"The Comanche had no ceremony for ending boyhood - no vision quests or hooks through the nipples- when you felt like it you started going on raids, watching the horses until gradually you were allowed to fight."
When I heard Philipp Meyer had a new book out I was eager to get my hands on a copy. I was, partially put off by the cover and the subject matter, hardly believing I would be drawn into an epic family saga across 3 generations, commencing in with some rather horrific scenes as young Eli is abducted by a Comanche tribe after the gruesome rape and murder of his mother and sister. I was wrong!
It is Eli's story that really held my attention the most - not that the others aren't compelling, his voice just seems more immediate. Perhaps it has something to do with how foreign he initially finds life amongst the Comanche, much like the modern reader, or perhaps it is his path to adulthood and feeling of alienation within his own society.
I literally devoured this book, completing it in 2 nights and I would need an arsenal of superlatives to describe how good I think it is. Scalping, oil rigs, an expansive time frame and a whole lotta drama, I recommend this if you want to read some fabulous writing or just want to experience a cracking tale.
5 out of 5 ...superb - get yourself a copy - or it might just make the perfect Father's day gift ( then you can borrow it later).
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