MADreads

Road trip

January 9th, 2009 Lesley - Central

Leif Enger’s second novel So Brave, Young and Handsome takes the reader back to Minnesota, the setting of his popular debut, Peace Like a River. Set in 1915, this new story features Monte Becket, a successful writer struggling for several years with his next book.

Monte’s life takes an abrupt turn one day when he meets a mysterious man rowing down the river near his house in a self-built boat. Glendon Hale plans to travel back to California where he abandoned his wife, Blue many years ago. Monte is intrigued and decides to accompany him on the journey. The mysterious Glendon turns out to be a former train robber who wants to apologize to Blue while still being pursued by a former Pinkerton’s detective. The story takes another unexpected turn when the robber dissappears and Monte is thrown together with the lawman until a final showdown in California.

While this new book pales in comparison to Peace Like a River with a plot that seems somewhat aimless at times, I did enjoy the descriptions and flavor of the “wild west” which was still present in the early years of the 20th century.

Entry Filed under: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction