Winters Bone is truly a coming of age story that has you rooting for the heroine the entire book. Daniel Woodrell is a fantastic author. The imagery he uses is amazing; in your head you see exactly what he wants you to. The book depicts a gritty and raw lifestyle that I didn’t even know people lived anymore. Woodrells main character Ree Dolly shows the kind of strength and gumption that most men don’t have, yet she’s a girl of only 16. Jessup Dolly has skipped bail, leaving the fate of the family home in balance. Ree, who is caring for not only her two young brothers but also her incapacitated mother, has to now track down her meth cook father so her family doesn’t lose their home that was unbeknownst to Ree, put up for bond. Amidst threats of death and violence from her father’s cohorts, Ree stands up for herself and her family to find the answers she’s looking for.
Daniel Woodrell uses imagery to convey emotion and feeling in his book. The tone is set throughout as cold and empty. Ree has to set out on her search in the dead of winter with little hope and the scene is set perfectly. The first few lines of the book are a perfect example. Ree and her family are hungry and have no money. The neighbors have a freshly slain deer and the food is taunting Ree “meat hung from trees across the creek. The carcasses hung pale of flesh with a fatty gleam from low limbs of saplings in the side yards” (2) Food is right in front of her but just out of her grasp. This is perfect foreshadowing of how things proceed in her search for her father.
Ree is a very strong willed character, she faces an extraordinary amount of adversity. On her own she has to face criminals and outlaws to find the answers she is looking for. Early in the novel Ree visits her uncle to ask for help finding her father “Don’t you, nor nobody else, neither, ever go down around Hawkfall askin’ them people...about stuff they aint offerin to talk about.” (24) This excerpt sets the tone for the kind of resistance Ree is going to encounter on her quest. Ree transforms throughout the book; she’s a different person at the end than she was in the beginning. I really rooted for Ree. The frustrating thing for me was that she didn’t always do what I wanted her to do. Ree is unrelenting and unwavering in her search, when told no she keeps asking questions and going to other sources. Ree does all this for her family, the two little boys at home that she is responsible for. Ree is selfless in this sense, putting her brother’s welfare before her own safety.
I am impressed by Daniel Woodrell, he grew up in the Ozarks. All of his books are set in the Ozark Mountains and echo his life. It is very brave of him to make his books, especially Winters Bone, so personal and I commend him for that. I don’t think that’s something many people can handle. Personal writing leaves you out in the open, exposed; it’s scary. Woodrell’s experience growing up and living in this environment gives Winters Bone and authenticity that not many books can claim.
I felt a strong personal connection to not only the book, but to Ree as well. I have a love hate relationship with Winters Bone. My first reaction upon finishing the book wasn’t a good one, I was unhappy with the outcome and I didn’t like where Ree was at the end. After having time to mull it over and let things sink in. I have decided that I really liked the book. I do recommend this Winters Bone, but with a few stipulations. First, it must be read quickly, in two or three sittings; it tends to drag a bit in areas and reading the book quickly will keep the reader engaged. Second I strongly suggest reading this book at least two times, there is a lot to absorb and there are some confusing scenes. Winters Bone is an incredible journey that everyone should experience.
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Reviews with images
Good story.
It was a Christmas gift for my Dad. After we watched the movie that they shot in Forsyth, Missouri, not to far from my home, he decided he needed to read the book. Great gift!
