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What did you think of Iron Lake and why?
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I thought the book was fantastic. The writing, the pacing, the characters, all exceptionally well done. The only minor quibbles for me were more to do with my personal taste than any failings on Krueger’s part so I actually didn’t really have a problem with them. The book did have its violent parts but as it wasn’t done gratuitously and felt organic to the world Krueger was creating, I could see how the violence was necessary to the plot. And it wasn’t any more violent than so many TV shows. Plus, Kruger makes it emotionally impactful vs just excessive for no reason, like many other crime fiction books I can name. Also, at times, the book did have a male-gaze narrative going on (esp in the early parts of the book), but Krueger balances this with strong, empathetic and complex female characters. Again, another good thing and not something I often find in other crime books of this genre where the women are one-dimensional and thrown into danger constantly for the hero to rescue. Krueger has a strong empathy for all his characters that comes across on the page. Not one character comes across as simply a plot device. Even if they appear only on a few pages, like Harlan Lytton, Henry Meloux, Father Tom Griffin or Wanda Manydeeds, they all made a distinct impression on me.
I also think the murder reveals and climax were so well done. Not what I was expecting at all, so some great surprises for me. I do have to say one of the deaths really upset me (you know which one I mean), and I felt so bad for Cork and furious at the killer that it propelled me to read the last part of the book in one go until I saw justice served!
Finally, I really liked Cork. He is such a standup, sympathetic character with a lot of depth and, dare I say, soul. I’m looking forward to reading more in the series.
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I loved the book. It had a great mystery (actually several), lots of suspense, and surprising emotional moments that really affected me. I found myself liking Cork more and more as the book went on. He came across as a wise investigator with a gentle heart, yet still capable of sometimes brutal violence. Despite his experience and somewhat cynical world-weary view, he still gets hurt and is still surprised by people despite himself. He doesn’t put up with any bull crap, yet he needs and wants love from those he cares about. Even though he knows the residents of Aurora very well, he also comes across as a bit of an outsider because of his mixed heritage. He bridges the two cultures yet doesn’t fully belong to either. That’s an interesting position to put the main protagonist in.
Also, I want to note William Kent Krueger’s writing, which is just so good. There were some sentences in the book (usually descriptions of nature or the telling of an Anishinaabe story) where I would go back and reread them because the language is just so beautiful. WKK also introduces so many intriguing characters. I even found myself liking Cork’s kids (I’m not always a fan of how children are written, especially in thriller fiction where they don’t always behave realistically, IMO).
I don’t know how WKK does it, but he makes every character interesting. Even when they are unlikeable, I want to know more about them. Finally, the ending really got to me. So much so that I think I’ll need a breather before picking up the second book – but I mean this as a good thing. I’m not usually emotionally impacted by a mystery novel, so, again, kudos to WKK for that.
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I thought it was phenomenal. As to the “why,” it covers all the elements I enjoy, a strong plot, a setting that is compelling and essential to the story and complex characters. I found those in “Iron Lake.” I figured out the events of the story as Cork did and found the plot both plausible and eerily prescient with the reference to militias. The setting describes the natural and cultural landscape in a way that means for me this story could not have been told anywhere else. I have a separate interest in the impact of natural and cultural landscapes on the people who live in them. Finally, with a few exceptions I found the characters deeply human and nuanced, all of them both/and characters; vulnerable and strong, hurtful and generous, sensitive and clueless, honest and duplicitous, just about any dichotomy of the human condition but, in the end, despited their flaws, genuinely heroic.
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This book made me uncomfortable and I think overall that’s a good thing. I enjoy learning about other cultures and this was my first introduction to the Anishinaabe. I had no idea they were initially on the East Coast and I appreciated his depiction of their history and some beliefs and practices. I think he portrayed characters with the appropriate depth given his mystery. It was interesting how he wove his plot around cultural differences and community tensions. I prefer mysteries to be logical and solvable based on a detectives findings or character interaction and I thought he did this well. While credible, this book had more violence than I usually like, particularly given one lamentable death, though I don’t think it was too gory. I felt continual danger and cold, but my main discomfort centered on the Native American minority issues. I appreciate authors who educate me in such areas, especially when I have little experience with them.
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I love Krueger’s writing, especially his descriptions of nature and the Native reality. I found Cork to be a believable, but having a difficult time straddling two cultures; he is a flawed human being who is willing to grow and change. I found the main characters to be believable and interesting, especially those who will be part of the ongoing series. I think I was especially drawn to this series because of the elements of Native reality which have been dear to me since having read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee years ago. I liked seeing Native elements in a contemporary setting and Krueger does a good job of that.
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Definitely agree. I am looking forward to future discussion questions that focus on both the setting and Anishanaabe spiritual and cultural elements in this story. I think they truly enrich it.
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I really liked Iron Lake. I loved the remote setting. The Anishinaabe culture, mysticism and spirituality really added to the story for me. I love Cork O’Connor, who is completely human in his strengths and flaws. His love and caring for his family is as clear as his sense of right and wrong. He is smart and compassionate. All in all, I thought it was a really good story, and much more than a simple mystery.
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