LADY OR THE TIGER - Heather M. Herrman

This is one of the most impressive books I've read in a long time. Part western, part mystery, with a hint of macabre, Lady or the Tiger ticks all the right boxes when making a checklist of what makes for an excellent read.

Belle King was an infamous teenage serial killer and when she willingly walked into the Dodge City, KS jail to turn herself in it was a momentous occasion. But the last thing she expected to see, standing outside her jail cell, was her husband ... the first (but not the last) man she set out to kill. Not only was he not dead, but he was wanting to take charge of the girl. But justice was intent to have its way, and the only end for Belle would be the gallows.

The writing by Heather M. Herrman is strong and poetic. We fall easily into this story and even before we know much about Belle King, we can't help but side with her, understanding what she's been through. We already know what life is like for women in the U.S. west in the 1800's. Those women who don't roll over to accept their position easily are branded as lunatic, but no one expects them to stand up for themselves the way Belle does.

The book jumps around in time between 'now,' 'one year prior,' 'two years prior' and even 'past.' Typically I don't care for books that do this as I find it difficult to follow. Here, however, it worked. It's important to take note of the time and to let that sit in your head while you read the chapter and to mentally be noting the timeline. It helps to keep the sense of the book.

In addition to the poetic nature of the writing, the book works on both a literal and a metaphorical level. We're given lessons on being a woman and standing up for ones-self. I hope teenage readers of all genders will read and covet this book - there is so much to learn and appreciate. Of course is usually final for most of us, but the intelligent reader will understand.

One of the many things I loved about this book was the very simple fact that this is a western fiction with a female protagonist. The last book of this nature that I can remember reading was Bruce Coville's Fortune's Journey back in 1995! We're well overdue for a good, female protagonist western!  Herrman does address this in her thoughtful author's notes:

     ...I wrote this book not only to center a young girl in a genre that has largely ignored them, but to let her be as wild and wicked as any of the Wild West's men.
     Because the truth is, those women did exist. We do exist. Both as outlaws and heroes. ... Read their complex and beautiful stories. There are so many just waiting for others to discover and tell.

I would encourage you to buy this book. Buy this book and read it. Buy this book and give it to a young reader you may know. Buy this and give it to your local library so that others will find.

Looking for a good book? Lady or the Tiger by Heather M. Herrman is a gorgeous western, mystery, paranormal YA story that deserves your attention.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars

* * * * * *

Lady or the Tiger

author: Heather M. Herrman

publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books

ISBN: 9781984816733

hardcover, 336 pages

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

KIM STANLEY ROBINSON: APPRENTICESHIPS IN NARRATIVE - Andrew Rowcroft

Image
I am a sucker for anything by or about Kim Stanley Robinson. Since I first read The Gold Coast sometime in the late 1980's or early 90's; I haven't missed any of his books since. So, when I see a book about Robinson, or examining his work, I'm all in. What I don't like, is reading a research paper, a university-style thesis, posing as a book. In classic research paper tradition, we begin with an introduction that tells us what we are going to read. Chapter by chapter, taking up nearly 15% of the book's pages, author Andrew Rowcroft tells us what we're going to read in. In detail. With 114 endnotes. There are six chapters .... well, five chapters and a coda ... dealing with different aspects of Robinson's work. But first ... what does "Apprenticeships in Narrative" even mean? In his introduction, Rowcroft notes: "This book argues that one of the most striking aspects of Robinson’s fiction is his concern with literary apprenticeship." ...
Read more

STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS: ASYLUM - Una McCormack

Image
 Una Chin-Riley is the poster girl for Starfleet: smart, driven, and dedicated. She's a by-the-book student, not afraid to ask questions and to quote the manual when she thinks something is being done incorrectly.  And like all really good students, she's also active in extra-curricular activities.  She's often the lead in the Academy-produced opera and she has sympathies for displaced peoples and works with groups to help people seeking asylum. Christopher Pike is an ensign, having only recently graduated from the Academy, he's back at Starfleet waiting for a hearing for an incident during his short tenure on the ship.  He's asked to give a lecture to students ... he's closer in age to them  (compared to the usually retired people who lecture) and yet he's got actual starship experience. Pike takes a liking to Una, despite her being so by-the-book and his realizing 'the book' doesn't have all the answers out in space. 25 years later, Christopher...
Read more

LAW OF THE LAND - Elmer Kelton

Image
 In the 1950's (and a few decades prior) it was pretty easy to find and read some short western fiction if that was your literature of choice. There were scores of western pulps. Today, western readers are generally limited to a few publishers of western novels by a very few western writers. Law of the Land is a collection of short western fiction by Elmer Kelton, an author whose works have spanned many decades - from 1948 ("There's Always Another Chance" originally published in Ranch Romances ) to 2010 ("The Ghost of Two Forks" originally published in Ghost Towns , edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Russell Davis).  That's an incredible period of work for anyone! I enjoy reading western fiction (I think I'm among a dying breed) and enjoy short fiction, so a book like this is very much appreciated.  That said, everything included in this collection is very well written and an enjoyable read and at the same time, nothing here stands out as being excep...
Read more