Title: The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse
Author: Louise Erdrich
First published April 3, 2001
368 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780007136353 (ISBN10: 0007136358)
Rating: 4.19
Overview
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse by Louise Erdrich tells the story of Father Damien Modeste, a priest who has spent more than fifty years serving the Ojibwe people on the remote reservation of Little No Horse. As he nears the end of his life, Father Damien is haunted by a secret he has kept hidden for decades – he is actually a woman who has lived as a man.
When a colleague arrives on the reservation to investigate the life of a possibly false saint, Sister Leopolda, Father Damien must decide whether to reveal the truth and risk everything or to protect his own identity and the reputation of the Church. With richly drawn characters and a vivid sense of place, this novel explores themes of identity, faith, and the complexities of the human heart.
About the Author
Karen Louise Erdrich is an American author who has written novels, poetry, and children’s books. Her unique background includes a German American father and a mother who is half French American and half Ojibwe, making her an enrolled member of the Anishinaabe nation, also known as Chippewa.
Erdrich is highly regarded as one of the most important Native writers of the second wave of the Native American Renaissance, according to critic Kenneth Lincoln. If you want to learn more about her, check out her book descriptions.
Editoral Review
Louise Erdrich’s The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse is a feat of storytelling, a masterpiece that blends history, spirituality, and community with precision and heart. Erdrich, a celebrated Ojibwe writer, has made a name for herself in literary circles with her powerful and evocative novels that explore Native American culture, life on the reservation, and the struggles that come with racism, identity, and belonging.
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse is no exception. Published in 2001, it tells the story of Father Damien Modeste, a Catholic priest who has been serving the Ojibwe community for over fifty years.
But what the community doesn’t know is that Father Damien is actually Agnes DeWitt, a woman who has been living in disguise since the 1920s. Through Agnes’ eyes, we see the beauty, complexity, and violence of life on the reservation, as well as the spiritual and cultural practices that bind the community together.
Erdrich’s prose is gorgeous, lyrical, and deeply moving. She has a gift for describing the natural world in a way that is both visceral and transcendent, elevating the ordinary to the extraordinary.
Her characters are vividly drawn, with all their flaws, quirks, and humanity laid bare. Agnes in particular is a mesmerizing protagonist, a woman who has lived two lives and yet is still searching for meaning and purpose.
Her struggles with faith, gender, and love are universal, yet informed by her unique cultural context. The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse is a novel that defies easy categorization.
On one level, it is a historical novel that delves into the history of the Ojibwe people and their relationship with the Catholic church. On another level, it is a romance, a mystery, and a meditation on spirituality.
But perhaps most of all, it is a testament to the power of storytelling, the way in which we can use narrative to understand ourselves, each other, and the world around us. This book is not without its flaws.
At times, the pacing can be slow, and there are moments when the story loses its thread. But overall, Erdrich’s talent as a writer shines through in every page, and the book’s strengths far outweigh its weaknesses.
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse deserves a wide audience, particularly for those who are interested in literature that explores the intersections of race, culture, and identity. It is a book that will linger with you long after you have finished reading it, leaving you with a renewed sense of wonder, awe, and compassion for the world we live in.
