[4] In the letters written by her grandfather detailing his resistance against termination bills meant to assimilate Ojibwe people into broader American society through a variety of means, including the end of federal recognition of the sovereignty of indigenous tribes.

Alongside the political storyline, readers follow a variety of other characters through daily life on the reservation, family tragedy, boxing matches, and romance.

[9] Thomas Wazhashk, a night watchman at a jewel bearing plant and an Ojibwe Councilor, works to comprehend the consequences of a new termination bill drafted by Arthur Vivian Watkins heading to the floor of the United States Congress.

As Thomas tries to save his tribe from termination, his niece Patrice embarks on a journey to Minneapolis in order to find her sister, Vera.

[1] Patrice Paranteau, a young Ojibwe woman and a former high school valedictorian, balances the demands of both modern and traditional life.

[2] Wazhask translates to "muskrat" in Ojibwe and is pronounced Wa-shush-k.[11] While unfortunately locked outside of his place of work during a snowstorm in the night, Thomas experiences a vision where he describes seeing Jesus Christ and others.

She becomes involved in the resistance effort against the passing of House Concurrent Resolution 108 bill when asked by Thomas Wazhashk and her father to present her research findings on the Turtle Mountain Reservation's resources in court.

Erdrich's fictional version of Arthur V. Watkins is heavily based on the real person; his dialogue during the characters visit to Congress is pulled from actual transcriptions.

[18] In the chapter "Falcon Eyes", Patrice attends a meeting of the United States House of Representatives, where she sees a beautiful woman who fires a gun into the air.

[28] On the May/June 2020 issue of Bookmarks, the book received (4.0 out of 5) stars, with the critical summary saying, "The Night Watchman, a magical, dramatic, and heart-wrenching story, contains all the trademarks of Erdrich's work: vibrant characters, touching family relationships, beautiful descriptions of the natural world, and a passionate indictment of the casual racism that American Indians face".

[29][30] In a review for The New York Times, Luis Alberto Urrea praised the novel, referring to it as "[...] a magisterial epic that brings [Erdrich's] power of witness to every page.

[38] Erdrich has also addressed in interviews the importance of Patrice's role in the novel and how she functions as a second protagonist, saying that her daughter even made a separate cover for the novel with the title Pixie.

[39] While this novel is set in the past, Erdrich comments on the issues that still persist within Indigenous communities today, stating "It's true that the policies that start with dispossession do not stop there.

The committee awarding the prize referred to the novel as "[...] a majestic, polyphonic novel about a community's efforts to halt the proposed displacement and elimination of several Native American tribes in the 1950s, rendered with dexterity and imagination.