Rating: 
Summary: Excellent story that holds the reader's attention
Review: Although the storyline was a bit drab, Louise Eldrich did a magniificent job of holding the reader's attention. I couldn't put it down!
Rating: 
Summary: People as tortured as the landscape
Review: Erdrich has that special touch, to make surreal situations so very believable. I love the parallel drawn with the plane rides, how in one case it is a beautiful woman running away from responsibility, and on the other it is a not-so-graceful woman running away from scorn. I first learned of Erdrich in some anthology, where i read her short story _Fleur_ (now, that's a scary character!
Rating:
Summary: Earthy characters, darkly humorous.
Review: From the beginning of the book you care about the characters and what will happen to them. The North Dakota landscape is vividly recreated and the writing is clear, concise, and gritty. My only real "complaint" is I felt unfulfilled by the ending...I kept saying, "but what happened to Jude? He will never know about his family! Wait, it can't end yet."
Rating:
Summary: Off The Beaten Path
Review: From the mesmerizing first chapter I was hooked. This is an adventure that makes you want to turn the pages quickly. I've noted that others have characterized this book as "bland," yet, isn't that the point? To truly feel the emotional palate of the characters, there can't be a big surprise at every corner. If you finish this book feeling confused, depressed, and a little hungry for her next book, then this author has done her job. If you like "cookie cutter" stories, then this book isn't for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Hands down, the worst book I ever read
Review: How many ways are there to hate this book? Let's get started.
First, the characters are so feeble and unsympathetic I found
myself not caring what happened to them. From hobosexual Karl
to mediocre Mary, and oh yes, Dot. Dot is a not-so-gentle
reminder that the characters in some novels should be spayed
or neutered before they get a chance to randomly breed. There
are 2 characters of interest (Russell and Fleur), but they
contribute about 3 pages to this monstrosity of a book.I had to read this monumental waste for a literature class. I
normally like to read, but this book nearly beat the reading
bug right out of me. Even if I had not been required to read
it, I might have finished it anyway in the expectation that
something interesting would (finally) happen. Bad news, folks:
it never does. The same utter pointlessness continues right on
through the last page. I don't want to keep you hanging by a thread here, so let me get
right to the point: This book is awful.
Rating:
Summary: Beet Queen is filled with deep symbolism
Review: I found this novel to be enjoyable to read, with unexpected events occuring around every corner. The dark humor fits in well with the story line and it keeps the reader motivated. While the ending appears to leave the reader hanging with respect to some characters, it really makes you think about what the reason for that is. Why don't we know what happens to Jude? Maybe it is because Jude is the only character in the novel who has his needs met -- all the other characters endure a life long struggle for one need or another. The author uses strong symbolism which can be cryptic, yet challenging. It's definitely worth the read.
Rating: 
Summary: Disturbing book of a 40 year obsession.
Review: I have mixed feelings about this book. It probably arises from the fact that I had to read and do a report on it for a college course. It is not my kind of novel, but I give it a slightly passing mark anyway.
Rating:
Summary: Hands down, the worst book I ever read
Review: I picked up this book at a second hand store. It had a dedication in the inside cover. It had been a gift for Mother's Day, and it read: "To the Queen of the house, because she can't be Beet!". Erdrich has the special touch to make surreal situations so very believable. I love the parallel drawn with the plane rides, how in one case it is a beautiful woman running away from responsibility, and on the other it is a not-so-graceful woman running away from scorn. The birthday party scene is one of the most hilarious that come to mind, with the cake spinning out of control and Mary still singing Happy Birthday to You, while the guests are showered in frosting. And Mary's fall in the ice and the revered imprint of her face... How surreal can this book get?!?! In my opinion, it makes sense to read this book first, followed by Love Medicine (93), followed by Tracks (89). I first learned of Erdrich in some anthology, where i read her short story Fleur (now, that's a scary character, who appears in all three books!)
Rating:
Summary: People as tortured as the landscape
Review: I picked up this book at a second hand store. It had a dedication in the inside cover. It had been a gift for Mother's Day, and it read: "To the Queen of the house, because she can't be Beet!". Erdrich has the special touch to make surreal situations so very believable. I love the parallel drawn with the plane rides, how in one case it is a beautiful woman running away from responsibility, and on the other it is a not-so-graceful woman running away from scorn. The birthday party scene is one of the most hilarious that come to mind, with the cake spinning out of control and Mary still singing Happy Birthday to You, while the guests are showered in frosting. And Mary's fall in the ice and the revered imprint of her face... How surreal can this book get?!?! In my opinion, it makes sense to read this book first, followed by Love Medicine (93), followed by Tracks (89). I first learned of Erdrich in some anthology, where i read her short story Fleur (now, that's a scary character, who appears in all three books!)
Rating:
Summary: People as tortured as the landscape
Review: I picked up this book at a second hand store. It had a dedication in the inside cover. It had been a gift for Mother's Day, and it read: "To the Queen of the house, because she can't be Beet!". Erdrich has the special touch to make surreal situations so very believable. I love the parallel drawn with the plane rides, how in one case it is a beautiful woman running away from responsibility, and on the other it is a not-so-graceful woman running away from scorn. The birthday party scene is one of the most hilarious that come to mind, with the cake spinning out of control and Mary still singing Happy Birthday to You, while the guests are showered in frosting. And Mary's fall in the ice and the revered imprint of her face... How surreal can this book get?!?! In my opinion, it makes sense to read this book first, followed by Love Medicine (93), followed by Tracks (89). I first learned of Erdrich in some anthology, where i read her short story Fleur (now, that's a scary character, who appears in all three books!)
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