I read this as part of CBC's Canada Reads for 2009. Westerns aren't usually my genre of choice but this one left a lasting impression. The imagery is strong and there is just enough suspense to keep you turning the page. The main character, 19-year-old Mary Bolton is very well written; complex and flawed but somehow relatable.
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The Outlander
by Gil Adamson
Description
In 1903 a mysterious, desperate young woman flees alone across the west, one quick step ahead of the law. She has just become a widow by her own hand.Two vengeful brothers and a pack of bloodhounds track her across the western wilderness. She is nineteen years old and half mad. Gil Adamson's extraordinary novel opens in heart-pounding mid-flight and propels the reader through a gripping road trip with a twist -- the steely outlaw in this story is a grief-struck young woman. Along the way she encounters characters of all stripes -- unsavoury, wheedling, greedy, lascivious, self-reliant, and occasionally generous and trustworthy. Part historical novel, part Gothic tale, and part literary Western, The Outlander is an original and unforgettable read.
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Great Canadian Book
Great Canadian Book
Reviewed by yolanda_ridge on
Apr 20
.
I read this as part of CBC's Canada Reads for 2009. Westerns aren't usually my genre of choice but this one left a lasting impression. The imagery is strong and there is just enough suspense to keep you turning the page. The main character, 19-year-old Mary Bolton is very well written; complex and flawed but somehow relatable.
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Rating:
Amazing writing
This is a wonderful book, with sparkling writing and an enticing plot which hooks you from the first page. Adamson's powers of description are masterful - she is a Canadian Cormack McCarthy. I loved that the plot brought the heroine to historic Frank, Alberta and looked forward to the inevitable arrival of the landslide. This book is a keeper.
Amazing writing
Reviewed by amberh on
Nov 7
.
This is a wonderful book, with sparkling writing and an enticing plot which hooks you from the first page. Adamson's powers of description are masterful - she is a Canadian Cormack McCarthy. I loved that the plot brought the heroine to historic Frank, Alberta and looked forward to the inevitable arrival of the landslide. This book is a keeper.
Rating:
The Outlander
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2 ratings.
2 user reviews.
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