Date: 24 July 2016
Location: Bonnie

The Master Butchers Singing Club
by Louise Erdrich

Butcher

The Happy Bookers met this Sunday at Bonnie’s house to discuss Louise Erdrich’s The Master Butchers Singing Club. The verdict on the book was mixed: some liked it, some did not.

A number of faults were pointed out. It is doubtful that a German could have immigrated into the US in 1920. The death of the family in the basement was gratuitous—and why did they go into the basement in the first place? Clarisse the mortician simply disappeared. Too much time was spent on minor matters, and the stories were not all related. Finally the book was morose, a downer.

The book had its strong points, however. In the first place the writing was good. Some descriptions, though long, were interesting. Erdrich is specially strong in depicting the emotional life of the characters. Selling sausage in Grand Central Station was an interesting image and depicted a character with strong determination. The most fascinating character in the book was Step-and-a-Half. The way she saved Delphine and her mother came as a complete surprise.

Personal observation: Erdrich has a free-ranging imagination. Her style may be characterized as a prairie version of magical realism. If you like this sort of thing, take a look at The Last Report of the Miracles at Little No Horse.

— John