When someone walks into the library and drops off a book saying, "This book was so well written, I wanted to read each sentence twice," I know it is a book I must read. This happened several weeks ago when Connie McKinney returned "Thirteen Moons" to the library. I immediately checked it out.

Charles Frazier is the author of "Thirteen Moons". He also wrote "Cold Mountain", which was an award winning book and a best seller about a decade ago and also made into a highly acclaimed movie.

I enjoyed "Thirteen Moons", and I am glad Connie brought this book to my attention. It is beautifully written, and I too wanted to re-read some of the sentences just to benefit from the flow of the language and the sense of the setting. The novel is based upon the life of William Holland Thomas. Born in 1805, he was a man whose life spanned the nineteenth century. Will Cooper is the protagonist of "Thirteen Moons". Like Thomas, Will is orphaned at an early age. He is "bound" to work in a mountain general store as a boy and teaches himself the law. Adopted into a Cherokee clan, he goes on to fight for the right of Cherokees to remain in their own territory during the Cherokee Removal. As a "White Indian Chief" Will forms a troop of Cherokee soldiers who fight for the Confederacy in the Civil War. While the basic outline of Will Cooper’s life is the same as William Holland Thomas’, Frazier adds a love interest for Will. As a twelve year-old Will meets Claire when he wins her in a card game. He is immediately drawn to her, only to be separated from her time and again. She winds in and out of his life throughout the novel, and his longing for her dominates his story. The story is told from Will’s perspective as he looks back over his life of nine decades.

As I do with all the books I review, I researched the author and read some of what other reviewers have written about "Thirteen Moons". This brings me to the topic of reviews. I can not recall another book where I found two reviews that were so divergent. I purchased "Thirteen Moons" because it was well reviewed and because "Cold Mountain", Frazier’s previous novel, had won the National Book Award. As I was writing this article, I came across a scathing review of "Thirteen Moons" by a critic in a national newspaper, the "Washington Post". I was amazed. This critic’s reaction to the book was so harsh that I wondered if we had read the same book. I can not help but wonder what caused the burr under his/her saddle. In my judgement, this is a beautifully written book. Frazier gives the reader an indelible sense of the decimation, caused by the Cherokee Removal along with its inevitably. He does a superb job of providing a sense of the sweep of history as well as a feel of the physical setting of the Appalachian region. The moral is this—don’t give reviewers (including me) too much credit. They can be helpful but sometimes they have their own agenda. "Thirteen Moons" certainly did not deserve the kind of review it received in the "Washington Post". When writing a review, I try to remember that while a book might not be my "cup of tea" it might appeal to others. To me "Thirteen Moons" is a fine book. It does get off to a slow start and will not appeal to people who enjoy reading a book for its mesmerizing story. For those who read for language, character or setting, "Thirteen Moons" is certainly worth a try. Check it out at the Scottsbluff Public Library.

:: Go to Library Home ::

Scottsbluff Public Library :: 1809 Third Avenue :: Scottsbluff, NE 69361 :: 308-630-6250