True Grit

Portis, Charles. (2010). True Grit. New York, NY : Overlook Press.

ISBN: 978-1590204597

Pages: 335

Genre: western

Annotation: Mattie Ross tries to avenge her father’s murder.

Summary: Mattie Ross wants justice when her father is murdered in cold blood. Against their wishes, she joins a Federal Marshal and Texas Ranger in seeking the murderer. They find he has joined a gang of robbers and seek to bring him, and the gang, to justice.

Evaluation: very good read

The characters are not as nuanced as I would have liked. Mattie runs into several situations where some self-doubt would have made her feel more believable, but she does not feel it. The federal marshal, Rooster, shows some ambivalence about his past but I would have liked to see more about what makes him tick. Besides that, this book was very good. The characters are engaging: the determined Mattie, the world-wise Rooster and the quick-tempered LaBouef. Portis portrays the West through Mattie in a way that feels authentic. Events, such as a hanging, are discussed bluntly and in an understated way that makes them feel every day, and real, versus romantic. Slang terms are scattered throughout the book giving an authentic vibe to how the story is recounted. How the murderer is trailed does not feel unbelievable. The writing style is concise and the plot fast paced: both features keep the reader’s attention. This is a good read for those like Westerns, strong heroines and adventure.

What else to read and watch:

Other books by Charles Portis.

The book was made into films of the same name in 1969 and 2010.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium series book 1) by Stieg Larsson, translated by Reg Keeland, for a strong heroine wise beyond her years.

The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark for a Western involving justice.