The novel is a gripping tale set in the early 20th century that follows the lives of several characters from an Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) community in North Dakota, focusing on the struggles of Fleur Pillager, a young woman with a mysterious connection to spiritual and natural forces. As the community grapples with the encroachment of white culture, land dispossession, and the ravages of illness, the narrative unfolds through the perspectives of Nanapush, an elder striving to preserve tribal traditions, and Pauline, a woman of mixed heritage drawn toward Christian fanaticism. The book weaves themes of survival, cultural identity, and the complex interplay between human beings and the environment, revealing the enduring resilience of a people in the face of assimilation and adversity.

The 2763rd greatest book of all time