"I had lain in my bed thinking of our visitor out in the bunk in the barn. It scarce seemed possible that he was the same man that I had first seen, stern and chilling in his dark solitude, riding up our road...He was far off and unapproachable at times even when he was right there with you."
The Starret family's life forever changes when a man named Shane rides out of the great glowing West and up to their farm in 1889. Young Bob Starret is entranced by this stoic stranger who brings a new energy to his family. Shane stays on as a farmhand, but his past remains a mystery. Many folks in their small Wyoming valley are suspicious of Shane, and make it known that he is not welcome. But dangerous as Shane may seem, he is a staunch friend to the Starrets--and when a powerful neighboring rancher tries to drive them out of their homestead, Shane becomes entangled in the deadly feud.
This classic Western is a profoundly moving story of the influence of a singular character on one boy's life.
Ok, peeps! If you haven't read this book, you need to. This book is so good that I read it four times in two days...I think. Anyway. I liked that this book was in first person. I don't usually like first-person narrated books, but this one was great. I don't think that a third person perspective would've worked for this one. Also, the story line is great. I mean, come on. A guy named Shane who just enters into this family on a whim, really (or maybe it was Mrs. Starret's cooking), gets involved in all the family difficulties, and whips up--no, not whips up, WHOOPS up--on the bad guys. And what is even more awesome, at the end of the book, when Shane leaves, the first guy he ever beat up.... oyhere is an overall sense of teamwork, and sticking together through thick and thin. I like how Bob looks up to Shane, and the relationship they have with each other. I really loved this scene. I thought it was sweet. And cool. Anyway, here it is:
...Like the time I was playing with a gun Mr. Grafton gave me, an old frontier model Colt with a cracked barrel someone had turned in at the store.
I had rigged a holster out of a torn chunk of oilcloth and a belt of rope. I was stalking around near the barn, whirling every few steps to pick off a skulking Indian, when I saw Shane watching me from the barn door. I stopped short, thinking of that beautiful gun under his bunk and afraid he would make fun of me and my sorry old broken pistol. Instead he looked gravely at me.
"How many have you knocked over so far, Bob?"
Could I ever repay the man? My gun was a shining new weapon, my hand steady as a rock as I drew a bead on another one.
"That makes seven."
"Indians or timber wolves?"
"Indians. Big ones."
"Better leave a few for the other scouts," he said gently. "It wouldn't do to make them jealous. And look here, Bob. You're not doing that quite right."
And then he goes on to show Bob a few tips and tricks about holding and handling a pistol. It was so sweet how he didn't make fun of him, but instead plays along and even gives him more knowledge on the art of gunfighting. And you know how Bob feels after this. The attention he gives to Shane is basically hero worship. It is so sweet!
Hmm...was there anything to dislike about this book? I don't really think so. There is the overall disappointment about the bad guys being so dumb as to mess with a man like Shane. THEY SHOULD'VE KNOWN BETTER. And see what they got for not knowing. OH WAIT. No spoilers.
The content was not that bad. I mean, there was the to-be-expected D-word, but I'm pretty sure it was only used in one or two places in the whole book... which is pretty good for a Western, you know?
For an over-all great book, I do now therefore award thee, Shane....
A five-star rating!!
Have you ever read Shane? Who was your favorite character? Do you want to read this book? Have you read anything else by Jack Schaefer?
P.S. Don't forget to tell me how I did! (this was my very first blog post...ever. Like, ever, ever.)
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