The Bottom Line Book Review
This website provides book reviews that get to the 'Bottom Line' of it. After all,
you want to know if it's worth reading Before you buy it.
you want to know if it's worth reading Before you buy it.
Author:
Publisher:
The Bottom Line:
Charles Frazier
Random House
Charles Frazier’s second novel, Thirteen Moons, is as well written as his first, Cold
Mountain. Frazier’s command of the English language is evident as ‘your hand in front
of your face’, or as Frazier might put it, ‘the long, reaching and ever searching fingers of
your hand, move frantically about, as it remains hidden from your intense and searching
gaze in the darkness of the mysterious sudden night.’ Frazier’s descriptions of the land
and events are beautiful, complete, and at the same time seem, at times, to overshadow
the work itself. People don’t just walk up, horses just don’t gallop, and the night is not
just cold; and at time the story just bogs down.
This work is along the lines of Thomas Berger's 1964 novel, Little Big Man, in that it
depicts an aged man retelling his exploits with the Indian nation as a white man and
Indian chief. The comparison stops there. Thirteen Moons, is almost completely devoid
of dialogue, and Frazier’s Will Cooper is no Jack Crabb, the 111-year-old narrator of
Thomas Berger's masterpiece of American fiction. The most touching moments of
Thirteen Moons relate to an aged Cooper’s final reminisces of his lost love, Claire, and
his Indian friend Bear. But those touching memories don’t save this book that is
hopelessly lost in a world of over writing and countless sidebar stories that bring nothing
to this almost historical tale that once more tells the story of how the true Native
Americans were screwed to the wall by the New Americans.
The 'Bottom Line' ratings
Ease of reading: D
The Story: C
The ‘It Grabbed Me factor’: C
Overall C-rating: C+
The bottom line: “You won’t miss not reading it.” English majors should read this book.
Mountain. Frazier’s command of the English language is evident as ‘your hand in front
of your face’, or as Frazier might put it, ‘the long, reaching and ever searching fingers of
your hand, move frantically about, as it remains hidden from your intense and searching
gaze in the darkness of the mysterious sudden night.’ Frazier’s descriptions of the land
and events are beautiful, complete, and at the same time seem, at times, to overshadow
the work itself. People don’t just walk up, horses just don’t gallop, and the night is not
just cold; and at time the story just bogs down.
This work is along the lines of Thomas Berger's 1964 novel, Little Big Man, in that it
depicts an aged man retelling his exploits with the Indian nation as a white man and
Indian chief. The comparison stops there. Thirteen Moons, is almost completely devoid
of dialogue, and Frazier’s Will Cooper is no Jack Crabb, the 111-year-old narrator of
Thomas Berger's masterpiece of American fiction. The most touching moments of
Thirteen Moons relate to an aged Cooper’s final reminisces of his lost love, Claire, and
his Indian friend Bear. But those touching memories don’t save this book that is
hopelessly lost in a world of over writing and countless sidebar stories that bring nothing
to this almost historical tale that once more tells the story of how the true Native
Americans were screwed to the wall by the New Americans.
The 'Bottom Line' ratings
Ease of reading: D
The Story: C
The ‘It Grabbed Me factor’: C
Overall C-rating: C+
The bottom line: “You won’t miss not reading it.” English majors should read this book.
“You won’t miss not reading it.” English majors should read
this book
this book
Thirteen Moons
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