the shy and bookish Hugo. Though Kismet is fiery and her mother Crystal empowers her as much as she can, she finds herself floating through her life. When she kind of accidentally agrees to marry Gary, there will be ramifications for the town that no one would expect. The more I read Erdrich, the more I love her sense of humor and this book was as zany and poignant as I had hoped. My biggest complaint: I wanted the scene where a group of women discuss Eat, Prey, Love at a book club to go on for at least another ten pages.

This is a book about why you shouldn't get married until your brain is fully developed.

It felt like one of Erdrich's most modern and young novels, writing from the perspective of troubled 18-year-olds who are experiencing love, lust, tragedy, jealousy, and an impending recession.

For many reasons, it reminded me a lot of Beartown, mostly because of Marin Ireland's audiobook narration but also the world of sports, a tragic accident, sexual violence, parental gossip, and vague social convictions of the guilty, all in a cold, rural northern climate.

I enjoyed the economic and agricultural settings of this book, which also brought to mind The Seed Keeper. Interestingly, this book was heavy yet funny and brought me back into the land of Erdrich.

The Mighty Red will end up as one of my favorite books this year. Interesting characters abound in this story and Erdrich's writing is gorgeous.

I had a hard time connecting with the characters in this book. There were hardly any that were likable at all. A couple of plusses were short chapters and the setting of North Dakota. I loved The Roundhouse by Erdrich and was disappointed that I didn't like this book more.

This is a Read with Jenna Book selection.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper for the advanced digital copy of the book.

Three teenagers coming of age in North Dakota during the Great Recession. Drama, tragedy, and lots of love. Even some comical situations.

The Mighty Red is a well-written, often heart-wrenching book. Witnessing the slow, completely-avoidable calamity of Kismet's young life was tortuous, but the characters and plot are unforgettable.

I was really excited for The Mighty Red and have seen some rave reviews. Unfortunately this one didn’t work for me and at 30% I decided to DNF. I’m not feeling drawn to the characters or writing as I was in the other Erdrich book I read and loved. Instead it is feeling like a slog. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ebook to review.

This review will appear in the Charleston Gazette Mail in the next two (2) weeks. A copy will be forwarded upon request; please email erinb25314@yahoo.com.

I was not able to get to this novel before the pub date. Louise Erdrich is an important literary voice and they don't give out starred Kirk's reviews for nothing. This is also a Jenna's Book club pick as well. Congrats Ms. Erdrich!

This is both gorgeously written and perfectly accessible. Louise Erdrich writes her characters and the environment of this one with such depth that it's impossible for them to not seem like real people that I know, a place that I understand. Short chapters and a variety of insightful viewpoints.

As the Red River travels it's way through many a town, Louise Erdich gives us a snapshot of life in a small North Dakota town and it's surrounding beet farms. The characters are all connected through the town's singular focus on each segment of the beet market. Life has for generations flowed smoothly until the nation's financial crisis in 2008 brings small disasters that will eventually become larger issues their fractured lives may never overcome. Each character stands in the spotlight for the bright seconds they can only live once, then watch as the lights dim and move on. There are varied stories attached to each thread that will weave the characters into the story of a land that has supported them for too long while they ignored the damage they have done until it is too late.

Erdich's ability to give the reader a visual story is a strength that she continues to make us see the whole of her story. Her characters are three dimensional and generate emotional responses; running the gamut from a gentle smile to a gasp of surprise when you least expect them. Her books are not just a great story, they are an experience that demands you share them with your reading community.