The Round HouseThe Round House
Score Modern
What it's about
In 1988, on an Ojibwe reservation in North Dakota, thirteen-year-old Joe Coutts's mother is brutally attacked. She won't talk about it, and she can't get out of bed. Joe's father, a tribal judge, discovers that tangled laws about where the crime happened and who did it may let the attacker go free. Joe and his three best friends decide to find out the truth themselves.
Why it's worth reading
It won the National Book Award. It's a coming-of-age story, a mystery and an angry look at injustice toward Native women, written with Erdrich's warmth and humor.
You'll love it if you liked
The Night Watchman
The Sentence
To Kill a MockingbirdGood to know
It centers on a rape, though it isn't described graphically. Joe and his friends are funny, which lightens the book.
By the numbers
- Readers41 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics63 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller60 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz1 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
- #109 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #504 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #968 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Adventurous, Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Round House worth reading?
Yes. It won the National Book Award. It ranks #968 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Round House about?
In 1988, on an Ojibwe reservation in North Dakota, thirteen-year-old Joe Coutts's mother is brutally attacked. She won't talk about it, and she can't get out of bed. Joe's father, a tribal judge, discovers that tangled laws about where the crime happened and who did it may let the attacker go free. Joe and his three best friends decide to find out the truth themselves.
How long does it take to read The Round House?
About 8 hours (321 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Round House won?
National Book Award (Fiction) winner (2012).
What should I read after The Round House?
If you liked it, try The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich, The Sentence by Louise Erdrich or To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.