LaRose, by Louise Erdrich

I loved this 2016 novel by Louise Erdrich. It's a heart wrenching tale of two families after a hunting accident leaves a child dead. To atone for the accident,  Landreaux and his wife Emmeline give their son, LaRose, to the mourning family to raise. After a while, they come to terms about how they'll share him. Even though he's very young when this happens, he has an intuitive understanding of his role in both families, including keeping his new mother from suicide. While this is a sad tale, there is a lot of humor and love in it. LaRose's new sister and he become very close, and he pulls the families closer together in ways that allow for healing to take place. Louise Erdrich is a wonderful writer, and she incorporates Native American traditions and history into the novel, touching on the practice of sending children away from their families to live in boarding schools. I highly recommend this book.