In a North Dakota prairie town, the lives of both young and old are caught in the seasonal web that is sugar beet farming. Everyone knows everyone's business in ways that feel both familiar and stark, especially where there has been some kind of tragedy that now overshadows the lives of all its inhabitants. For Kismet, on the verge of adulthood, and her mom, Crystal, stability is their highest priority. When the town football star Gary decides he must marry Kismet to be happy, the whole community has feelings about it.
The Mighty Red is a story of people scraping a living from the dirt and finding happiness wherever they can. It is about grief and loss and the kind of unthinkable trauma that can break us if we don't make the effort to look it in the face. I loved the arc of Kismet and Crystal's relationship, even if Kismet was a genuinely frustrating character. While there were so many characters it took me longer than usual to keep everyone straight, soon I was completely embroiled in their drama with my own opinions and frustrations. I didn't really see the kind of humor I've seen other reviewers mention, although I did feel entertained, if that nuance can exist. I really loved the thread, twisting throughout this story, about the land - about how humans have broken it and how it could maybe be fixed. It is a solidly written and captivating story and I am wavering so much in how to rate it. It is so heavy a lot of the time, but the redemption is there and is solidly done. I'm giving it 4.5 stars for how quickly I listened and for making a small town come truly to life for me.