Tracks

It came just in time for when I needed it! It came in excellent condition and it was the right book! Would shop with them again!

I bought this because it was required reading for my English class. This is one of those rare required reading books that I actually enjoyed. The story is compelling, the characters are fascinating and multifaceted, and the way Erdrich switches between narrators every other chapter gives the plot extra depth when you can see it from two drastically different perspectives.

I would not have wanted to read "Tracks" without an English professor to guide me. Louise Erdrich is a very gifted writer, but writes in the manner of William Faulkner, who is another difficult but brilliant writer. Using multiple narratives, she weaves a tale of the Native American tribe the Obijwe, who were driven from their land by the shameful Dawes Act. Two narrators, Nanapush and Pauline, take turns telling the story. Nanapush is a tribal elder and seen as the more reliable narrator of the two, although he is modeled after the Trickster, who is a Native American archetype. Pauline is only one complex character in a novel of complex characters, including the mythical Fleur. Most of the story revolves around Fleur and what happens to her, her family, and her tribe. There is much magical realism in the novel, reminiscent of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and if you are not a fan of this particular sub-genre, you probably won't enjoy the novel. It is so layered, you definitely need an expert to help you peel away each layer to get at the story. But it is worth it, because it's a literary masterpiece of its own kind.

I love Erdrich as an author, and Tracks did not disappoint me. I had never read anything in her Love Medicine series before, but now that I have, I want to go and read them all. I love Nanapush, one of the narrating characters, and despise Pauline, the other narrator. Nanapush's chapters gave us great insight into his wisdom and humour, and he gave us a wonderful portrait of Fleur Pillager from the perspective of her friends and family. Pauline, on the other hand, gives us great insight into her delusions and warped sense of morality while giving us the perspective of Fleur as a rival and adversary, even if this adversarial relationship is onsided. As one of my friends put it, "Pauline is nucking futs." I love Fleur's characterization in Tracks, and she's become one of my all time favourite fictional characters. I love the details that Erdrich puts into the setting, the place and the culture this novel resides in. I am Anishinaabe as well and the culture as presented here is both familiar and foreign, as Tracks takes place in a different time, among a people whose assimilation was not yet as advanced. Overall, I'd give this book a 4.5 if I could, but I can't, and so a 5 is closer to how I feel than a 4 is.

Tracks is such a complicated novel that it is difficult to briefly describe. Like most other Native American Stories there is the main conflict of the Indians versus the white man and Christianity. However, Erdrich's story goes beyond that. Her novel seems to mystify everything. The characters are so complex: throughout the story you wonder if Fleur actually has magic, if Nanapush tells the truth, or if Pauline the masochist is actually inflicting all of these punishments. There are several motifs/ themes in the novel: Christianity versus traditions, elusive money, family pride, and the supernatural. Lastly, the point of view alternates between Nanapush telling his story to Lulu and Pauline telling her story as a confessional. The book is not easy to read, I would definitely not call it a page turner. However, it is interesting and Erdrich has a way of pulling you into the story.

I grew up in Minnesota, where Louise Erdrich now lives and writes, and in my world as a child and young adult I'd have to say that, except for using Indian names for lakes and rivers, my Minneapolis neighbors did their best to ignore the native American population. Because of the intertwining story threads that run throughout Erdrich's books, I'm currently reading her whole collection, in order. She gives a detailed, in depth-portraiture of her native American characters, and she does not mince words about their range of behaviors and relationships. "Tracks" is a sympathetic look at the family members' struggles to survive in a changing world, dealing with both the ravages of nature and of society's inroads into their lands. I think Erdrich's insights into the evolution of native American culture and the impact on individuals are unique in this region and in this genre.

Was a required text for my post colonial women's novels class, it was one of my faves of the class. Love the magical realism, really makes the story come alive. Loved Fleur, she was such a badass character. There were many twists and sometimes it can be hard to follow with the magic realism, but for the most part it was really good.

Beautiful Detailed Story. I am falling in love with all the plot twists and feelings of depth in the characters. Also the story moves along at a good pace so that I was able to finish it in one day. Then reread it just for the pure joy of it the next day. I love this story and just ordered another Louise Erdrich book today because I loved "Tracks" so much!!