By Paulette Jiles
Unlikely, wonderful, memorable pair!
The sweeping cinematic expanse of the broad reddish-soiled plains and rivers of Texas conjured up a landscape of rough living and rough-edged people.
Dropped into this setting is an older man, used to traveling alone and making money by clipping and reading interesting bits of news as he went from town to town. He is asked to deliver a young girl, rescued from a kidnapping by native Americans a few years before, who has no memory nor desire to return to her relatives.
The ensuing journey is marked with battles and harrowing escapes and a gradual blossoming of love and trust between the older man and young girl.
This is a quiet story, as though the two are dwarfed by the landscape and current events alike. I loved how warmth and humor crept into the pages. He has the wisdom of experience and knuckleheads; she has the candor and sharp honesty of seeing the nonsense and cruelty of her American culture.
Jiles has created an unlikely, wonderful, memorable pair.