Wednesday, February 15, 2012

So Brave, Young, and Handome by Leif Enger

Read on my Kindle!
Genre: General Fiction
Book Summary: Monte Becket, the story’s first person narrator, is a one-time successful writer, who, despite a loving wife and son, has lost much purpose in his life now that he can’t seem to write another book. So when a mysterious tramp, Glendon Hale, shows up rowing a handmade boat near his home, Monte can’t resist an urge to go with him to Mexico to help him reconcile with his ex-wife, Blue. Early into their travels, Monte learns that Glendon is an outlaw and train robber, albeit a reformed one, and is being doggedly pursued by a cruel ex-detective. This of course throws Monte into an adventure he never expected or asked for.
Indulgent Book Talk: I picked up this book because it is the second book of my most favorite author of all time, Leif Enger, who wrote my most favorite book of all time, Peace Like a River (you can find a short review of that one here). And truthfully, this book engaged me as much for Enger’s terrific writing style as it did for its plot, if not more so. Poor Mr. Enger. When you write a book like Peace Like a River, it’s really hard to outdo something like that. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this story, its voice, its poetry, and its themes, many of which echoed Peace Like a River, even if they weren’t quite as flushed out.
And a side note: I placed this book into the General Fiction genre, even though it takes place in 1915, because I tend to categorize Historical Fiction as stories that deal specifically with greater historical events of the time the story is set in. For this book, the year was more of a backdrop than anything else, and other than mentions of train robberies and Old West settings, it did not really concern historical events of 1915. You may consider this more of a historical fiction book than I did, but that’s my opinion, at least.
Glorifying Elements: “You can’t explain grace, anyway, especially when it arrives almost despite yourself. I didn’t even ask for it, yet somehow it breached and began to work. I suppose grace was pouring over Glendon, who had sought it so hard, and some spilled down on me.”
Of the many godly themes in this book, undeserved grace versus works righteousness was the most pronounced. In some ways, the pursuit of Glendon by Charlie Siringo, the ex-detective, was very reminiscent of Javert’s pursuit of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables. Glendon had very obviously done some terrible things in his life. He was truly sorry for them, and he sought not what he knew he deserved, which was jail time, but what he didn’t, and that was grace and forgiveness. On the other hand, Siringo thought himself to be the epitome of the law and righteousness, but his prideful view of himself only lead him to be unduly cruel to others. As a reader, I definitely found myself rooting for Glendon and hoping Siringo would get what was coming to him. I loved as well how Monte’s realization of Glendon’s grace-induced goodness lead to his improved development as a character (I’d be more specific, but then I’d give away the story!)
Worldly Elements: I would rate this book as PG for content. Very little if any bad language. There was some violence, but one of the reasons I’m so impressed with Enger’s writing is that he focuses on the emotion of those violent moments rather than the gore. There was nothing gratuitous about those scenes, but they were disturbing for other reasons, namely the way Enger made the reader feel for the characters involved. I do wish other writers would aspire to Enger’s way of telling a story. It’s so much more poignant than detailed descriptions of gore.
General Recommendation: I liked Peace Like a River more. And if you want to read Leif Enger, I recommend that you pick up that one first. But I did enjoy this book, and his writing is word candy. I do hope he writes more. I will be reading this author until he calls it quits.

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