Customer's Picks

After I finished this book (staying up until the wee hours to do so!) I read the New York Times review, which was titled "Cruel Love." I couldn't agree more with the reviewer, who praised Erdrich's compelling prose, but found this story of a tormented marriage pretty hard reading. The story is told from the point of view of the Native American wife, Irene America, who is keeping two diaries--one she knows her husband is reading, the other entirely private; hence the title, Shadow Tag. She is trapped in an abusive marriage and uses the diary her husband reads as a weapon to escape. In the end everyone loses, including the children, who become pawns in their parents' cruel game. I couldn't put it down, but afterwards I felt like a voyeur who can't stop looking at a gruesome traffic fatality. It's brilliantly written, but you may not like the ugly picture it protrays of a marriage gone horribly wrong.

Linda Crosskey 

Readers who have experienced caregiving will appreciate the depiction of dedication and difficult choice-making. It is a beautiful and moving novel about finding your soulmate, with excellent character development. Read it with tissue nearby. (This one's for adults.)

M. Lyker

The author depicts life in the 1960s and '70s with accuracy that brought back my own memories of those times. It is an often shocking and sad story. The characters are well developed and interesting enough to keep you reading till the end to find out how they do. Highly rated, but for adults as it includes sex and violence.

Madeleine