The Round House is author Louise Erdrich's fourteenth novel, and it was published in 2012. It is sometimes considered a thematic sequel to her 2008 novel, The Plague of the Doves, due to their shared focus on the concepts of justice and revenge. Erdich continued to explore these themes in her 2016 novel, LaRose. These three novels have been collectively termed the "justice trilogy." The events in The Round House take place in 1988 and are told in flashback by narrator and protagonist Joe Coutts.
Like many of Erdich's other novels, The Round House centers around a North Dakota Ojibwe community. After Joe's mother is brutally attacked and assaulted near a round house, Joe seeks to avenge his mother's assailant. Though the novel traces Joe's journey for revenge, it also underscores issues that are particularly pertinent for Native Americans living in the United States today—namely, government incompetence, indigenous erasure, and violence against women. As the story progresses, Joe develops unique relationships with different community members as they handle life after the attack on his mother.
Following its publication, The Round House received numerous accolades. It is often lauded as one of the best of Erdrich's extensive body of literature. The novel was awarded the 2012 National Book Award for Fiction, the 2013 Minnesota Book Award, and the 2013 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. The Round House was also praised by various literary critics. Despite its overwhelmingly positive reviews, some critics have argued that Erdrich's tale has a contrived and simple account of morality.
