This novel won America's National Book Award for fiction in 2012, and is somewhat of a return to form by Louise Erdrich, who was extremely popular in New Zealand in the 80s and 90s with books such as The Beet Queen and Tracks. I haven't seen her books around so much more recently, but I can see The Round House putting her back on the map here, and picked up by reading groups etc. This is a tremendously powerful novel, set on a Native American reservation in North Dakota. Joe Coutts tells the story of his 13th year, a year in which he comes of age in a search for truth and justice in the wake of the brutal rape of his mother. The justice system appears to be failing his family, so Joe takes matters into his own hands. It's a devastating story, simple and clearly told, a modern day To Kill A Mockingbird, perhaps as told by Barbara Kingsolver, if you like. This deserves a wide audience.