Bless the Beasts and Children by Glendon Swarthout

[katekintailbc]

Bless the Beasts and Children
by Glendon Swarthout
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/9695315/

I read this years ago, thanks to a BookCrossing Challenge (Never Judge a Book By its Cover) but another copy just jumped into my hands and needs a new home after the convention, so I thought I'd put my thoughts here.

I really liked it more than I thought I would. It did remind me a lot of Lord of the Flies and A Separate Peace, but was a much more touching and positive story.I love quest stories, and this one's plot was wonderful along those lines. More importantly, I adore character-driven stories. The group of misfits here were so pathetic and flawed... but so real and friendly that I couldn't help but fall in love with them- especially Cotton, the leader. I loved to watch them bond and accomplish what they end up accomplishing here. But I also really loved the structure of the storytelling- the flashbacks throughout really got me interested in the boys and what happened to them. I desperately wanted to know how they got a hold of the buffalo head prize but I didn't learn that until far into the story- when I had already come to know them and could appreciate that bit so much more.

This book was a short, enjoyable, moving read. Makes me want to drive out to Arizona and try to free some buffalo!