02 April 2011

True Grit ~ Charles Portis

** RECOMMEND **

Outstanding dialogue in the vernacular
A wonderful heroine.

There was a re release of the movie so we read the book first. Maybe this was a bad move because we loved the authenticity of the book and the richness of the characters and we missed this in the movie.

This was a lovely read! And who can argue with that introduction by Donna Tartt.

There was great dialogue and feisty characters. The heroine is Mattie who is out to get revenge for her father’s murder. SHE is the one with “True Grit”. he language is delightfully fusty and forthright. She calls it as she sees it and she sees all with one-eyed determination. It is both comic and savage.

Alphie says that Mattie reminds him of his mum - a feisty, no-nonsense southerner.