Book Review: Winter’s Bone
Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
Ree Dolly’s father has skipped bail on charges that he ran a crystal meth lab, and the Dollys will lose their house if he doesn’t show up for his next court date. With two young brothers depending on her, 16-year-old Ree knows she has to bring her father back, dead or alive. Living in the harsh poverty of the Ozarks, Ree learns quickly that asking questions of the rough Dolly clan can be a fatal mistake. But, as an unsettling revelation lurks, Ree discovers unforeseen depths in herself and in a family network that protects its own at any cost.
In Winter’s Bone, author Daniel Woodrell does an excellent job of making the reader feel that they are in the harsh Ozark winter right beside Ree with his beautifully worded descriptions of the setting. Ree’s character is tough and strong but she has a rarely shown soft side too. She was a wonderfully developed heroine in this book. I loved the dialogue in this book as well. The way the people spoke was almost poetic, even when it was also vulgar or threatening. An example (without the vulgarity) is Ree talking to her mom:
“You’re about to look peachy, Mom”
“Could I?”
“Yup. So peachy you’ll be feelin’ all strutty, probably start dancin’, kick your toes to the ceilin’.”
This book is short – 193 pages, which makes it even more intense. Ree is focused on finding her father and I was right there along with her every step of the way, my heart beating just as fast as hers.
Buy this book at:
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