Every now and then I read a book that is so powerful, so intensely evocative, and so intimate that I feel its residual effect for days and days. Louise Erdrich’s new novel Shadow Tag hit me just this way. At the heart of this story of a ruined marriage is a morally wrong action—the kind that leaves the reader feeling sick, yet so intrigued and concerned that the book can’t be put down.
Deep in a file cabinet in her office, Irene America keeps a diary, a tell-all journal whose secrets have the capacity to ruin lives. When she discovers that her husband Gil is secretly reading her diary, she creates a new blue diary that she keeps locked away in a safety box. Meanwhile, she uses the red diary at home to taunt her husband, playing out a diabolical game that threatens his sanity, their marriage, and her understanding of herself.
The very foundation of Irene and Gil’s marriage is unbalanced and complicated. (“He grew up with on Reader’s Digest condensed novels. Irene grew up with Shakespeare.”) He is a noted artist. She is his model. His various presentations of her are both sensational and disturbing. As Gil’s artistic reputation grows, Irene questions her role.
Erdrich has produced a book totally unlike anything she has created to date. Shadow Tag is tense, scary, and unpredictable. I felt compassion for both Irene and Gil, and certainly for the children who each play strong parts in the family drama. Erdrich explores the murky territory of a troubled marriage and a family struggling to find its balance. I definitely recommend this book.  ~Wendee