True Grit: A Novel
by Charles Portis
As quick-witted as it is a quick read. Excitingly tumultuous…
Mattie, Rooster & LaBeouf will keep you turning pages from the edge of your seat.
THE QUICK LOOK
- Release Date: 1968
- Pages: 215
- Genre: Western, Adventure, Coming-of-Age
- Themes: Coming of Age, Revenge vs. Justice
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Read if you like:
- Wild rides with seemingly tall tales
- Strong, stubborn female leads
- Morally gray heroes - Best for: Readers of all ages
- Skip if: You don't enjoy a fast-paced and fun novella about a motley trio (consisting of a U.S. Marshal, a Texas Ranger and an unwanted, but unwavering tag-a-long) hot on the trail of murdering, train-robbing bandits.
THE FULL REVIEW
PLOT & PACING
True Grit takes off at a gallop and doesn’t slow down. In the first few pages, we find out that Mattie’s father was murdered in cold blood by a trusted hired hand. Instead of doing what was expected of her, returning home to her grieving Mama and siblings, Mattie’s priority is to ensure that their family’s betrayer is brought to justice.
The story lulls for a few pages while Mattie comes down with a cold, but once they set out for Choctaw Nation and retribution, there’s little rest to be found.
CHARACTER & VOICE
Portis allows Mattie Ross to regale us with the tale of how she avenged her father’s untimely demise. In a matter of days, you (and Rooster) will have fallen head over heels for Mattie’s quick thinking, dug-in-heels, and steadfast resolve.
Above all odds, she ends up on the trail of a lifetime alongside Texas Ranger, LaBeouf, and U.S. Marshal, Rooster Cogburn, who spat constantly, like an old married couple.
Amidst gunfights and ambushes, this rag-tag band shows more grit and gumption than you’d expect and Mattie’s story is ultimately told to share the news of these two flawed heroes.
STYLE & ATMOSPHERE
It’s wintertime in the Wild West. Snow can accumulate and disappear in a matter of hours. The days are hot and the nights are cold. You could die from exposure as quickly as you could from a shotgun ball. Survival is earned, not expected.
But, it’s also the Wild West. When you saddle up your ponies, you’d better be ready for a hard day’s ride and an uncomfortable night’s sleep. Portis writes a beautiful story of endurance where “grit” is developed in, and despite, the harshest of environments.
THEMES & DEPTH
At it’s core, it seems like this is just another revenge story, but it’s so much bigger than that. Both LaBeouf and Mattie are seeking justice over revenge.
It’s bigger than good and bad.
It’s bigger than black and white.
It’s just bigger… and you’ll need to read it to fully understand.
PERSONAL TAKE
Our heroes create bonds that are thicker than blood.
Nothing ends up the way the reader expects.
You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll want to re-read it for the first time all over again.
THE FINAL VERDICT
This is a spectacularly told story for the whole family.
I’ve heard the John Wayne film version doesn’t do the story justice, but apparently the Cohen brothers knocked it out of the park. I’ll fill you in after I see the movie.
