Reviews

This was a re-read for me, after first reading it over five years ago. I mostly listened to it and loved it just as much, if not more this way! I grew up with the John Wayne film, but found as I listened, I was picturing the Coen brothers version as it is is more faithful to the novel. This is in my top ten, if not top five of favorite novels!

shadykait's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

sweddy65's review against another edition

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4.0

A library copy had been sitting on my nightstand as my sweetie had wanted to read it for a while. Portis wrote it in the voice of an Arkansas woman looking back on a childhood adventure. I'I m always skeptical of men writing women or girls' voices, but this one worked. Portis employed a matter-of-fact tone for Mattie's retelling of her story.

I kept telling myself it was fiction written in the viewpoint of the main character but Mattie's pro-Confederate stance did bother me. Growing up where she did and with her family history, of course that would be her viewpoint but it made me like her a lot less.