Sherman Alexie's character, Junior is a wonderfully portrayed young man who is being challenged by the world around him when he tries to have 'hope' and improve his life. Pulled between two worlds after leaving the reservation to attend the white school, Junior attempts to reconcile the conflicts that arise for his family, his best friend, and himself.

Though we have liked other Louise Erdrich books, we found the number of characters and the intertwining of their lives within the murder mystery too difficult for our group to thoroughly enjoy the book. If we would have mapped out the characters and their relationships, I believe we would have enjoyed the book more and would have better follow the story.