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Strange. Humorous. Tragic. Hopeful. Poignant.

Gary Geist impulsively proposes to and marries Kismet Poe.
He is wildly in love with her.
Hugo, a gentle giant of a man, still dreams of Kismet.
He can't get her out of his head.
Crystal, Kismet's mother, worries for her daughter's future.
And her own...

The Mighty Red is set in North Dakota's Red River Valley during the Great Recession of 2008. It's about living from paycheck to paycheck and sometimes working two jobs; ordinary people striving to lead better lives than they did when they were growing up. Some never grow up, and poor choices abound. There is beet farming and hauling, as well as the use of pesticides and herbicides in the same landscape as a family's summer vegetable garden. And there are so many secrets it will make your head swim.

There is an abundance of characters and plenty happening, resulting in a slow start for me. Once I figured out who was who and what was what, I connected, and everything fell into place. Erdrich's writing is beautiful, detailed, and sprinkled with humor that helps distract the reader from the story's sadness. The story is heavy with this lingering sadness that seems to permeate everyone and everything. It is like a toxin you can't see or smell.

This was an immersion read; the audiobook is narrated by Marin Ireland, one of my favorite narrators, who recounts every word, every pause, and every inflection in this story perfectly. The result is an engaging and evocative experience.

The Mighty Red is my first read by Louise Erdrich, and I didn't want it to end. I'm looking forward to exploring this author's extensive backlist!

4.5��

Thank you to Harper and Louise Erdrich for the DRC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.