LaRoseLaRose
Score Modern
What it's about
In North Dakota in 1999, Landreaux Iron, an Ojibwe man, is hunting a deer when he accidentally shoots and kills his neighbor's five-year-old son. Following an old tradition, he and his wife give their own five-year-old son, LaRose, to the grieving family. The novel follows the two families as they try to heal, and the boy who belongs to both.
Why it's worth reading
It won the National Book Critics Circle Award. It's a deeply humane novel about grief and forgiveness.
You'll love it if you liked
The Round House
The Night Watchman
Love MedicineGood to know
It opens with a child's death. It moves among several generations and characters.
By the numbers
- Readers28 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller26 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz4 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #211 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #956 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1766 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Louise Erdrich
The Night WatchmanThe Round House
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No HorseLove MedicineIf you like this, read next
All the Light We Cannot See
Americanah
A Little Life
The Help
Pachinko
Shuggie BainExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is LaRose worth reading?
Yes. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award. It ranks #1,766 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is LaRose about?
In North Dakota in 1999, Landreaux Iron, an Ojibwe man, is hunting a deer when he accidentally shoots and kills his neighbor's five-year-old son. Following an old tradition, he and his wife give their own five-year-old son, LaRose, to the grieving family. The novel follows the two families as they try to heal, and the boy who belongs to both.
How long does it take to read LaRose?
About 10 hours (400 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has LaRose won?
NBCC Award (Fiction) winner (2016).
What should I read after LaRose?
If you liked it, try The Round House by Louise Erdrich, The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich or Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich.