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Book Review of The Homesman: A Novel

The Homesman: A Novel
ladyhawked avatar reviewed on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2


This was an excellent book, easy to read, yet possessing depth. Mr. Swarthout doesn't tell you any lies.
There is an event that occurs in the book which you don't expect at all. And the reason that you don't expect it, is that it is not how Hollywood generally does things. It made alot of sense if you are actually putting yourself into the 1850s frontier, and not in romantic, perfectly happy ending Hollywood.

That being said, the book was very good, the end was satisfying, and if it took me somewhere I didn't expect to go, so much the better. It's not like I was on safari - I was never in any real danger - and it gave me compassion for people from whom I might be more naturally inclined to avert my eyes. These folks - Briggs, Cuddy, and the frontier wives - deserve to be seen, as their essences surely still exist today in others.