A powerful, suspenseful coming-of-age story set on a North Dakota reservation, exploring justice, family, and the enduring strength of community.
 
When 13-year-old Joe Coutts’s mother is brutally attacked, she retreats into silence, and the crime goes unsolved. Frustrated by the limits of the legal system, Joe sets out to uncover the truth himself—an act that will change him forever. Set in 1988, The Round House captures the tensions between Native and federal law, tradition and modernity, innocence and experience.
 
Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction, The Round House is Louise Erdrich at her finest: lyrical, haunting, and morally complex. Through the voice of young Joe Coutts, Erdrich crafts a story that’s both deeply personal and universally resonant—a meditation on justice, identity, and the bond between mother and son.
 
The novel exposes the systemic injustice faced by Native American women and families, weaving together history, myth, and contemporary life. Erdrich’s storytelling is rooted in compassion and realism, filled with vivid characters and emotional depth.
 
By turns heartbreaking, tender, and quietly triumphant, The Round House stands as one of the most important novels of the 21st century—an unforgettable portrait of resilience and the human spirit.
 
💖 Why You’ll Love It
Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction.
A gripping literary mystery with emotional and cultural resonance.
Explores Native American life, family, and justice with authenticity and heart.
Blends coming-of-age storytelling with social commentary.
Beautifully written, deeply empathetic, and profoundly moving.
 
🌟 Perfect For
Fans of There There by Tommy Orange and The Night Watchman.
Readers of literary and social-justice-driven fiction.
Book clubs exploring identity, justice, and Indigenous perspectives.
Those who appreciate rich, character-driven stories of family and courage.
 
❤️ Fans Also Liked
If you enjoyed The Round House, you might also like:
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich — another powerful novel inspired by true events.
Winter in the Blood by James Welch — lyrical and profound Indigenous storytelling.
Where the Dead Sit Talking by Brandon Hobson — haunting, award-nominated Native American fiction.