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A review by tits_mcgee
True Grit by Charles Portis
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The kind of Western that gives the genre something to be proud of.
Every once in a while, I’ll get this feeling that I belong in the American West, a frontiersman in search of the better life, the simpler life; I live out this fantasy in the same way I live out every fantasy: through books (stop with your dirty thoughts, I know what you were thinking just now.)
True Grit is the charismatic side of the Western genre, favouring character interactions and witty humour over the cruelty shown in Butchers Crossing or the absurdity of The Sisters Brothers. The overall tone of the book is one of stoic determination and the kind of politeness that’s a joy to read.
The tone is set by Mattie, our protagonist and narrator, who is as intelligent and determined as she is sweet and quick witted as hell. As a fourteen year old girl, she is an unlikely hero in the land of rootin’ and tootin’ gunslingers, but that is exactly what makes this book so joyful.
The relationship between Cogburn and Mattie is a lot of fun. Cogburn’s no-nonsense grit and whiskey habit are as Marlboro Man as it gets, playing neatly into the tropes of the Western genre which allows for all of those six-shooter moments you’d expect from a Western. Portis gives us exactly that, and frequently too, although he does it in a way that I wholly admire – a way that says “Sure, this here is a tough son-of-a-gun shooting up some bad guys on horseback, but what does polite little Mattie have to say about it?”
Charles Portis has created a book that was ahead of its time, a book that defied the pulpy stereotypes while still giving us that cowboy flavour. His use of dialogue was perfect, I could read a dozen books of Mattie’s interactions with Cogburn and still not get bored.
10/10
Every once in a while, I’ll get this feeling that I belong in the American West, a frontiersman in search of the better life, the simpler life; I live out this fantasy in the same way I live out every fantasy: through books (stop with your dirty thoughts, I know what you were thinking just now.)
True Grit is the charismatic side of the Western genre, favouring character interactions and witty humour over the cruelty shown in Butchers Crossing or the absurdity of The Sisters Brothers. The overall tone of the book is one of stoic determination and the kind of politeness that’s a joy to read.
The tone is set by Mattie, our protagonist and narrator, who is as intelligent and determined as she is sweet and quick witted as hell. As a fourteen year old girl, she is an unlikely hero in the land of rootin’ and tootin’ gunslingers, but that is exactly what makes this book so joyful.
The relationship between Cogburn and Mattie is a lot of fun. Cogburn’s no-nonsense grit and whiskey habit are as Marlboro Man as it gets, playing neatly into the tropes of the Western genre which allows for all of those six-shooter moments you’d expect from a Western. Portis gives us exactly that, and frequently too, although he does it in a way that I wholly admire – a way that says “Sure, this here is a tough son-of-a-gun shooting up some bad guys on horseback, but what does polite little Mattie have to say about it?”
Charles Portis has created a book that was ahead of its time, a book that defied the pulpy stereotypes while still giving us that cowboy flavour. His use of dialogue was perfect, I could read a dozen books of Mattie’s interactions with Cogburn and still not get bored.
10/10