Romans 12, Verses 19-21 reads as such, Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

These verses from Paul’s most important letter in the New Testament perfectly set the stage for my review of Louise Erdrich’s Four Souls. Four Souls, a continuation of Tracks within the Love Medicine series, explores how vengeance destroys a family, leaving deep, lasting wounds on everyone. The story is told from multiple viewpoints about Fleur Pillager’s attempt at revenge against John James Mauser, a lumber baron who has taken reservation land deceitfully. Fleur’s vengeance is described through the perspectives of her mother, Margaret Kasphaw, Nanapush, her father, and Polly Elizabeth Green, sister of the lumber baron’s first wife. Fleur’s revenge plot fails, resulting in a tragic turn of events that might have been averted with wiser decisions.

Erdrich explores the intricate dynamic between Fleur and John James Mauser, alongside the relationship of her parents, and the way Polly Elizabeth Green is tied to them. Even though none of the characters were likable, I found myself unable to put down this novel, which was just over 200 pages long. Four Souls has been the best novel I have read this year, and I cannot stop thinking about all the characters involved in the story.

I read Tracks over a decade ago and found it to be beautifully written but boring. After reading Four Souls, I was wrong with my initial impression of Tracks and plan to go back and reread that novel. I’m interested in learning more about this family, which explores the relationship between the Ojibwe Tribe and White Americans. As I think about Four Souls in the coming days, I will be reminded of Paul’s words from Romans that are at the beginning of this review. God understands us more profoundly than we understand ourselves, and we must pay attention to His warnings about revenge.