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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
I read this years ago but it left it's mark, as I remember being completely enveloped in this story and I remember feeling very sad at the end...
This used to be my favorite book and, honestly, after reading it again, it's not my favorite anymore. I don't love it any less, it's just not as magical anymore. It gets a little slow in the middle, giving these detailed accounts of various coon hunts. But I love the section towards the end about the hunting competition. I do wish he would call his sisters by their names, it's a bit odd calling them "the oldest one," "the youngest one," etc. and it also can get confusing at times. I love the descriptions of the mountain area they live in though, it makes me want to go outside. And I really do think that any book that can make me cry deserves at least a 4 star rating, and the last 15 pages of this book always make me cry like a baby.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I -hated- this. I made it 82 pages into it and so far the stratification of class was vaguely interesting, since it’s about a kid who is very poor and really wants two hound dogs so he can go hunt some coons. He gets treated poorly by the town folk because of his clothes and manner and what not, and I identified with that. My mom would make us our clothes and we got teased. And then it turns into him training the hounds up and desperately wanting to go kill coons.
It’s just so… stupid to me? I mean I’m sure catching the coons would help out the poor family to some degree. Pelts and meat and all that, but it turns into didactic, heavy-handed lessons at every turn coupled with plot beats I do not care about at all. It’s hyper masculine and coaches this faux tenderness with his crying about nearly everything, but everything. He comes across as selfish not tender.
We grew up poor and couldn’t have pets, so I’m obviously missing the animal attachment thing that comes with that early life development. You’d think I’d identify more with a kid who can’t have a pet. But I just don’t care that you don’t have a pet, man. Your family is living hand-to-mouth. Stop being an asshole, adding stress on top of that just because you want dogs. And it has to be two! I don’t care that you want to kill something and now you gotta show perseverance to chop a tree down because a coons up there and your dogs won’t respect you otherwise. You can Fuck right off, Billy.
It’s just so… stupid to me? I mean I’m sure catching the coons would help out the poor family to some degree. Pelts and meat and all that, but it turns into didactic, heavy-handed lessons at every turn coupled with plot beats I do not care about at all. It’s hyper masculine and coaches this faux tenderness with his crying about nearly everything, but everything. He comes across as selfish not tender.
We grew up poor and couldn’t have pets, so I’m obviously missing the animal attachment thing that comes with that early life development. You’d think I’d identify more with a kid who can’t have a pet. But I just don’t care that you don’t have a pet, man. Your family is living hand-to-mouth. Stop being an asshole, adding stress on top of that just because you want dogs. And it has to be two! I don’t care that you want to kill something and now you gotta show perseverance to chop a tree down because a coons up there and your dogs won’t respect you otherwise. You can Fuck right off, Billy.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
a wonderful read with Isaac. Man, I love that Billy and his hunting dogs and all of the lessons they impart. I would call this a must-read for young kids, especially as a read-aloud.
This book is still entertaining. I loved the description of the Ozarks and family life during the time when my Granny was a girl.
All I remember about this book was being devastated when the boy mistakingly attacks the dog.
I listened to the audiobook for this novel and it was like listening to my old, Christian (and somewhat sexist) grandfather tell me a story! Definitely comforting for me to some extent, but this isn't a book I would promote in a classroom, even though I might put it on the shelves of mine (very unlikely though). The word B**** came up once in the book so that would be a conversation to have with the kids. As well, there are very defined gender roles in this book that I don't think belong in the 21st century classroom. Billy's sisters aren't even given names... but it was an alright book and the ending made me cry. I don't recommend it, but the movie might be good?
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated