Title: So Brave, Young and Handsome
Author: Leif Enger
Monte Becket, author of a single runaway success and a devoted family man, accompanies his neighbor, former bank robber and wanted man Glendon Hale, on the adventure of a lifetime-- Hale's quest to return to his former wife and make things right.
I was a huge fan of Enger's novel Peace Like a River. When I took this book out of the library several months ago, I was almost afraid to read it because I didn't want it to disappoint me. I returned it without reading it, and grabbed it again, when I was in getting my book club picks, just because it called out to me from the shelf. Once I read the first page, I was hooked. Becket starts the novel with a long lament about how he's such an ordinary sort of guy that his first novel came to him as a surprise and set him up for the bitterness of future defeat. Anyone who has suffered from writer's block or striven to find inspiration can identify with Becket's words. I'm not usually one for stories of boyish adventures, but So Brave, Young and Handsome really touched me. It's a perfect book for an LDS book group or a high school lit class because the subject matter is not objectionable (at all) and, like Enger's previous novel, it's both sweet and thought-provoking. I'm glad I finally picked it up.
2 comments:
I just finished this book as well and enjoyed it. I didn't expect to since I usually don't enjoy novels of this genre, but this one surprised me.
Hey Shelah. I have been reading your blog for at least a year but haven't commented yet. I love seeing your book recs and having a glimpse into your world. I, too, LOVED Peace Like a River. It's in my top 5 all time books, so I had the same ambivalence about picking up So Brave, Young, and Handsome. Ultimately, I enjoyed reading it, but I didn't find it anywhere near as enjoyable as Peace, and I thought some of the themes and characters were just versions of Peace Like a River themes and characters dressed up for a new book. I was a little disappointed. But, I will definitely give Leif Enger another chance. He's a great writer. --Marsha Little
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