Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Why is the book structured the way it is? We start out in 1981, bounce waaaaay back in the past, then work our way back up through to 1984—what is the effect/point of telling a story that way?
- The novel really doesn't have a solid central protagonist (although we tried to argue for one). Why do you think Erdrich avoids offering us that central character focal point? What does that choice do for the book as a whole?
- Is the book a tragedy? Why or why not?
- How easy is it to sympathize with the characters? Why do you find it easy and/or difficult?
- What is Albertine's role in the story? At first it looks like she might be the protagonist, and then she gets relegated more or less to the general cast of characters… so, is she special in any way? If so, what's special about her?
- How do you view the book's approach to spirituality? Some supernatural stuff goes down, and there's kind of a mishmash of Catholic and Native American traditions that get wedded together (for example, when Lipsha wants to practice "love medicine" by getting supermarket turkey hearts blessed by the Catholic priest and then feeding them to his grandparents). So, what gives—why include that stuff? And what is your reaction to it?