The Night Watchman

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich   451 pages

Confession: This is my first exposure to Erdrich, despite her award-winning reputation, and I was not excited about the experience. I didn’t connect with the novel, but I was interested in the historical elements of the story, with the prospect of historical fiction that follows indigenous characters reckoning with another attempt by the US government to erase their tribal presence. While some might call Erdrich’s writing style immersive and sweeping, I just found it too slow and my attention kept waning. However, without succumbing to Hollywood theatrics, she skillfully portrayed the determination of indigenous people to not be rendered invisible, and adeptly exposed the insidious practice of human trafficking as applied to modern Native women.

Posted By:   Regina C.