Ratings48
Average rating3.7
Fantastic read - finished in two sittings.
Excels at both a great plot and also seeming to capture the world of frontier trappers and mountain men - the nearly constant walk along the edge of death for the promise of money.
“The goal each day is tomorrow morning.”
I didn't realize going into this book that a) it's actually a movie as well with Leonardo diCaprio, I guess? and b) that the main character, Hugh Glass, was an actual guy. This guy was horrifically mauled by a bear, left to die by a guy who stole his rifle to boot, somehow survives based on grit and determination, and swears vengeance – to get his rifle back. I'm no gun person, but that must have been a hell of a rifle.
The book hops POVs a bit during the book to keep tabs on the main players in Hugh Glass' story, which I liked so that I could appreciate the few times when Hugh Glass was this close to his mark without even realizing it. Glass meets several companions along the way, and I particularly liked the group of French guys he befriends. Their story is particularly touching in a way I was simultaneously expecting and not expecting at the same time. I also really liked the ending, because it didn't take the predictable Western ending route. I appreciated that.
This was quite an adventure book, and even sparse on atmospheric details sometimes, it was still an enjoyable read.
This is very much like The Count of Monte Cristo in terms of being a revenge story, although it is based loosely on real people and happenings that occurred in exploring the mid-west in the early 1800s. I found it very gripping and the pages flew by.
I'll start with a disclaimer: I've never seen the DiCaprio movie. Not knowing what exactly to expect made me enjoy this book even more. The bleak but irrepressible struggle for survival in part one was awe-inspiring and compelling. The fight for revenge and acceptance of impossible odds in part two equally so. I loved this book.
Age range: 16+
Too violent for younger readers.
Holy crap, I think Hugh Glass has to be one of the biggest badasses in history- EVER. Even if half of what happened in this story is true (and Punke gives us a head's up at the end saying what he had to fill in and what he could confirm) it is one of the greatest adventure/survival stories I've ever read. I have loved survival stories since reading My Side of the Mountain when I was a kid.
My boss read Revenant at the same time, and I loved what she had to say about it. Compared to Hugh Glass and other mountain men, we humans of today are sad, sad wussies. I think she is right about that, and I'll think of Hugh Glass the next time the internet is down and I have to wait for a few minutes. It could be worse. I could be cracking into marrow bone trying to digest rotten meat.
The good news: what a great book to start the new year off with! The bad news: it was soo great, the next five are going to seem awful in comparison. Sigh.