The Antelope Wife, by Louise Erdrich

The Antelope Wife tells the interconnecting stories of many characters across generations. It begins with the tale of a post-Civil War raid on a Native American village. As soldiers kill the Native Americans, one of them notices a dog running away with a baby strapped to its back. He follows it for days before catching it and freeing the baby, which he ultimately raises as his own daughter.

Another story relates how a man fell so deeply and suddenly in love with a woman that he kidnapped her, in the process ruining both of their lives. He fails at everything he tries from that point forward until he eventually realizes that he has to free her.

One chapter is written from the point of view of a dog named Almost Soup. As a puppy he came close to being served up as dinner, but was saved at the last minute by a young girl who raised him.

There's an element of magic realism that runs throughout The Antelope Wife. I found it challenging to keep all of the characters straight, especially as the stories go back and forth in time and the characters' back stories are told from different perspectives. The stories are beautifully told and Ms. Erdrich shows her compassion as she illuminates the struggles that her characters face with love, hate, revenge, and daily life.

Louise Erdrich. The Antelope Wife. New York: HarperFlamingo, 1998. 240 pages. ISBN 0060187263.