I just read my first Erdrich (The Night Watchman) and already I feel like I agree with your ‘minor niggles but moreish’ comment. I’ve been on the lookout for other people’s Erdrich recommendations because I’m keen to read more of her writing so I’ve made a note of yours. I do have a copy of The Round House on my shelf so I’ve told myself I can’t get any more of her books until I’ve read that one but we all know how that goes… You already know I love Enter Ghost and I really want to get to My Friends soon because I have such a good feeling about it and the fact that it made it onto your list is definitely saying something!
Yes I felt similarly to you about The Night Watchman I think… like I liked it but it wasn’t quite 100% there for me! I actually really like The Round House—as a book I found it very absorbing. My niggle with that one was the concept of it as a whole is a bit odd (essentially the protagonist’s mother’s trauma is used as a narrative catalyst for his coming of age). But even though that is “problematic” by many standards I found there to be a lot of warmth in the book and I generally really enjoyed it (if that’s quite the right word). She’s quite meandering in general but I enjoy following her on her way.
Looking forward to your My Friends thoughts when you do get round to it! Going to pick up my own paperback copy soon.
What a great variety of books! I've had a few of these on my TBR, and your comments are prompting me to get to them sooner rather than later. I also want to read more translated fiction this year, so I appreciate those recs as well. Thank you for sharing - I hope your 2025 reading is off to a wonderful start!
*finally reading this!!* I loved this list! I would really love to be ambitious and read 2666 myself this year. This list also acts as another reminder to read Pedro Paramo. I find it most interesting that Minor Detail is on here, because while our tastes cross over so much (love) - I really did not like MD. I admired all it was trying to do, but just felt it lost complete grip with the narratives? I liked them both in isolation but not in how they were supposed to come together? Idk maybe I need to revisit it one day.
Such a great list! Loved to see the Olga Ravn and Dandelion Wine!!
I just read my first Erdrich (The Night Watchman) and already I feel like I agree with your ‘minor niggles but moreish’ comment. I’ve been on the lookout for other people’s Erdrich recommendations because I’m keen to read more of her writing so I’ve made a note of yours. I do have a copy of The Round House on my shelf so I’ve told myself I can’t get any more of her books until I’ve read that one but we all know how that goes… You already know I love Enter Ghost and I really want to get to My Friends soon because I have such a good feeling about it and the fact that it made it onto your list is definitely saying something!
Yes I felt similarly to you about The Night Watchman I think… like I liked it but it wasn’t quite 100% there for me! I actually really like The Round House—as a book I found it very absorbing. My niggle with that one was the concept of it as a whole is a bit odd (essentially the protagonist’s mother’s trauma is used as a narrative catalyst for his coming of age). But even though that is “problematic” by many standards I found there to be a lot of warmth in the book and I generally really enjoyed it (if that’s quite the right word). She’s quite meandering in general but I enjoy following her on her way.
Looking forward to your My Friends thoughts when you do get round to it! Going to pick up my own paperback copy soon.
What a great variety of books! I've had a few of these on my TBR, and your comments are prompting me to get to them sooner rather than later. I also want to read more translated fiction this year, so I appreciate those recs as well. Thank you for sharing - I hope your 2025 reading is off to a wonderful start!
*finally reading this!!* I loved this list! I would really love to be ambitious and read 2666 myself this year. This list also acts as another reminder to read Pedro Paramo. I find it most interesting that Minor Detail is on here, because while our tastes cross over so much (love) - I really did not like MD. I admired all it was trying to do, but just felt it lost complete grip with the narratives? I liked them both in isolation but not in how they were supposed to come together? Idk maybe I need to revisit it one day.