The Beet Queen

A Novel

By: Louise Erdrich

Narrated by: Pallas Erdrich

“A remarkable and luminous novel.” —Michiko Kakutani, New York Times

Louise Erdrich, the bestselling and award-winning author of The Sentence and The Night Watchman, dazzles in this vibrant and heartfelt tale of abandonment and sexual obsession, jealousy and unstinting love that explores with empathy, humor, and power the eternal mystery of the human condition.

On a spring morning in 1932, young Karl and Mary Adare arrive by boxcar in Argus, North Dakota. After being orphaned in a most peculiar way, Mary seeks refuge in the butcher shop of their aunt and her husband, while Karl gets back on the train. So begins an exhilarating forty-year saga brimming with colorful, unforgettable characters: ordinary Mary, who will cause a miracle; seductive Karl, who lacks his sister's gift for survival; Sita, their lovely but disturbed cousin; and the half-Native American Celestine James, who will become Mary’s best friend. Theirs is a story grounded in the tenacity of relationships, the extraordinary magic of natural events, and the unending mystery of the human condition.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©1986 Louise Erdrich (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers

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Disappointed

I've been a big fan of Louise Erdrich and was looking forward to this book. I expected to love it and was puzzled when I didn't. The characters just weren't that interesting--nor were there any that made me want to root for them--and the story was bland in comparison with her earlier works. The narration was fine, but it wasn't enough to overcome the fact that I just didn't care about the characters or what might happen next.

Excellent story and narration

Really enjoyed this. Felt like a peek into different lifestyles and values, simultaneously foreign and familiar, dealing with gut-wrenching issues with both comedy and pathos.

A listen to look forward to

It’s such a luxury when the story and the narration come together so beautifully. And to have a story that at once seems real and also compelling is irresistible. I enjoyed this book and made time to listen, then was swept away.

I think you’ll e joy it.

For fans of Erdrich

Another series of characters developed here on the periphery of some of the major characters that feature in her other books, some of whom appear on the sidelines of this book.

Unlikeable characters

Didn’t love these characters. The writing is so descriptive and clear that I stuck with it. This was my second book by this author.

I have never liked a story less.

I have read or listened to almost every one of Lousie Erdrich's novels and have enjoyed and/or been moved by all of them. They have have difficult but honest themes and characters, but they draw you in and open your heart and mind to different perspectives and ideas. They give you insights into humanity. There is not one character in this book who is not an awful human being. Some have small moments of doing decent things, but there is nothing to be gained or learned from reading this book. Even a newborn arrives full of darkness and all of the children are just horrible. I feel bad that this was my experience, but I hated this book.

I cannot phantom spending time creating all of these awful people who seem committed only to becoming more and more awful as the story goes on. None of them ever choose to learn, to grow, to do better, to try and have compassion or empathy let alone any redemption.

I will continue to read her new works, but I cannot recommend this one.

Very depressing

Not up to Erdrich’s usual brilliance. Story was disjointed with no transcendence or message that I could see.

A bummer of a listen

I kept going, hoping for things to get better. They didn’t. Never found any humor or redeeming qualities.