Heather’s Bookshelf: The Bounty Huntress
Author: John Riha
Released: 07/14/17
Genre: Historical Fiction
“When he’d gone off Iris said, “There’s Henry. That’s one of the straws you picked for this life. I guess I picked that one, too. There’s no changing that. And there’s not fault in it, either. Short straw, long straw, crooked straw. It’s what we drew. And I know you had your fair share of crooked straws. One of those is me. And I know it’s not what you bargained for and I’m sorry for that. I don’t know the right of it, nobody does. But you gotta let a straw be a straw.”
“The Bounty Huntress” takes place in 1914 Oregon, with the murder of Dexter Greenlee by a poacher, Jasper Hibbard. When he’s killed, he leaves behind a young daughter (Iris), a son with special needs (Henry), and a widow to take care of them both (Emily). His killer gets off on a self defense plea, which sets in motion many of the events and motivations within the rest of the tale.
Emily remarries, John Rink, a kind and motivated man who moves the family out to a farm. He takes the kids under his wing, providing Henry a stable environment with a fitting hobby and teaching Iris how to hunt and use a gun amongst other things. When John dies tragically and unexpectantly, the family is at risk of losing their home.
Iris approaches the local governing body to ask for a job in her father’s footsteps, but she’s not old enough, not finished high school, and a girl. Happening upon wanted posters, Iris comes up with a new idea of how she can support her family and provide Henry the love and support he needs.
Trigger Warning: violence, adult language, animal death (in context of hunting)
Overall, I enjoyed this story. It starts out with a bang, hooking me immediately. It set the tone for the rest of the tale including the dangerous and unprintable nature of the era and location. The pacing is steady and feels natural. Iris is a gritty and likable protagonist. She’s smart, driven, capable, and doesn’t take no for an answer. Unfortunately, “no” is all she seems to hear. Her resilience and determination are at the heart of the tale and I enjoyed following her along the way. The relationships between Iris and her family are really well done, endearing and believable. I especially enjoyed how John Rink fit in and expressed his love for his family in his own special and particular way. The fact that this story is based on actual events had me liking it even more and probably added to the believability. The story feels complete by the end, following Iris as she grows, learns, and deals with consequences. But it’s not just Iris that comes full circle…
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A gritty protagonist overcomes many obstacles to protect her family, seek vengeance, and find herself.
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Check out my interview with John Riha
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