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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
What a wonderful story! Mattie Ross is a funny and captivating narrator, and “Rooster” Cogburn is a very believable and compelling anti-hero. The plot is not very complex, but I think that’s one of the things that makes this story so fun to read. The book itself feels very cinematic, which might explain why it was adapted into two successful films. I look forward to reading this again sometime in the future as well as Charles Portis’ other works.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It is a classic for a reason. Really enjoyed this read. I’ll come back to it again eventually.
funny
medium-paced
It’s funny. Dry and fun. I did enjoy it quite a bit.
I was listening to an old interview with David Sedaris and he mentioned that he thought Donna Tartt reading True Grit was the best audio book he'd ever listened to (and he listens all the time). I have to agree, she does a great job personifying the innocence and determination of Maddie Ross. This book is funny and engrossing. Well worth the listen.
I picked up this book because of all the hoopla surrounding the new movie that recently came out, and because I read a review of the movie that really extolled the virtues of the book. And the book pretty much lived up to the extolling. Every fourteen-year-old girl should read this one. Mattie Ross is a great protagonist: a hard-headed, bright girl, who knows what she wants and works to make it happen. The first paragraph totally sucks you right in to the story:
“People do not give it credence that a 14-year-old girl could leave home and go off in the wintertime to avenge her father’s blood but it did not seem so strange then, although I will say it did not happen every day. I was just 14 years of age when a coward going by the name of Tom Chaney shot my father down in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and robbed him of his life and his horse and $150 in cash money plus two California gold pieces that he carried in his trouser band.”
“People do not give it credence that a 14-year-old girl could leave home and go off in the wintertime to avenge her father’s blood but it did not seem so strange then, although I will say it did not happen every day. I was just 14 years of age when a coward going by the name of Tom Chaney shot my father down in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and robbed him of his life and his horse and $150 in cash money plus two California gold pieces that he carried in his trouser band.”
While I liked the strong female character, the writing style really bothered me. If the writing style didn't feel so choppy, I would have rated it higher. I realize the text was written in the 60s and is from the perspective of a 14 year old, but I don't think that accounts for the writing style.
Perfect. Everything is perfect. Mattie is perfect. Rooster is perfect. LaBeouf is perfect.
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Buzzword Reading Challenge #1: “Truth” or “Lies”
52 Book Club 2025 Reading Challenge #9: Genre Four (Western) Set in Winter
Taylor Swift Reading Challenge #82: Ronan/A Book About a Child Told From an Adult’s Perspective
Ultimate Book Riot Reading Challenge #182: Read a book whose movie or TV adaptation you’ve seen.