Buy This Book: Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell


Long before the Oscar buzz began for Winter's Bone, Colleen was telling me I had to see it. I decided to check out the book first and grabbed a sample on my Kindle. Cliche alert: I could not put it down. The main character, Ree Dolly, is described as "brunette and sixteen, with milk skin and abrupt green eyes." We meet her standing "bare-armed in a fluttering yellow dress, face to the wind, her cheeks reddening as if she'd been smacked and smacked again." Ree's soon on a mission to find her meth-cooking father, who's put the family's home up as security for a bail bond. A grueling emotional and physical journey through the bleakest possible landscape ensues, but Woodrell keeps it readable, redemptive, and firmly on the ground of drama instead of melodrama. Check it out.

Comments

Need to add that to my very long reading list. I just rented the movie to see it a second time - a real rarity for me, but I so enjoyed it. A darker pic, yes, but the setting and characters were so incredibly well drawn that everything rang true.
I've been advised by several people to read this, because there are things about it that (supposedly) resonate with my own work. I downloaded it a couple of nights ago and so far love it! And it's a perfect one for me, because I'm really trying to be on the drama side and not the melodrama side. I've also been advised to see Black Swan.
Joni Rodgers said…
Actually, I'd say Black Swan does dive into melodrama, but it does it spectacularly well.
Mylène said…
Haven't read this book yet, but am very impressed by the film (now nominated for Best Picture).
Mylène said…
Kathryn, I agree with Joni, Black Swan is high and dark melodrama. But I think it would still be worth the seeing, for you.