"I write to live and I live to write," -Unknown
If you follow me on social media - which you should - you'll know what I've been ranting and raving about how beautiful Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman is.
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Commencing with the review. Spoilers, duh.
The Bad
1. The Plot Twist
This truly was the only thing I didn't like about this book. It partially came out of left field, and it didn't make much sense. While it did serve it's purpose in adding the shock factor, it took away from the overall intensity of the story and badness of Waylan Rose. It over-complicated the story where it didn't need to be.
The Neutral
1. Kate and Jesse's Relationship
I adored Kate. She was sensitive and badass and sassy and was made of pure iron. Jesse, while he was an interesting and complex character, I didn't love him. I loved Will much more. He had an edge, a humor that made his asshole nature likeable, whereas Jesse was a brooder. For three fourths of the book, they hated each other, could barely stand in the same room without bickering, and Jesse and Will betrayed her. And I understand why Kate's revelation of her caring about Jesse came when it did, but I didn't adore their relationship like I felt I should have. Fortunately, her romance with Jesse never deterred her off of her mission, which is what I was afraid of.
2. Dated
This is a little nitpicky, but at times, there were a few lines that indicated that this book was written in the twenty first century, like comments about sex and race. Progressive thoughts, especially in Kate's head, jarred me out of the story at times, because even though Kate was a good person, and these are thoughts that someone of today would have thought, even the most upright person probably wouldn't have considered back then. That just wasn't how most people thought, or acted.
The Good
1. World-building
This was the strongest selling point of the novel. The hot Arizona sun, the dialect, the setting, the descriptions of the shootouts, the saloons, everything was perfect and immersive. It revealed this rich, otherworldly culture of the Old West not usually seen in young adult novels. It was beautiful and saturated with life and spunk and color.
2. Character Arcs
This aspect really added a surprising and pleasant depth to this Western. They're usually stereotypically portrayed with more of an external plot, and these stories don't focus on an internal struggle. But Kate's arc of letting go of her pain was sprinkled in just at the right time, and never deterred from the plot. Jesse breaking down at the loss of his brother was perfectly emotional. This book struck a unique emotional chord, because while the driving force behind it was revenge and anger, it was beautifully executed and resolved with forgiveness and letting go.
3. The Action
Another stellar part of this book was the action, most notably the saloon scene. It clipped along with a beautiful narrative, and was tension-filled and gritty and violent: everything anyone would ever want in a Western. My only complaint is that I thought the climax would come sooner. With Kate alone, and Will's death, and the ransom note, I was sure that this was the setup for the climax. But Jesse is just injured, and they escape, releasing the tension, leaving me unsatisfied. A slight misstep in a solid, heart-pounding streak of gritty action.
~
This will be the book that gets teenagers into Westerns again, or at least, historical fiction. It's got that gritty ass-kickage that will entertain you, with just enough historical flair to transport you to another world.
Overall, this book is like gold ore, solid and great and almost perfect. I enjoyed every second of it, and it truly fulfilled my expectations.
8.75/10 would recommend.
~The WordShaker
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